By Dr Kawther Hashem, Campaign Lead for Action on Sugar and Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London

We know that the baby and toddler snacking market has been booming in recent years, despite the overall decline of baby foods in the market. We also know from unpublished sales data that little ones are both having more snacks, and snacking more often.

So is this of concern?

Yes, for starters, babies are not supposed to be snacking, the guidance is they should be having milk that is supplemented with mini-meals, not commercially produced snacks.

Latest data indicate that in the first year of life, babies and toddlers are consuming higher than recommended amounts of free sugars and so there is a need to re-emphasise the risks associated with free sugars.

Free sugars are created when fruit and vegetables are processed to such an extent that their sugars (fructose) is released from their cell walls.  It then acts the same way any other type of sugar does, damaging tiny teeth and encouraging excessive intake.

So how is this happening?

We looked at the nutrition information of sweet snack products widely sold as suitable for babies and toddlers. We found out of the 73 baby and toddler sweet snacks such as rusks, biscuits, oat bars and puffs; a third (27 of the 73) of the products would carry a red (high) label for sugars per 100g if baby and toddler foods carried traffic light labelling on front of pack. Only 6 products out of 73 (8%) would get a green (low) label for sugars.

Heinz Farley's Mini Rusks Original had 8.7g of sugars per serve – that’s the equivalent of 2 teaspoons of sugar! Despite the health claims about added vitamins and minerals on pack, it contains added sugar.

Furthermore, 5 Kiddylicious products had high sugars per 100g:  Kiddylicious Banana Crispy Tiddlers are made up of over half sugars (59g per 100g), while Kiddylicious Juicy Fruit Bars are nearly a third sugars (30.7g per 100g).  

A half of the products (36 out of 73) claim on-pack that their sweet snacks are suitable for babies under the age of 12 months, even though sugar sweetened food and drink should be avoided.

So, what do we give our babies and toddlers instead?

Undoubtedly, these products will continue to exist and there is a place for them sometimes. These products are often healthier overall than non-baby snacks (which have larger portions and have added sugar and salt), but are not as healthy as snacks made from whole fresh fruit and vegetable.

Wherever possible, offer fruit and vegetable snacks for babies and toddlers, just make sure they are soft and easy to chew so they are not a choking risk.

If you are opting for ready-made snacks and would like less sugary options, opt for fewer rusk and biscuit options and more puffed and aerated snacks.