9 Probiotic Snacks for Children

5 min read

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are essential for a stronger immune system as well as to ensure the proper functioning of the digestive system. The trick to supporting good gut health is maintaining the balance between good and bad bacteria in your gut.

Regular consumption of food that is rich in probiotics promotes good gut health. Getting children to eat healthy snacks is not always easy. If you find that your children prefer not to eat some of the snacks we've recommended below consider supporting their gut health with a probiotic supplement for children. 

Here are a few foods rich in probiotics that are also kid-friendly to offer your child. 

Yogurt

Greek yogurt or live cultured yogurt is considered to be the most popular kid-friendly probiotic food. Since it is a fermented food made from milk, it contains good amounts of bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria – microorganisms that are essential for good gut health.

Most yogurt found in supermarkets can be processed and thus kill any good bacteria. So ensure that the label mentions it contains live culture or active culture before purchasing. 

Pickles are cucumbers that are cured in a solution of salt and water, and left to soak. As they soak the lactic acid bacteria naturally occurring in them leads to fermentation. It is this process that gives pickles their tangy taste.

Most children enjoy the tartness of pickles and they make the ideal snack because they are low in calories. If you're planning to pickle cucumbers at home, avoid using vinegar as it will kill the live probiotics.

Kefir is a type of a probiotic milk drink, which contains goat or cow milk and kefir grains. These grains are unlike any other cereals that you may have seen – in fact, they resemble a cauliflower. Do not be fooled by their looks because they are a rich source of live cultures of yeast and lactic acid bacteria.

Containing a few of the major strains of friendly bacteria, Kefir is a powerful kid-friendly probiotic food. The best part is that even kids who are lactose intolerant can happily glup Kefir down.

Cheese is one food item that kids cannot seem to get enough of. Sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, and soft cheese available in the market are a rich source of probiotics such as bifudus, acidophilus, and thermophillus. When you choose unpasteurized raw cheese over the processed ones, you are ensuring that your kids eat cheese that contain a good amount of probiotics. Check for live cultures on the food labels before buying any kind of raw cheese.

Brined olives that have been kept in salt water are a good source of probiotic bacteria like Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus plantarum. The unique flavor of these olives is thanks to the fermentation process carried out by the lactic acid bacteria. Lactobacillus plantarum is a strain that is very useful in maintaining the bacterial balance in the gut. It can also decrease bloating, especially in those who are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) is dubbed as a great source of probiotics as well as prebiotics. While probiotics are live microorganisms that are responsible for gut health, prebiotics act as food for these gut bacteria. The ideal portion of dark chocolate that should be enjoyed by kids for the probiotics to be effective is a square of a chocolate bar or around two whole tablespoons of dark cocoa powder. This is one probiotic rich food that your kids will not have a problem with.

Kimchi is a fermented dish that typically uses cabbage as its main ingredient. Other ingredients such as garlic, scallion, red chilies, ginger, and salt are used to season this Korean dish. Apart from being high in vitamin B2, iron, and vitamin K, Kimchi also contains Lactobacillus brevis. This strain helps maintain the digestive health of your kids by keeping their gut healthy.

Sourdough bread is considered to be healthier than any white bread, and is named after the process of fermentation that the wheat flour goes through. The bacteria along with the wild yeast are responsible for breaking down the sugar and gluten in the flour and transforming it into minerals, proteins, and vitamins. Since the bacteria has already digested the starches in it, this type of bread is easier to digest than most others.

Miso soup is one of the most loved appetizer soups in any Japanese restaurants. This paste is easily available in supermarkets. Miso is a powerhouse of protein - it contains all 9 necessary amino acids, which is why it has also been dubbed as a complete protein. Made from fermenting soybeans with koji (Aspergillus oryzae, a fungus) and salt, Miso is known to be extremely beneficial for gut health, and it also strengthens the immune system of kids and adults alike. A hot bowl of miso soup is the perfect way to start lunch or dinner for your kids.  

Snack Time 

Children love snacks. Offering more variety to your children gives your child more options and sublte encouragement to choose more healthy and gut friendly snacks. If you still find healthy eating a challenge incorporating probiotics in your child's diet consider giving them a daily probiotic supplement.

References

Chen, HL., Tung, YT., Chuang, CH. et al. Osteoporos Int (2015) 26: 589. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-014-2908-x

Mokoena, M. P., Mutanda, T., & Olaniran, A. O. (2016). Perspectives on the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria from African traditional fermented foods and beverages. Food & Nutrition Research, 60, 10.3402/fnr.v60.29630. http://doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v60.29630

Ritchie ML, Romanuk TN (2012) A Meta-Analysis of Probiotic Efficacy for Gastrointestinal Diseases. PLoS ONE 7(4): e34938. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0034938