With healthy fats that our kids need, but don’t often eat enough of, this new applesauce pouch from Brainiac Kids is one of my go-to healthy toddler snacks!
Meet Brainiac Kids
I’m all for serving our kids versions of favorite foods with the most nutrition possible…as long as they still taste great! Which is why I love the new Applesauce Pouches from Brainiac Kids. They come in apple, strawberry, and cinnamon flavors and are free from added sugars and artificial flavors. Plus, they just taste like fresh fruit!
This post is sponsored by Brainiac Kids.
Why this Applesauce is Different
You may have heard of the importance of eating healthy fats, but did you know that it’s even more important for little kids? In fact, babies and toddlers need a lot of healthy fats—about half of their daily calories should come from healthy fats up until age 2—to ensure that their brains have the nutrients they need to develop properly.
These healthy fats are naturally occurring in foods including wild salmon, avocado, hemp seeds and more…but those are also foods that can sometimes be a hard sell with the kids, especially as they get older. In fact, older kids need these nutrients just as much as younger ones, but many kids aged 3-10 are missing out—we all know how hard it can sometimes be to convince them to eat the more nutrient-dense foods they loved as babies!
Which is where this applesauce can be super helpful. It contains omega-3 DHA / EPA and choline and one applesauce pouch has the same amount of Omega 3-DHA as 1 ounce of salmon. And the same amount of choline (which helps kids brains work properly) as 2 cups of broccoli!
TIP: I definitely recommend still serving a wide range of healthy foods to our kids, including sources of healthy fats and choline like fish, seeds, broccoli, and eggs, this is a helpful safety net.
Easy Toddler Meal Idea: Spinach Grilled Cheese, Corn, and Applesauce
I almost always have some applesauce pouches on hand to help round out easy meals for my kids. And I’ve found that having one component on their plate that I know they usually like—sometimes you’ve heard me call this a “safe food”—helps them relax about the rest of the foods on their plates so we all can enjoy our time together. And it’s an easy way to offer a solid dose of nutrients when I’m short on time.
We’ve been on a kick of having the Applesauce with Spinach Grilled Cheese and warmed frozen corn for weekend lunches. It’s easy, nutritious, and I actually like it as much as the kids…though I’m nice and let them have all of the applesauce! To make the grilled cheese, simply spread this Spinach Quesadilla filling between two slices of bread, butter the outsides, and cook like any other grilled cheese. I cut into small squares for my toddler so it’s easy for her to chew.
TIP: This is also a healthy toddler snack to take on the go, pack in a lunchbox, or keep in your diaper bag.
How to Choose a Healthy Pouch for Babies, Toddlers, and Kids
When choosing pouches for babies and toddlers, look for ones that are free from added sugars such as cane syrup or cane sugar. This will help the flavor of the pouch taste like the fruit inside, rather than just be overly sweet. I like to use pouches in the mix with other fresh foods to ensure that the kids are being exposed to a range of flavors and textures as they grow.
Where to Buy
You can find the applesauce on Amazon or on the Brainiac Kids website.
I’d love to hear what you think of this product or if you have any questions about healthy fats for kids, so please comment below!
Thank you to Brainiac Kids for sponsoring this post!
