Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids
by jmmillerSnack time isn’t just an opportunity for your child to fill their belly until dinnertime. Nutritious snacks give kids more energy to be active throughout the day. Have you ever eaten a doughnut mid-afternoon and been drifting off before dinner? There’s a reason for that: eating sugar, while it gives you a boost at the time, actually causes you to feel more tired when the sugar wears off. The effects of a sugary snack are even more pronounced in children… hyper highs followed by grouchy, irritable lows. Try some of these healthy snack to give your children energy, without unnecessary fat or sugar content.
Frozen Banana Pops
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium; frozen, they feel great on sore gums. Cut the banana in half and insert a popsicle stick in each half. Spread peanut butter on the bananas, and roll in crushed nuts. Wrap in waxed paper and freeze. Yum!
Veggies and Dip
There are so many different ways to serve up veggies and dip that your child should never get bored with this snack. Cutting veggies into fun shapes, tinting the dip with food coloring or picking up something new at the grocery are all good ways of keeping your child’s interest. Try: cherry tomatoes, broccoli ‘trees’, celery logs, radish roses, fresh peas in the pod, sliced cucumbers, quartered mushrooms and more. Serve with a low fat yogurt or sour cream dip.
Mini Sandwiches
Use Ritz, Triscuits or whole wheat crackers with ham and cheddar or swiss cheese for a yummy afternoon snack. Cut the ham and cheese and assemble the sandwiches on a plate… remember that it’s a snack sized portion and if you fill the entire plate, they may eat it all.
Mini Bagel Pizzas
Spread tomato sauce over the cut bagel. Top with cheese and mushrooms, green pepper, pineapple, ham and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted.
Some great snack ideas are healthy and require little to no preparation at all!
- Fruit with yogurt dip
- Frozen yogurt with fresh berries
- Baked tortillas with salsa
- Graham crackers and a glass of milk
- Fresh fruit salad
- Pear slices with cheese
- Breakfast bars
- Sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- Trail mix
- Celery logs with cottage cheese and raisins
- Muffins with bran or wheat germ
Try to limit snacks high in sugar and sodium, and avoid sweetened beverages altogether. The best way to be sure you have a supply of healthy snacks on hand is to plan your snacks for the week before you go grocery shopping. Running out of healthy snacks could mean reaching for a bag of chips!
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