It’s one of the first things I learned after having children … kids need a lot of snacks. Whether they’re toddlers and they need to eat every 2 hours, or they’re school-aged and need their after school and after dinner snacks … we always need ideas for Healthy Snacks for Kids.
And … if you’re not prepared … just wait for a meltdown. Small kids who are hungry equal meltdowns on the level of a King Kong emergency.
Gone are the days where I need to keep a diaper bag full of snacks for those melt-down emergencies, but I still need to be prepared if I don’t want to end up with kids begging for McDonald’s when errands go too long.
And, truth be told, sometimes it’s me that starts jonesing for some fast food when I’ve been out and about too long.
It’s not just when you’re out of the house that you need a good snack, though. As a work-at-home mom and homeschool parent, I’ve got to make sure we have some healthy snacks on hand if I don’t want the kids turning to junk food.
It’s fairly easy to serve healthy foods at mealtimes, but sometimes we slip into buying packaged junk for snacks. Sometimes we think that snacks should be fun or need to be a treat. There’s plenty of packaged snack food out there telling us that, anyway.
But, it’s important to make sure the kids (and moms) are eating healthy food at snack times as well. The absolute best way to do that is to have healthy snacks for kids always on hand.
Get some great Healthy Living Tips for Beginners on a Budget over here.
What Are Healthy Snacks For Kids?
Every family has a different view of what a healthy snack idea is, but I think we can all agree on a few things.
- Fruits and vegetables are great to eat,
- Protein is important, and
- Sugar should be eaten in small doses.
Therefore, we like to gravitate towards following those guidelines.
Another thing I learned from my pediatrician early on in my parenting journey is that a snack should contain foods from at least two food groups. Remember those food groups we learned about in grade school? Yeah, those. If your snacks come from two food groups it’s just one more way to make sure you’re eating a more balanced diet.
These are all gluten-free snack ideas as well.
Download the Free Healthy Snacks For Kids Ideas List and keep it handy for quick ideas.
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Healthy Snack Ideas
Go Check out Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget – you’ll get great ideas to save money on groceries when you’re trying to eat healthy food.
Dairy
- Cheese Sliced or Cubed
- String Cheese
- Laughing Cow Cheese
- Cottage Cheese
- Cream Cheese
- Yogurt
- Milk
- Frozen Yogurt Cups
Protein
- Nuts
- Sunflower Seeds
- Trail Mix
- Refried Beans
- Hummus
- Hardboiled Eggs
- Egg Salad
- Sardines
- Tuna salad
- Lunchmeat
- Jerky (look for low sugar)
- Pepperoni
- Salami
- Proscuitto
- Candied Pecans
- Kind Bars (these are always a great deal through Amazon)
- Cooked Shrimp
- Summer Sausage
- Canned Chicken
- Pork Rinds
Complex Carbohydrates
- Rice Crackers
- Popcorn
- Corn chips
- Frozen Fries
- Frozen Tots
- Plantain Chips
- Rice Cakes
- Rice or Corn Chex Cereal
- Cheerios
- Brazi Bites
- Milton’s Gluten-Free Sea Salt Crackers
- Corn Nuts
- Crunchy Rice Rolls
- Crunchy Tostada Shells
- Sensible Portions Veggie Straws
Veggies
- Carrot Sticks
- Celery Sticks
- Cucumber Slices
- Snap Peas
- Baby Bell Peppers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Pickles
- Olives
- Seaweed Snacks
- Salsa
- Radishes
- Zucchini Slices
- Veggie Chips
Fruits
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Mandarin Orange Cups (100% juice variety)
- Applesauce
- Kiwi
- Frozen Berries
- Bananas
- Canned Peaches (in juice)
- Canned Pears (in juice)
- Fruit Cocktail (in juice)
- Raisins
- Dried Apricots
- Fruit Smoothie
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (my kids love these molds)
- All-Fruit Spread
- All-Fruit Leather
- Pineapple
- Dried Mango
- Bare Fruit Crisps
- Dried Bananas
- Frozen Grapes
- Melon Slices
- Lara Bars
- Coconut Chips
Easy Dips and Spreads
- Bean Dip: Mix one can of refried beans with a taco seasoning packet. Warm in a microwave.
- Peanut Butter Dip: Mix equal parts Peanut Butter and Yogurt for a fun fruit dip.
- Cream Cheese Spread: Soften 1/2 block of Cream Cheese in the microwave and blend with Whole-Fruit Jam.
- Avocado Dip: Mash one Avocado with Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and a Dash of Lemon Juice.
- Cottage Cheese Dip: Mix 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1 T. All-Fruit Apple Butter
Healthy Snack Idea Combos
- Apple slices with Cheese
- Apple slices with Peanut Butter
- Peanuts with Raisins
- Chips with Refried Beans
- Chips with Hummus
- Veggies with Hummus
- Popcorn with Raisins
- Lunchmeat and Cream Cheese Roll-up
- Lunchmeat and Pickle Roll-up
- Celery and Peanut Butter Logs
- Grapes and Cheese Cubes
- Fruit Cup with Cheese Stick
- Banana with Peanut Butter
- Crackers and Tuna Salad
- Chips with Egg Salad
- Snap Peas and Cream Cheese
- Cottage Cheese with Fruit
- Cottage Cheese with Apple Butter
- Shake together 1 cup Milk with 2 T. Yogurt and 2 t. All-Fruit Spread
- Jerky with Raisins
- Rice Crackers with Cream Cheese Spread
- Crackers with Cottage Cheese Dip
- Seaweed with Tuna Salad
- Rice Cake with Peanut Butter
- Rice Cake with Cottage Cheese Dip
- Baked Frozen Fries with Avocado Dip
- Yogurt with Fruit
- Chips and Salsa
- Melons with Proscuitto
- Salami and Cheese
- Salami and Apples
- Pepperoni with Olives
- Tostada Shells with Spaghetti Sauce and Cheese
- Tostada Shells with Refried Beans and Cheese
- Laughing Cow Cheese and Rice Crackers
- Jerky with 1/2 Larabar
- Veggie Straws with Avocado Dip
- Strawberries and Summer Sausage
Taking Snacks On The Go
There are so many options to choose from when you’re looking to take snacks with you or carry them in your purse. Different containers work better for different snacks. It’s always best to keep a variety of containers on hand so you’re always covered. These are just a few options.
With all these healthy snack ideas, you won’t ever have to wonder what to eat. Try out some of them that you’ve never tried before and you may find some new favorites. When you use this list of healthy snacks for kids you really may be surprised at how much good, nutritious food you can get into your family.
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- Honest Kiwi Co Review- We Tried 3 Different Crates
- 9 Perfect Gifts for Preschoolers
Be sure to download the Free Healthy Snacks For Kids Ideas List and keep it handy.
