In a hurry? My pick for best snack container for toddlers is the Munchkin Snack Catcher.
As most parents quickly learn, toddlers have unique eating needs.
It's a challenge for them to open snack packages and containers with the ease that an older child can. These challenges (and more) need to be taken into account by parents when choosing snack containers for their tot.
In this post, I'll take all muss and fuss out of choosing the best snack container for toddlers. By the end, you'll select the right container for your child and move on with your day!
Toddlers are notorious for spilling their snacks.
Containers that feature clever designs that allow access to the food while simultaneously preventing spills can help prevent this seemingly endless cascade of accidents.
I remember a particularly leaky juice cup belonging to a toddler my wife used to care for – oh, it was a nightmare. If the juice wasn't leaking onto the child's shirt, it was getting all over the floor while they were playing.
Choosing a snack container that is easy for a toddler to open and small enough for tiny hands to grip is frequently overlooked by parents during the container selection process.
Focusing on the "tiny hands" aspect of a container can provide benefits to both the parent and the toddler. Also, it allows the toddler to access their snack independently without becoming frustrated (or needing the parent to stop what they are doing to help out).
Easy-open containers are especially important when it comes to snacking in the car.
Toddlers are masters at snacking. This makes sense: their stomachs are small and can only hold a limited amount of food at once. But over-snacking can lead to several health issues, as well as food and meal aversions.
Considering the size and measurements of the snack container can help parents put a lid (pun intended) on their child's eating. You can mechanically – and effortlessly – determine appropriate serving sizes and prevent toddlers from eating too much of their snack at once.
Containers that have multiple compartments for different snacks can help balance snacks nutritionally.
These provide a range of different food types for snacking, rather than having the tot eat a snigle type of snack.
Divided containers are also beneficial for toddlers who are picky eaters, as they have some choice in which snack they'd like to eat at a given time. According to insights from PennState, when children can choose the foods they eat, they are more likely to eat them.
If your toddler is frequently snacking throughout the day, look for containers that come in bundles or stacking sets. This will allow your tot to grab-and-go whenever hunger strikes.
Tots with a light appetite are just fine with small snack containers that only hold a few items of food. However, older toddlers or children that like to munch may need larger snack portion sizes to tie them over.
In the car? In the playroom? At daycare? In the stroller?
It's important to consider that not all containers are the best for all snacking environs. The container that works well on the go may not be the best for at-home snacking.
When choosing the best container for a toddler, it's essential to think about your specific child and what would work best for them.
Every toddler is a unique human being, and their abilities when it comes to gripping, holding, opening, closing, grabbing, and so on are going to vary. Think about how your toddler is limited or excels as an eater.
The answer to this question boils down to your toddler's unique skill set and needs, as well as your family's lifestyle.
In this section, we will explore my top picks for snack containers for toddlers. They provide a range of different features and styles, so read the reviews under each heading.
The Grab and Go Formula To Food Container Set by Skip Hop features three interlocking containers that form a cylindrical design when they are connected. Each container is a different color and a different size (one 10 oz container, and two 6 oz containers), and three interchangeable lids.
Two of the lids are water-tight, and one is designed for pouring formula. The third lid includes a carrying handle, which is meant to go at the top of the stack (this lid is intended to contain dry food, not liquid).
Pros
Cons
The NUK First Essentials Bunch-a-Bowls is a set of bowls and lids (a 2 bowl set or a 4 bowl set can be purchased).
The lids feature a snap-lock design, which allows you or your toddler to hear when the seal has adhered to the bowl. Each bowl is a different color and are designed to be 'break-proof' according to the manufacturer.
Bowls are dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe. The Gerber Graduates brand makes the bowls, and each bowl can hold about 6 oz.
Pros
Cons
The Take & Toss Toddler Bowls with Lids are great for parents on the go who are often losing these types of products or accidentally leaving them behind.
They feature a snap-on lid design and come in a variety of bright colors. They are small in size and can be reused over and over again for years (and they are BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free).
It should be noted: these containers are 8 oz and are intended to hold small amounts of food. They may not be ideal for older children with bigger appetites. They are suitable for holding single serving sizes of a wide range of foods from veggies to cereal to applesauce.
Pros
Cons
The Stay Put Suction Bowl Set by Munchkin includes a set of 3 bowls. Each bowl is a slightly different size and is a different color than the rest and feature a modern-looking design.
The bottom of each bowl features a suction cup that can be securely attached to most surfaces. Each suction cup has a lift-tab so parents can quickly release the suction seal to remove the bowl from the surface.
These bowls are dishwasher and microwave safe and are BPA-free. The bowls are designed for use by children ages 6 months and up. Perhaps best of all, because the bowls come in different sizes, it allows them to be easily nested for storage – despite their suction-cup base.
Pros
Cons
The Snack Catcher snacking containers by Munchkin are designed to be spill-proof (for dry foods, not liquids). They are small enough for little hands to hold and can fit into most cup holders.
Holding up to 9 oz, these containers are dishwasher safe and BPA-free. They also won The Cribsie's Coolest Snack Container Award in 2016!
Perhaps the best feature of these cups is they allow a child to insert their hand into the container, but won't let the snacks come falling out their own. That great feature comes compliments to the flap-design of the lid.
The Snack Catchers are an excellent choice for stroller or in-car snacking. Heck, they're an excellent choice for parents who want to let their toddlers run around the house with a snack-in-hand... without making a huge mess and wasting food.
Pros
Cons
Of all these options, my favorite snacking container for toddlers is the Munchkin Snack Catcher.
The Snack Catchers are best because they both prevent spills and simultaneously allow your toddler to easily snack. Their design is inspired, and it sets them apart from others on the list.
