Healthy Snacks For Kids – Snacks for kids? Easy enough. Healthy snacks for kids? Admittedly, a little trickier. While feeding kids healthy snacks ought to be a concern, allow’s face it, typically it seems like there typically aren’t adequate hrs in the day to make wholesome, helpful for the body deals with.
(As well as occasionally it’s just impossible to resist a bag of chips!). However think exactly what? Making healthy snacks and obtaining your kids to eat them could be done. All you require is a little motivation as well as preparation.
Healthy Snacks for Kids at School
When considering what to pack in your child’s lunchbox, look for healthy snack ideas that’ll stave off hunger pangs until lunchtime without spoiling her appetite. So that sugary cereal bar? Not the best choice. These alternatives are tasty and easy to make too.
1. DIY Trail Mix
Combine your family’s favorite unsalted nuts, seeds and dried fruit to create your own trail mix. You get to put in all the good stuff your child likes and avoid the saltiness of store-bought trail mix. (Note: If your child attends a nut-free school, you can always swap out the nuts for pretzel sticks or mini crackers.)
2. Pretzel Sticks with Cheese
Use pretzel sticks as “tooth picks” for cheese. Cut cheddar (or another type of hard cheese) into bite-sized cubes. Pierce each cube with the end of a pretzel stick.
3. Skewered Melon Balls
Use a melon baller to scoop out melon and watermelon. String the balled melon onto toothpicks for easy eating.
4. Crispy, Crunchy Chickpeas
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Toss with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
Spread the seasoned chick peas evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until deeply golden and crunchy. Allow to cool then bag into a sandwich bag.
5. Hummus and Carrot Sticks
Ditch the pita chips (think of all that salt) and serve wholesome hummus (pre-made is fine) with sweet, crunchy baby carrots.
Healthy After School Snacks
Which kid doesn’t want an after school snack? Now that school’s out, your child has time to slow down and eat and you have a little more time to make them something slightly more complex and creative. Here, six healthy after school snacks that’ll tide over even the hungriest kid until dinner time.
1. Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut sweet potato into even-sized wedges. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread wedges in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender and crispy.
2. Mini Broccoli Cheddar Frittatas
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Finely chop 1 cup of broccoli florets (or use pre-cut store-bought ones) and steam in the microwave for about 45 seconds, or until tender.
Whisk together 3 eggs, 3 tablespoons milk, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the chopped broccoli. Pour mixture into greased mini muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through.
3. Avocado Toast Strips
Toast multi-grain bread. Cut into strips perfect for little hands to grab and top with mashed avocado, cherry tomatoes and a generous squeeze of lime juice.
4. Apple Peanut Butter “Sandwich”
Slice one apple into rounds. Using a cookie cutter, remove the core and seeds of each apple ring. Spread each ring with peanut butter and scatter raisins on top.
Place another ring over the top to create a “sandwich.” (Note: If your child has a nut allergy, replace the peanut butter with a seed butter, such as sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or raw tahini.)
5. Honey Roasted Peaches with Greek Yogurt and Granola
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pitted peach halves skin-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with honey.
Bake for 20 minutes until peaches are charred along the edges and tender in the center. Top each half with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with granola.
6. Zucchini Tots
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini, 1 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated parmesan and 1 egg together.
Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out mixture and squeeze out excess liquid. Shape into a tater tot and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Serve with ketchup.
Healthy Snacks for Kids on the Go
Whether they’re headed to the park or just to the backyard, kids are always on the move. You’re probably looking for snacks that are portable and easy to eat with little hands.
These healthy snacks for kids can be toted in a snack bag or a cup, making them an ideal choice for your nonstop kid.
1. Frozen Blueberry Yogurt Bites
Coat fresh blueberries in yogurt (vanilla-flavored works well) and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for one hour, or until completely frozen.
2. Fruit Smoothies
Blend fresh blueberries, strawberries, frozen bananas, greek yogurt and a splash of milk. So refreshing on hot summer days!.
3. Tropical Chia Seed Pudding Parfait
Combine 1/4 cup chia seeds, 1 cup coconut milk and 2 tablespoons agave (or maple) syrup and refrigerate overnight. Serve with fresh pineapple chunks.
4. Peanut Butter Cheerio Clusters
In a bowl, melt 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey) and 1/4 cup peanut butter in the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds, until smooth. Add 3/4 cup Honey Nut Cheerios (or another lightly sweetened whole grain cereal) to the bowl and toss to coat.
Dollop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Set aside to harden, about 10 minutes. (Again, if your child has a nut allergy, replace the peanut butter with a seed butter, such as sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or raw tahini.).
Fun Healthy Snacks For Kids
It’s possible to work up fun healthy snack for kids. Assume fruit coupled with dark delicious chocolate or rolled oats mixed with delicious chocolate chips.
These dishes balance good-for-you active ingredients with savory flavors and, sometimes, a dosage of guilty enjoyment delicious chocolate.
1. Chocolate-Covered Mandarin Oranges
Melt bittersweet chocolate in the microwave (start by popping it in for 60 seconds, then take it out, mix and add additional 20 second intervals until smooth) and dip each mandarin orange slice in the melted chocolate. Place on parchment paper and refrigerate until the chocolate is solid, about 10 minutes.
2. Nutella Rice Cakes with Fresh Fruit
Spread Nutella on thin brown rice crackers and top with sliced strawberries.
3. Banana Boats
Slice banana in half lengthwise and top with almond butter, honey and shredded coconut. (Add a few chocolate chips for extra fun!).
4. “Cookie Dough” Bites
Grind 1 cup cashews (or slivered almonds) and 1/2 cup rolled oats in the food processor until a fine meal forms. Add 3 tablespoons agave syrup (or honey), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Process until “dough” comes together. Fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips and shape into bite-sized truffles.
5. Popcorn
By air-popping corn at home, you can control how much oil goes into the final product. This Cinnamon Spiced Popcorn recipe uses coconut oil and nutmeg for a sweet take on popcorn.
Or create your own savory popcorn with chile powder or grated Parmesan cheese. You can substitute olive oil or even a mix of olive oil and a little butter to mimic that movie-theater taste.