10 Canadian Toddler Snacks: Expertly Approved By My Toddler
Written by Sarina Rene
This is a segment of Raising the North, where we feature real stories from parents, plus expert insight from the individuals and businesses supporting families across the country.
This is a guest contribution from digital creator Sarina Rene, a Muskoka mom dedicated to shopping local. You can find more of her recommendations by following her on Instagram.
“Mama, I need a snack!”
“I’m hungry.” “I need a snack.” “Do you have any snacks?” “Where are the snacks?”
Do these sound familiar? In our house I hear these most commonly right after a well-balanced meal has been served or right after we’ve gotten everyone buckled into the car.
My son is at an age where eating seven small meals in the form of readily available snacks is their primary form of nutrition. The days where everyone sits in their chair and eats a lovely well balanced meal together are still ahead of us, but I am deterred to still provide him with the best food possible, however he will eat it. But the truth is—our snack aisles can be incredibly overwhelming! From cookies to chips and even healthier options, like fruit bars with no added sugar, the options are endless and it’s hard to choose.
The reality is that a lot of the product we see in the children’s snack aisles aren’t made in Canada. As a mom committed to shopping local and supporting Canadian-made products, I was determined to seek out those top-tier Canadian snacks that you can rely on.
Whether you’re planning an on-the-go snack box for a day out or looking for a quick treat that will survive travels in your handbag, here are my favourite Canadian-made snack options:
Riley’s Kitchen Chickpea Fritter Mix — This gluten-free fritter mix is packed with iron and fibre and great cooked as savoury pancakes or mini-muffins. While these take a bit of prep to make, you can turn it into a toddler activity and have them help! I love making a double batch and freezing extras for whenever snack attacks hit.
Flourish Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancake & Waffle Mix — If your kiddo has more of a sweet tooth, try making a batch of mini muffins out of this pancake. These are great topped with a little bit of nut butter or cheddar cheese!
Mitsoh Pemmican Strips — These Canadian-made pemmican strips are made with bison and have simple ingredient lists. These are great for hiking!
Bob Snail Fruit Leather Strips — With no added sugars, preservatives or colours, these are the Fruit Roll-Ups of the next generation! Perfect size for throwing in a diaper bag or purse, and makes great party favours too!
Unreal Dark Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Gems — If you love a sweet treat but are mindful of food dyes and artificial flavours, these chocolate gems will become your new fave. Dairy and gluten-free with a little crisp, these tiny treats are coloured with vegetable dyes and are perfect by themselves or mixed into baked goods for an extra sweet touch. I love mixing these into homemade marshmallow squares.
Gimme Organic Roasted Seaweed Snack — For the savoury snackers, these organic seaweed snacks are a change from your regular crackers or chips. Individually wrapped and lightly salted, these are delicious by themselves or used as mini wraps for tuna salad bites!
Hardbite Droppin’ Made Beets Chips — Swap out your regular potato chips with these funky beet chips for a snack your toddler will love, and watch their eyes widen in surprise! They pair perfectly with dill pickle hummus for a yummy snack.
Clover LEAF Dill + Lemon Flaked Tuna — Seafood lovers, rejoice! These little flavorful cans are a high-protein snack that pairs perfectly with bread, crackers, chips… or even just by itself! The pop-top makes it perfect for travel—no can opener required.
Baby Gourmet Melties — For another sweet treat, we love grabbing these coconut-based gems! Perfect by themselves, or mixed together into a homemade trail mix for an on-the-go snack.
Love Child Organics Ducks — If your child loves fish crackers (you know the ones) but you’d love a healthier option, give them these ducks instead! This fun, easy-to-grab shape for snackers is made with non-GMO flours and dehydrated veggies.
No matter what your toddler is in the mood for, these snack are sure to have you covered.