Omega-3 Snacks for Toddler?

I just got a sample for a snack called 'Popumz' developed by Dr. Sears. They are an organic, multigrain snack with omega-3. There are 4 different flavors. My kids loved them. We got a sample at an event, but I bet New Seasons (and maybe Fred Meyer) has them or will since they carry Dr. Sears' supplements for kids. You could leave a whole box of these with the daycare provider and each serving is in an individual bag.

I give my son the Brainy Kidz chews from Dr. Sears (or something close to that name). It's pretty commercial and a little expensive, and I like some of the other ideas I see here. I'll probably try to incorporate those, as he's recently taken a liking to walnuts.

One of the BEST foods w/ omega 3 is walnuts. My twin boys started eating raw walnuts at about 15 months and they really love them. sooo good for you and loaded w/ omega 3. all other nuts contain omega 6 but walnuts are the only ones that have the omega 3.

What a great Dad to ask such a good question- my only suggestion is to take your knowledge of what foods and snacks contain omega 3s and take that list to a place like Oiajimaja - or any store that is focused on oriental foods and look there - they will certainly have kids' snacks and that may solve your problem right away.

Paul- I'm about to tell you a long story- an answer to a question which you didnt ask - but its' a true story and ''sings'' so loudly I suspect you might like it. 20 years ago I knew a non-custodial Dad like you who adored his child and wanted to make the BEST use of every custodial second so here's what he did.

1. He recorded in his voice stories, songs, poems for car rides - so he could focus on driving but his boy heard Daddy '''singing'' or telling him stories while they were driving.

2. He planned how to use every second he had for best effect. If he was planning a trip to the zoo---those stories and so forth were about ''zoo'' animals. If they were ging to a spagetti restuarant - the songs might include some of the silly songs about spagetti - if they were going to a friends' house where there was another toddler- there might be a poem about two little monkeys jumping on the bed - and then the toddlers might go outside to jump up and down. - He planned 'his' weekends the same way--- as though doing a good job on the planning was incredibly important ( which was true) -- TODAY he could have gone on line and put in '''easy games and crafts with toddlers'' and had SO much help.
3. EVERY day whether it was a day he'd see his child or not- he called his boy at the same time ( chosen with the help of the childs' mother- but when she initially protested that '''he wont know what you are doiing'' he responded-- ' no - today he won't - but by a month from now he will- and he'll look forward to it'''' -
4. He made sure tht in the divorce/parenting plan was a provision that she couldnt move out of state with the child - without his permission ( and later was VERY glad he'd done so)

5. SEE?? every second he could have been in sorrow that he didn't have his boy with him- he used that energy to plan-prepare- make their time really work. The result??? --their relationship---father and son--- was so strong- so incredible---and such a joy to both of them.

Blessings,
Old Mom-- ( J.)

urbandad--

if the mom is getting good nutrition, she is probably passing on some omega-3s/DHA will she, nil she. Good for her, though, for still breastfeeding at 20 months and working(? the 5 days he's at daycare) ... be sure to encourage her, if she doesn't hear encouragement from you as backhanded advice (which women often do).

I was vegetarian for a while; I faithfully took flax supplements for the first two pregnancies + nursings and sporadically for the other two; all the kids are pretty darn smart, but the first two had heads literally off the size charts at birth, so I don't believe the page I just googled claiming that flax seed oil supplementation doesn't work ;)!!

If you are very lucky, your toddler might eat flax pills like candy (one of mine did, two of mine didn't, but one of those would eat them when she understood they were good for her, I'm so out of the habit I haven't tried the 4th, which I should now that I think of it). There are organic and non-organic ones; dunno where you stand on that.

My kids' dad used to eat cod liver oil as a treat when he was a kid ... you never know unless you try ;).

Mothering magazine used to advertise every month a fish oil with all the fish taste taken out ... might have been Nordic Naturals? Anyhow, I don't read magazines much anymore, but you can search alternative/natural lifestyle magazines online (Mothering.com is a great site) for articles, or browse them at the store for ads ;).

My kids love smoked salmon (which they get occasionally from their dad, as I don't have money for it) ... I'd figure the omega3s might be killed by processing ... except the Inuit smoke some of their fish for storage, don't they, and they were the reason we found out about omega3s being so important anyhow, so maybe that would work. If we ignore the carcinogens inherent in smoke. (Life: so complex!) Sardines are another one ... dunno if the canning kills the DHA, but my kids like sardines.

We had a problem with our daughter gaining weight... she is 12 and only weighs 71 pounds and is 4'11". When she was 11 years old she weighed only 62 pounds. Anyway, our pediatrician had us give her Ensure twice a day for a while. It got to be expensive and we weren't able to get it covered by our insurance as DME (durable medical equipement), so now we give it to her once every couple days just to keep her weight up. It's crazy because the girl eats everything in sight! I remember that it had Omega-3 in it and thought that their product geared toward younger kids, Pediasure, might have Omega-3 in it too. It does. I looked it up and Pediasure has plant based DHA Omega-3 in it, aong with a LOT of other vitamins and minerals. This is the link to their nutritional information page: http://pediasure.com/info.aspx
Anyway, the product tastes good and has a lot more in it than just Omega-3, so it may work for you guys and it is sold in most regular grocery stores AND drug stores instead of having to go to special stores. The site recommends that you check with your pediatrician before giving your child any supplement. Maybe this will work for your little man.
Good luck.
S.

I also give my daughter fish oil (Nordic Naturals) daily. I mix 1/2 tsp with a little apple sauce. She is quite happy to eat it.

One hint - the jar doesn't pour well, so there is always oil that dribbles down the side. We store our jar sitting in a little ramekin so that we don't get oily rings in the fridge or on the counter. :)

I don't know about snacks but our doctor recommended fish oil drops. We get Children's DHA Omega-3 supplement made from 100% Arctic cod livers by Nordic Naturals at New Seasons. The bottle claims it has a "great strawberry taste!" but I have to say, I'm too chicken to try it out. Our son takes it daily. Dosage recommendations are on the back but you can check with your pediatrician if you have any concerns.

Do you like to bake? I grind up flax seeds and add them to everything I bake for my daughter. It's a good source of Omega-3. You can put it in a banana bread or pumpkin bread, or anything baked for snacks at school. You can also add fish oil to yogurt...just a little to as not taste horrible. Like busting open one capsule into the cup.

And I am not sure of how developed he is, but one other possibility are the chewable gummy omega-3 vites at Trader Joes' for kids. One in the lunchbox should do it. As it seems like a candy, it's a 'treat' for them.

Good luck!
Barb

tuna on crackers?

http://www.juicyjuice.com/Products/Brain-Development.aspx#

I take Coromega, and plan to give it to my baby once he is no longer breast feeding. It tastes like orange creamcicle, so it might be considered more like a treat than a snack, but it's great stuff:

http://www.holisticahealingspa.com/coreomega.htm

Hi---
I make oatmeal bars and add ground hemp seeds before baking. The only thing you have to be cautious abut is not baking at a high temperature as this can cause the good fat compounds to break down. A little goes a long way and my daughter loves to eat the oatmeal bars (I also get other good-for-ya ingredients into the bars like whole wheat flour, dried fruit, etc.). I buy hemp seeds at Whole Foods or New Seasons. I also substitute flaxseed on occasion.

Good luck to you!

Flax seed meal is a great way to add Omega-3. You can sprinkle it in to yougurt or applesauce. You can put it on cereal, bake with it, add it to anykind of food. It has one of the highest content of Plant based omega three next to walnuts I believe. I use it in everything. Muffins, cookies, cereal.
Look in the toddler/baby aisle. There are coming out with all kinds of snacks with omega-3 in them.
I think eating fish is the best way to get it though.
Maybe you can start feeding him salmon or make tuna sandwiches on the days you have him. Halibut and cod are both really mild fish and easy to cook.

Hi,
walnuts, yogurt with ground up flax seeds, and baked winter squash are some thoughts! Hope that helps

First off, I want to say that I applaud your interest. My husband was also the one to push omega 3 supplementation in our home, and I must say that it has been of benefit to us. I try never to be without omega 3 oil in the house!

Walnuts are a good source of omega 3. They are also soft, so easy to chew. My toddler likes them. If yours doesn't, try hiding them in things he does like, like cookies, or covering them with chocolate or putting them in trail mix.

My daughter actually likes omega 3 oil (I use Udo's blend, available from Amazon.com and other places). I give her a spoonful every day after breakfast, all by itself. Sometimes when I forget she reminds me. If this isn't practical, you could always put it in food that will be eaten raw--like yogurt. You could also try mixing ground flax seed in with food. That or the oil go well in smoothies, though due to the fiber in the flax there would be less oil absorbed.

When you cook omega 3 oil, you damage it, so there aren't a lot of good sources of omega 3. Finding creative ways to include the omega 3 might not always be easy, but with a little thought you can do it.

Make something with ground up flax seeds in it...one of the best sources, besides salmon. If he likes smoked salmon, or even sardines, those too have Omega 3s in it. My 20 month old eats salmon like it is going out of style. Buy wild caught, or wild caught smoked salmon, or canned salmon. Muffins with ground up flax seeds and throw in some wheat germ too are great sources of Omega 3s as well as other vitamins! Good luck!

Looks like you've gotten a lot of great suggestions already. Just had to add something I saw an ad for in a natural food store magazine this weekend. Forgive me if this is a repeat - i did not read each of your responses in detail. Dr. William Sears has come up with a new fun toddler snack called "Popumz", and it is fortified with omega-3. If you are not familiar with Dr. Sears, he is a nationally renowned pediatrician dedicated to balancing natural family living, and has written numerous books with his wife. I have not seen Popumz, but have not looked as I just learned about them. Hope this helps.

Hi Paul,
Have you tried Mona-vie. It is an acai berry supplement. The skin of the berry is high in essential fatty acids. 4 oz of the juice also provides the equivalent of 11-13 fruit/vegetable servings/day. There are 3 formulations. The original is what children and pregnant women can use. Active had plant-based glucosamine added and Pulse has additional resveritrol. You can go to www.monavie.com but I can also order it for you; my husband is a distributer.
Everyone should be on an essential fatty acid supplement of some sort. They are "essential" as the body does not produce them. Not only do they provide cardiovascular benefits, they also help how nerve impulses travel along neuronal pathways.
K.

There are some gummy bears that are made specifically for kids. You can find them at Fred Meyer's, New Seasons, etc. Our daughter has been taking a regiment of Omega -3's, regular vitamins and the Whole Foods gummies for the past 4 months and she hasn't been turned off by them yet!

I hope this helps,

~S.

I have seen at Costco children supplements that look like little gumie candies that have the omega-3 and a couple other supplements in them (I think vitamin D was one of them). They take one a day just like a vitamin. I can't remember the name of them but they were right next to the vitamins. I'm sure you can find them at other places too. But that is where I have seen them.

try gummy bears made just for kids.

Paul,

I have been giving my 3 year old daughter Fish Oil for about 1 1/2 years now. So I actually avoid products/foods with omega-3 added because she takes "Carlson for Kids Very Finest Fish Oil" without a problem.

However, I have seen Omega-3 Dried Cranberries at Trader Joe's. Do check for fiber in the nutritional facts label since some berries (blueberries, raspberries) are high in fiber and can cause diarrhea. I always buy dried fruits at Trader Joe's for her snacks--just not the one with omega-3 added.

I hope it helps...

P.S. I was today at Trader Joe's and couldn't find the Omega-3 Dried Cranberries--don't know if the carry them anymore.

I don't believe his mother needs to take supplements herself for him to get omega 3s through breastmilk. It's there naturally.

Just off the top of my head, you can buy a non-fish DHA supplement for toddlers that comes in drops (the brand is Spectrum Toddler DHA, and I find it at Fred Meyer) and give a dropperful orally, or put it in a sippy with liquid. Horizon brand also markets organic whole milk with DHA added, if he's doing any cow's milk. Yoplait's yogurt for kids has omega 3 added to some of its flavors, too.

I'm guessing at this age she's not pumping still and sending him to daycare with milk. So how about sending him to daycare with hemp milk to drink? I'm no longer breastfeeding but my 2 yr old still likes to drink milk (but is allergic to cow) so I give him hemp milk (high in omega 3's) and he loves it. I used to make him my own almond milk at home in the blender. Its a bit labor intensive but if you can make almond milk, why not walnut milk?
Well done for taking such a proactive role in your son's nutrition. I think a diet with sufficient omega 3's goes along way in prevention of nervous disorders such as anxiety, depression and stress related disorders laster on.

How excellent that your child's mother is committed to extended breastfeeding! Your son already has a very healthy jumpstart on brain development and cardiovascular health.

Flax seed is a great way to sneak in some omega-3s. Bob's Redmill sells ground flax that you can keep in the fridge. Maybe stir some into his yogurt or make some home-made soft granola bars? Add it to cookie dough or quick bread for a treat.

My advice is don't sweat the small stuff. Feed him wild salmon (not farmed)or omega-3 eggs when you are the one cooking meals and relax- he's a lucky little boy to have such caring and devoted parents.

Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Very good sources of these healthy fats include scallops, cauliflower, cabbage, cloves and mustard seeds. Good sources of these fats include halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, soybeans, tofu, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts.

Studies have proven that a relatively small number of omega-3 food sources can have a measurable impact on your blood levels of omega-3s, including those two key omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). For example, two weekly servings of a non-fried, omega-3 containing fish (like wild-caught Pacific salmon) is enough to boost your blood levels of omega-3s.