Picky Eater Snack Dips for Babies and Toddlers

Adults love to dip and your little ones do too! Try these delicious dip recipes that pair nicely with our Happy Baby Snackers , and read on for benefits of offering your baby dip-able snacks!

Our deliciously savory—and unsalted!—Organic Snackers feature veggie-forward tastes, with recipes like Creamy Spinach & Carrot and Tomato & Basil in fun, meltable X & O shapes that encourage self-feeding. These crunchy snacks are made with ancient grains, and baked for yummy on-the-go snacking.

Creamy Avocado Dip

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup avocado
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • Juice from approximately 1/8th of a lime (to taste)

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix using a hand blender for a smooth puree-like consistency

Optional: For a lumpier dip, use a fork instead of a hand blender to mash and mix together

 Avocado:

  • Including avocados in your child’s diet can help provide your little one with a source good fat – monounsaturated fat.
  • Avocados also provides fiber and some vitamins at various levels depending on the amount eaten.
  • It’s easy to prepare!  No cooking involved and can make as smooth or chunky as needed for your little one’s age and stage.

Creamy Hummus Dip

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup plain, pre-made hummus*
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well with a spoon or fork.

*Optional: Make a homemade hummus from chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, garlic and lemon juice. Blend all ingredients together in a food processer until smooth.

Plain Greek Yogurt:

  • Provides a complete protein.
  • Contains no added sugar.
  • Has a neutral flavor, so it can be mixed with many ingredients.

 Hummus:

  • Plant-based.
  • Smooth and creamy texture.

Carrot Chickpea Dip

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup plain, pre-made hummus*
  • 1 TBSP plain Greek yogurt (for extra creaminess)
  • ½ cup cooked carrots

Directions:

  1. First, boil carrots until mushable with a fork
  2. Place all ingredients into a blender and mix until desired consistency

Optional:

  • *Make a homemade hummus from chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, garlic and lemon juice. Blend all ingredients together in a food processer until smooth.
  • For a lumpier dip, mash with fork in bowl rather than using a blender

Carrots:

  • Provides beta carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A, and dietary fiber at various levels depending on the amount eaten.
  • Are a veggie that can be prepared many ways and that many babies and tots enjoy!

Bonus Dip Recipe! Peanut Butter Dream Dip

This is a delicious way to introduce babies to sweet & savory flavor combinations, with the sweetness of this dip and the savory flavor of our Snackers!

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 of a medium or ½ of a small ripe banana
  • 1 TBSP natural, no sugar added creamy peanut butter**
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
  • Sprinkle/dash of cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well using a handmixer (smoother) or fork (more lumpy).

Optional: This dip would also pair well with strawberries for a fun “dessert-like” snack.

Peanut Butter:

  • Plant-based protein.
  • Versatile ingredient for a variety of dishes: sweet or savory, smooth, or crunchie. Just make sure it’s texturally appropriate for your little one.

What are the benefits of offering foods for baby to dip?

  • Dips can help to develop fine motor skills. The pincer grasp (the coordination of the index finger and thumb to hold an item) is a big milestone in fine motor skills. Practicing as early as 6 months, when you introduce solids, is a great way to start working on developing it. It’s generally not developed until around 8-9 months and mastered around 10-12 months.1,2 Once baby has a handle on picking up appropriate size and texture finger foods, have them practice dipping! This can also help when you start working on using utensils at mealtimes, as they will be used to having a “carrier” for the food already!
  • Dips can help little one’s try new foods – try pairing a familiar dip with a new food.
  • Dips can help minimize (or even diminish) the taste/texture of food. This can be a great strategy for picky eaters when offering foods that are often refused.
  • Some dips may offer added nutrition by using ingredients that have protein, fiber, good fats or more (like our dips above!)
  • Your little one might start eating more vegetables when a dip is served alongside them. Some studies have shown that using dips can help increase vegetable consumption.
  • When introducing new foods to babies, “playing with food” is recommended, as this sensory experience can help them get comfortable with foods.
  • Dips offer new textures, colors, smells, and flavors to provide a variety of sensory experiences to baby. This may help baby become more comfortable with food and possibly even help create an adventurous eater.

Have fun with these dip ideas and our Snackers! As always, make sure your baby is ready for the texture and ingredients in these dips and Snackers before offering.

Let’s Chat!

We know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and countless questions and confusion, and we want to support you in your feeding journey and beyond. Our Happy Baby Experts are a team of lactation consultants and registered dietitian nutritionists certified in infant and maternal nutrition – and they’re all moms, too! They’re here to offer personalized support on our free, one-on-one, live chat platform Mon-Fri 8am-8pm (EST), and Sat-Sun 8am-4pm (EST). No appointment needed, no email or sign-up required. Chat Now!

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**Always consult your pediatrician before introducing allergens to your baby

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