Oatmeal Balls [Toddler Friendly]

Key ingredients

Nut butter

Oatmeal balls are typically made with nut butter, which adds flavour and nutrients. Some common options include almond butter, peanut butter, and cashew butter. It's important to choose a nut butter that your child can tolerate, as some kids may have allergies or sensitivities to certain types of nuts. If you need to be mindful of nut allergies for either your child or perhaps if you're sending the snack to a nut aware childcare facility, you can use seed butter as a replacement. Seed butter is made from ground seeds (like sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or pumpkin seeds) and is a good source of protein, healthy fats, and other nutrients.

Oats

Oats provide complex carbohydrates, fibre, and a host of other nutrients. From our experiences, quick oats seem to be the best in terms of holding together. Old-fashioned oats or rolled oats can also be used. However, you may want to prepare it in a food processor to obtain the right texture so the ball holds up together nicely.

No one wants to be cleaning up a trail of oat crumbs around the house…right?

Steel-cut oats may be a bit too crunchy for toddlers, so it's best to stick with old-fashioned or rolled oats.

Honey

Honey is a natural sweetener that is made by bees from the nectar of flowers. It's a popular ingredient in many recipes, including oatmeal balls, where it's used to add a touch of sweetness. However, it's important to note that honey is a concentrated source of sugar, and we recommend avoiding the use of honey or other sweeteners before your baby is 12 months old. Check out our blog post on sugar: Babies, Sweets, and Sugar: the complete 411! - Happy Healthy Eaters. Additionally, honey poses the risk of infant botulism under a year.

Allergen info

This recipe calls for nut butter. Peanuts and tree nuts such as almonds and cashews are both top allergens. You can substitute seed butters such as sunflower seed or pumpkin seed butters as an alternative. This would also make the snack lunchbox or daycare friendly as many schools do not permit kids to bring peanut or nut products in their lunches.

For more on how to introduce your child to peanut butter, check out this article!

How to make these oatmeal balls

The full recipe is below, but here are a few key steps to visualize the process.

1. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, nut butter, honey, ground flax, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix well until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture forms a sticky dough. Alternatively, you can combine the ingredients in a food processor.

2. If the dough is having a hard time coming together, you can add 1 teaspoon of water to make it more sticky.

3. Stir in the chocolate chips (if using).

4. Scoop out spoonfuls of the mixture and roll them into balls using your hands. The size of the balls will depend on your preference, but aim for a size that is appropriate for your toddler to handle.

How to serve these oatmeal balls at each stage

4-18 months: this snack is not appropriate for this age.

18 months+: It's important to consider your child's age and chewing abilities when introducing new foods. Most older toddlers are able to chew and swallow solid foods without difficulty, so around 18 months is generally a good age to start introducing oatmeal energy balls (or other soft, bite-sized snacks).

Serving suggestion: To turn these oatmeal balls into a well-rounded snack, serve with fruit and either a glass of milk or slices of cheese for some calcium.

Other recommended lunchbox recipes

If you tried these oatmeal energy balls or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

What to do when your toddler says "yuck!"

Do you find yourself unsure what to do or say when your toddler refuses to eat what you've made? We've got your back! Check out our free printable for nine clutch phrases that will leave you feeling confident and secure in this challenging situation!