Toddlers love finger foods, so nursery snack-time would seem to be a worry-free part of the job. However, a little diversity beyond dry crackers and lukewarm water served in miniature paper cups has the potential to enhance the entire experience for everyone involved.
Depending on the schedule of your ward's church meetings, hearty nursery snacks can make all the difference in preventing rumbling bellies from evolving into complete toddler meltdowns.
Food allergy-free zones
By the time an 18-month-old enters nursery, parents are most likely aware of food allergies their baby has developed. The usual culprits — like bananas or peanut butter — have been tried, tested and deemed dangerous and they'll let you know. So even if one child is sensitive to a food, ban it entirely from nursery just to be on the safe side.
Make food part of the fun
We keep a hot air popcorn popper as well as a toaster in our nursery closet so snack-time can be part of play. Toddlers love to watch kernels explode into white fluffy snacks. They love to spread a dab of jam on toast or lick peanut butter off a spoon.
Here are some other hits for nursery kids:
Holiday-theme marshmallows (Buy them on sale after the holiday. Two-year-olds do not mind eating Christmas tree marshmallows in January.)
Celery sticks and peeled cucumber slices (Skeptical of green veggies in nursery? Give it a try and you might be pleasantly surprised.)
Cheese cut with small cookie cutters (They loved the day we offered cheese cut in the shape of hearts, pumpkins or autumn leaves.)
Jell-O jigglers (OK, some may mush colorful pieces through their fingers instead of eat them, but the older ones will giggle their way through snack-time.)
Dried fruit like raisins, craisins, apricots or leather (Cut larger pieces into smaller servings and remember, a little truly goes a long way.)
Apple juice (They'll love the change in beverage once in a while and apple juice spills won't stain pretty Sunday dresses.)
Final advice: Don't break the budget and resent your obligation to feed others' kids. You'll find a little advance effort is a great investment and results in children running to nursery without teary goodbyes, ultimately making your job easier. Some days, you might be surprised when they spend 20 minutes at the table enjoying their adventurous eating experience.