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Whether you’re doing baby led weaning or needing inspiration for feeding your baby, this list of healthy snacks for babies has several ideas, ranging from pureed baby foods to whole finger foods and everything in between! These baby snack ideas are good any time of day.

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As a Registered Dietitian who loves the process of feeding babies, creating healthy snacks for babies brings me so much joy.

I love the process of watching babies start solids and explore new foods and flavors.

And while there are several great packaged options available now (we have many favorites we order from Thrive Market!), there are also so many easy things you can make in your own kitchen for homemade baby snacks.

What you choose to feed your baby may vary depending on the diet you follow, any allergies (dairy free snacks for babies here), their age and proficiency with chewing/swallowing, what food you have available, etc.

Even the time of year may dictate some food choices. For instance, baby popsicles may be more fun in the warmer months!

Hence, we’ve broken down these healthy baby snacks recipes into different categories by age, so busy parents can easily find the age group you’re looking for!

And of course, anything you serve to your baby is generally safe for your toddler, too!

You just may want to add additional things or ingredients if serving to a toddler or older kids.

Disclaimer – This post is for informational purposes only and is not for diagnosing or treatment. See your medical provider or Registered Dietitian for individual recommendations. 

What Should Babies Eat First?

Once you start solids with babies, you can really start serving them a variety of foods and flavors, provided you cut and serve them safely.

Most people prefer to start with purees (storebought or homemade), or even soft foods, like sweetpotatoes or avocados.

Some of our favorite purees are:

• Kiwi puree for baby
• Cantaloupe puree
• Parsnip puree
• Sweetpotato spinach baby food

Here are several avocado recipes for baby led weaning (full of healthy fats) and even sweetpotato baby finger foods once babies can better grasp or hold food.

I always urge parents to take a cpr class before introducing solids, and then often times to re-take it once baby starts eating to refresh everything.

Aside from that and your pediatrician’s approval, you really only need a splat mat and a sturdy and safe high chair before serving food to your baby.

While fancy plates and utensils aren’t necessary, I prefer the ezpz plates and cups since they are silicone and stick to the tray for easy cleanup!

Healthy Snacks for Babies 6 Months – 8 Months

For younger babies, I try to rely on healthy, wholesome snack ideas with minimal ingredients.

This is because babies are still new to eating and we aren’t sure of their allergens yet.

So, what should babies eat at 8 months? or 7 months?

These baby led weaning foods for 6 months gather many great ideas for introducing simple solid food, and I love this list for babies 6-9 months, and then as a starting point for older toddler snacks.

These are some of my favorite foods when starting baby led weaning. I try to be intentional with offering healthy fats and foods that are high in iron when starting to offer solids.

You don’t have to try them all at once! At this point, parents are still navigating either breast milk or formula with younger babies, which is their primary source of nutrition.

There is no timeline in which you need to introduce all of these foods – do what works best for your baby and family.

• oatmeal (good iron source) – as babies get older, you can serve these oatmeal bites for babies
• raspberries
• squash (air fryer acorn squash is our fave!)
• avocado
• ripe pear slices – I like to roast these and serve with cinnamon
• roasted broccoli florets with butter or olive oil
• baked carrot sticks
• baby led weaning meatballs 
• sweetpotato – There are several recipes for sweet potatoes for babies and kids!
• broccoli – you can puree broccoli or serve it steamed
• liver – great source of iron, Vitamin A and nearly all nutrients!
• cantaloupe chunks blended into a cantaloupe puree for baby
• bison or beef (great iron source) – We love these air fryer bison burgers
• baked parsnips – these are a great finger food and easy for baby to hold
• thinly sliced steak (good source of iron)
• beans (great iron source)
• zucchini – There are so many options for zucchini for baby led weaning!
• eggs
• strawberries – I’ll generally serve a big strawberry that little hands can try to hold
• ground chicken meatballs
• lentils – we mash or puree them. So many great lentil recipes for baby here!
• salmon
• chicken
• We also love the Serenity Kids pouches when in a bind (use code BUCKETLIST for 15% off!)

This is a great list that will probably take a few months to get through.

For more options, here are a few different options for baby led weaning at 7 months.

Snacks for Babies at 9 Months

Once your baby hits 9 months, they should be starting to get in the groove of eating and finding their stride.

They may even have a few teeth to help with chewing!

When my youngest was 9 months, I felt pretty comfortable serving him just about anything when he was safe in his high chair, except honey and added sugars.

He was a capable little eater! He would use his baby spoon sometimes but also just dig in with his hands, and I loved it.

Here is a video of the little guy eating at 9 months – he was always a hungry guy!

At 9 months, he was generally eating breakfast around 7:30-8am (usually eggs or oatmeal), lunch around 12pm, and dinner around 5 pm.

I would tend to offer milk and snacks between meals and naps.

Remember they have tiny tummies so it doesn’t have to be large portions!

You could start offering combination foods around 9 months, such as pasta with cheese and meat or beans, yogurt parfaits, and even smoothies to work on their suck strength.

I do remember doing cheerios and peanut puffs often as snacks during this time.

Some other snack ideas:

• air fried acorn squash with cinnamon
• liver and other cooked/pureed meats
• yogurt melts
• bison or beef (great iron source) – We love these air fryer bison burgers and ALWAYS use Butcher Box organic meat.
• full fat yogurt or cottage cheese with nut butter and fresh fruit
• cheese or any dairy products
• Eggs – scrambled, egg strips, hard-boiled eggs, egg muffins for baby, or mixed into meatballs.
• kiwi
• smooth peanut butter – Here are several peanut butter recipes for babies.
• soft grains – rice, cous cous, quinoa, barley, farro with a baby spoon

12 Month Old Snack Ideas

If your baby is on the verge of turning one or has already turned one, you may want to advance some of your snack options.

These 12 month old snack ideas are a little heartier and have multiple food groups, since by now, you should be aware if your child has any allergens.

At 12 months old, babies should not be eating added sugar, but instead work on food variety with essential nutrients. For instance, healthy fats are vital for brain development!

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and World Health Organization recommend avoiding added sugars until age 2.

With that being said, here are some of my favorite nutrient-dense snack foods for 12 month olds that we offer regularly.

• fruits and vegetables
• smoothies – here are my favorite smoothies for toddlers
• crushed nuts or thinned out peanut butter
• eggs
• avocado
• meats and poultry (can start to introduce more ground meet now if they have pincer grasp)
• beans, lentils and legumes
• dairy milk or soy milk
• My Serenity Kids pouches
• full-fat greek yogurt
• cheese
• tofu, tempeh
• fruit/veggie pouches (We love NOKA pouches)
• DIY yogurt pouches
• edamame
• seafood
• whole grains – whole grain bread, pasta, quinoa, barley, oatmeal
• tortillas
• nutritious add-in’s, such as chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds

Snacks for 15 Month Old

As baby gets older, you may find that they start to eat larger portions. You also likely feel more comfortable with feeding now and can offer ore options.

Compared to the 12 month old snack ideas, snacks for a 15 month old and older babies may include more food groups and more combination foods.

For example, rather than serving half a banana and some plain yogurt on a plate (which may be for a 12 month old), you may be able to mash the banana in some oatmeal and add some chia seeds or peanut butter.

I’ll also generally introduce snack bars around the 15-16 month age range.

Another difference with 15 month olds is that they should be proficient eaters now, and can likely pick up small pieces of cut food, too.

Of course, toddler finger foods are still wonderful options as well.

Healthy Snacks for Babies of All Ages

In my opinion as a mom and dietitian, it’s very important to establish the foundation for eating now.

Offer a variety of foods and nutrients. It’s usually around the 15-18 month timeline where some kids can be labeled picky eatesr because they become more autonomous.

Here are some easy baby snack recipes that are great for a variety of baby ages and stages. Many have simple ingredients or can pair well with other foods.