Make snack time fun for kids with these easy sweet and savory snacks for snack time, from veggie sticks to fruit pizzas – both are surefire ways to get kids engaged with food prep while encouraging healthy eating!
Enhance their afternoon snack with a healthier version of classic ants on a log made with celery, peanut butter and raisins. They will also love watermeon jerky or homemade chocolate banana bites!
1. Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
Kids love making these tasty, crunchy bars – an almost dessert-like combination of granola bars and cookie dough! Customize it even further by including their favorite dried fruits or coconut!
Old-fashioned rolled oats make an excellent base for these bars; quick or gluten-free varieties may also work. Make sure that your pan is well greased!
If your child loves peanut butter, they will appreciate this simple yet easy snack idea! Packed full of healthy fats and proteins to provide energy boost, this treat is great for toddlers as it is easily portable without choking hazards – perfect addition to their lunchbox!
2. Pizza
As soon as hangry hour hits, children need something quick and easy that will satisfy their hunger quickly and fill them up quickly. Pizza makes an ideal option, providing protein, complex carbs and antioxidants such as lycopene.
Cheese adds vitamin D, while crunchy crust provides fiber, potassium, and calcium. When making pizza at home, opt for whole wheat crust to get even more nutrients!
If your kiddos like grazing on snacks throughout the day, try placing ingredients into a snack box so they can take bites when desired. Be sure to pack water or juice as an hydrating drink as well. Additionally, this makes an engaging activity for kids as they construct and decorate it themselves – it would even make an adorable Halloween snack! They will go wild for these adorable mini pizzas!
3. Apple Peanut Butter Sandwiches
As adorable little sandwich bites or as customizable kid lunchbox treats, these apple corer-crafted masterpieces will certainly please. Peanut butter and apple combo provides protein and fiber boost while raisins or chocolate chips add sweetness for extra indulgence.
This snack is an ideal solution for children with food allergies or who are picky eaters, since you can easily swap out peanut butter for almond or cashew butter if necessary to address food sensitivities. London notes it can even encourage kids to consume their vegetables!
Roasted pulses such as chickpeas are an excellent protein-rich snack with delicious, salty and crunchy characteristics, according to Shea. Plus you can add in additional nutrients from sesame seeds or dried cranberries!
4. Banana Sushi
Teenagers enjoy snacking, especially when their preferred items include fresh mandarin oranges, hard boiled eggs and granola bars.
These simple-to-make granola bars use honey instead of high fructose corn syrup and contain plenty of whole grains and fiber for extended satiation.
Try an interesting twist on a traditional PB&J sandwich by rolling strawberries and bananas in peanut butter or Nutella instead. For younger children, be wary of adding extra items such as shredded coconut or chocolate chips which could become potential choking hazards.
Contrary to traditional sushi recipes, this version utilizes canned tuna instead of raw sushi-grade fish for an easier and healthier snacking option. Plus, kids can create their own “sushi” by choosing which toppings they’d like for themselves – an engaging DIY snack!
5. Apples with Cream Cheese
This classic snack combo is sure to keep kids satisfied while providing protein, fiber, fat, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in one satisfying bite! Additionally, this is an easy and low stress way for your kids to try new foods without being overwhelmed with pressure from parents or peers.
Roasted chickpeas, whether made in an air fryer or sheet pan in the oven, provide another healthy and kid-friendly snack option for kids that’s easy and enjoyable. Packed with protein and fiber, they can be decorated with anything from pepper or salt sprinklings to everything bagel seasoning or your child’s preferred savory spices – making for an irresistibly tasty experience for everyone involved!
Packing low sodium deli turkey slices (kudos for selecting them!) with cheese, veggies and fruit makes for an easy yet kid-friendly lunch or snack that’s far healthier than a standard sandwich – ideal for road trips and sports practice!
6. Donuts with Sprinkles
Donuts are an entertaining treat that children of all ages will love to make themselves for breakfast or afternoon snacks, making it fun and easy! Add decorative toppings for even more flair!
Make delicious homemade donuts using only basic ingredients like all-purpose flour, cane sugar (organic preferable!), baking powder and salt. Finally add either oil or butter as desired to complete this easy and delicious treat!
Fill the donut pan about 2/3 full with batter, and bake until they puffed up and spring back when lightly touched. Allow to cool, dunk into chocolate glaze, and quickly decorate with colorful sprinkles before serving! This recipe can help children practice hand-eye coordination as well as be present and enjoy family time together.
7. Seasoned Pretzels
If your kids love mall pretzels, try making your own at home instead. They’re easy and kid-friendly – guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest eaters!
Even without any ketchup in the house, this snack will still appeal to kids. Substituting with any type of dipping sauce works just as well – although the ketchup version will surely taste best!
Add any type of food, from fruits and veggies, to proteins like cheese and meatballs on a kebab stick/skewer for a kid-friendly lunch option. Some great ideas:
Make kebabs using different shaped cookie cutters! This is an effective way to get children excited about eating their veggies while being simple to make and store for up to one week in an airtight container!
8. Fruit Salsa Dip
Courtney Shea, an OT/SLP feeding therapist, recommends this recipe as being quick and simple to make – guaranteed to satisfy the sweet tooth of children of any age! Plus it makes for a convenient treat to add into lunchboxes!
Kids often enjoy placing food onto sticks/skewers to make meals more appealing and exciting to eat, like this recipe featuring cheese, fruit, and veggies as tasty bites.
This nut butter and yogurt dip is an easy, cost-effective alternative to store-bought versions, perfect for kids to make at home! They can even pop it in a jar for transportable snacking!
These sweet and savory bites will keep your kids satisfied until dinner time. Create some of these recipes together with your child to develop new cooking skills! Don’t forget to pair it with a beverage for extra nutrition!
9. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
Peanut butter and jelly is a classic childhood treat, and making it more nutritious by substituting white bread for whole wheat or adding slices of roasted chicken are great ways to keep children satisfied while snacking away!
Add some crunch with granola or Ritz crackers. Make sure your sandwich is cut into triangles to reduce any mess and encourage kids to finish it!
If you’re up for it, fry your PB&J before placing it on a wrap for a delicious but healthier twist on its classic form.
To prepare, spread one slice of toasted bread with creamy peanut butter and the other with strawberry jelly (jam). Quickly and firmly press them together so as to prevent spills.
10. Rice Cakes with Nutella
Nutella-loving kids will appreciate this snack that combines their beloved spread with crunchy, satisfying snacks – ideal for toddlers who might not yet be ready to handle a sandwich! Plus, making one is easy enough even without an assembly line!
Yogurt can be difficult for children (particularly those with sensory processing disorders) to try, so this low stress, playful way of getting them to try it could help them open up. Be wary of sprinkles that could become choking hazards with younger kids.
This kid-friendly recipe resembles mini pizza in snack form! Sure to please both boys and girls alike. With delicious deli meat and cheese for protein-packed goodness and fiber-rich chickpeas for fiber, these are an easy lunchbox addition and offer an excellent alternative to store-bought hummus!