A toddler has a love for snacks ALWAYS! Especially at bedtime when it can be something that is used for a delay tactic.
So when you are creating your bedtime routine, add in a good hardy snack. This way when you hear your toddler say "I'm hungry", "I need a snack", you will know that in fact it is just your toddler trying to delay bedtime.
When choosing your bedtime snack there are a few things to consider.
Cut out the sugar. Keep it healthy. You don't want a sugar spike to be the cause of why they are not going to sleep.
Add some protein. Protein lasts longer in your little ones tummy. This will make sure they won't wake up hungry in the night. Some protein examples are: peanut/seed butter, cheese and Greek yogurt
Higher magnesium content. Magnesium is a natural way to help calm your little one. Some examples of foods higher in magnesium are: pumpkin seeds, whole grains, and banana
As a parent we can often get repetitive with our snacks, grab the quickest thing on hand and just be done with the snacks for the day. But a bedtime snack can sometimes be the most important part about your toddler's bedtime routine.
Here are some quick and easy things to put together for a bedtime snack that have some great benefits. Print it out and put it on your fridge for a quick reference and make sure when you go grocery shopping you always have one of the options on your list.
As you can see these snacks are not hard to put together. They take very little time and you will be thankful you chose something like this instead of a fruit snack, goldfish or chocolate chips.
If you have some ideas for healthy, beneficial bedtime snacks, I'd love to hear! Let us know in the comments.
As always,
Sleep Easy
Comments