Make sure your kids snack healthy to provide good nutrition to thrive! See our healthy, quick and easy snack list.
This post contains an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The link is noted with an asterisk (*).
Snack foods make up about 30% of many American’s daily calories – so snacking right is essential to your health today and tomorrow. Eighty percent of the time aim to choose snacks that are mostly whole foods or minimally refined. Snack like you’re setting an example for your kids! For snacks on the go, be prepared and have silicone reusable food bags* on hand. They reduce food waste, and can easily be tossed into the dishwasher.
Ideally, kids’ snacks should offer whole carbohydrates that are paired with fat or protein or a combination of both. So for example, when offering fruit as a snack pair it with either a protein low-fat protein source (low-fat dairy, beans, or lean meat) or a heart-healthy fat (nuts or nut butter, or an avocado slice)
Fruit Snacks for Kids
It’s best to pair fruit with a little protein or heart-healthy fat for sustained energy when meals will not be for a couple of hours.
- Blended frozen fruit, like Super Crew kid Andy’s mango whip or banana whip.
- Any type of fresh fruit or veggie!
- Frozen fruit like pineapple tidbits, blueberries or mango chunks, enjoyed right out of the freezer – see top 10 frozen foods kids enjoy.
- Clementines or apple slices tossed with lemon juice and cinnamon. Give ground cardamom a try on apple slices too—it’s yummy!
- Frobana Crunch. Bananas cut into 4 pieces, dipped in plain yogurt, rolled in crushed graham crackers or a whole-grain cereal, and frozen.
- Fruit butterfly
- Dried or fresh fruit served with low-fat yogurt (for squeezable yogurts make sure it has no artificial food colorings and is low in added sugar).
- Individually packed applesauce with no added sugar.
- Fruit or vegetable kebabs (use fresh, frozen or canned fruit).
- Dried fruit (dried apricots or mango with no added sugar/sulfates).
- A mixture of raisins or dried cranberries and healthy, low-sugar cereal.
- Fruit sushi -see the tasty recipe!
- Baked apple crisp – sliced apples tossed with cinnamon, oats, and a little brown sugar. Baked until crisp and topped with a dollop of plain low-fat yogurt.
- Homemade frozen fruit bars with fresh fruit or 100% juice pops.
- A small serving of a homemade smoothie: 4oz juice, 2 Tbsp of yogurt or soy milk and ½ cup of your favorite frozen fruit.
Veggie Snacks for Kids
- Steamed and cooled edamame (soybeans) with or without soy sauce or salt– kids love to pop the beans out!
- Raw veggies like baby carrots or sugar plum tomatoes dipped in black or pinto bean dip.
- Jicama julienne-style and baby carrots dipped in hummus
- Raw sugar snap peas and bell pepper slices dipped in low-fat Greek yogurt dip.
- Ants on a Log – Celery sticks stuffed with peanut butter and topped with raisins.
- Dinosaur Trees – fresh or steamed broccoli florets served with lemon juice, dipped into a healthy salad dressing or sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
- Several olives and roasted bell peppers or marinated artichoke hearts– yep, I’ve worked with kids who love this!
- Baked sweet potato fries with cinnamon dipped in Greek yogurt (used as sour cream).
- Homemade kale chips – toss washed and dried kale leaves in olive oil and seasonings, bake in the oven until toasted and enjoy.
- Cucumber with spicy bean dip.
- Seaweed on its own or with raw veggies.
Whole Grain Snacks for Kids
- Dry cereal – 100% whole grain with no more than 6 grams of sugar per serving, served with some pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
- A whole-grain brown rice cake with low-fat cream cheese, honey, and raisins or tahini and cocoa powder.
- Whole-wheat pita chips or homemade toasted pita with hummus, bean dip or fresh guacamole.
- Home-made yellow or blue tortillas baked into corn chips (lightly coated with olive oil) and served with salsa.
- Whole-wheat bread spread with applesauce and topped with cinnamon.
- Whole grain bread spread with nut butter and topped with banana slices and blueberries or strawberries.
- Make your own popcorn mix: air-popped popcorn with whole grain pretzels, nuts, and dried fruit.
- Popcorn with Parmesan cheese – check out our popcorn recipes.
- Homemade trail mix made with cereal, dried fruit, nuts or seeds, and shaved coconut.
- Homemade 100% whole grain mini-zucchini muffins (or any homemade muffin of choice made with diced fruit, grated vegetables, or even pumpkin puree!). See our bran muffins or pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. We love these silicone baking cups* for reusability for baking (i.e. egg muffins, cupcakes, mini quiches), and you can use them at meals for toddlers and babies. Put a handful of food in each one and kids will love eating out of them with the fun colors.
- Make a healthy Chex mix with rice Chex, whole-wheat pretzels, popcorn baked with seasonings, dark chocolate pieces, and dried cranberries.
- A small serving of whole-grain cereal with fresh fruit and low-fat milk. Choose 100% whole grain cereals with less than 6 grams of sugar per serving and at least 3 grams of fiber.
- See the Super Crew Easy Polenta rounds cooked heated quickly with canola oil and rosemary.
Protein-Rich Snacks for Kids
- String cheese or any small serving of cheese and fruit (either slice up something fresh or use canned fruit with no added sugar packed in its own juice).
- Cottage cheese and raisins or apples, sprinkled with cinnamon.
- Crackers (low fat/no trans fat) with reduced or low-fat cheese, a small portion of regular cheese, and also try reduced-fat smoked gouda or reduced-fat brie. See our cracker guide for a list of 100% whole-grain crackers without added sugar.
- Sliced cheese and cucumbers on brown rice cakes.
- GORP. Good Old Raisins and Peanuts.
- A glass of nonfat or 1% milk or organic soymilk – which contain protein and carbohydrate.
- A glass of the above milk of your choice blended with a frozen banana.
- Mini pizzas made with whole-grain English muffin/pita bread, tomato sauce, and part-skim mozzarella cheese. Serve a half.
- Half of a PB&J sandwich made with peanut or almond butter and fruit preserves.
- Tea sandwiches – smoked salmon and cream cheese, cucumber and low-fat cheese or even mini PB&J. Serve bread cut into 4 mini sandwiches and remove the crust.
- Canned salmon mixed with lemon juice and seasonings on top of cucumber slices, topped with raisins.
- A handful of frozen pistachios. These contain carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
- Strawberries with Greek yogurt and honey.
Don’t forget healthy hydration is part of refueling! Sparkling mineral water mixed with 100% fruit juice. You may just be thirsty, not hungry! Make sure your kids are getting enough liquids.
