Kids, especially in the growing stage, work up quite an appetite. Are you tired of serving the same boring snacks to your kids everyday? If yes, then check out these great ideas for quick and easy healthy snacks for kids.
Snacks, especially in the afternoon, should be a part of every child’s balanced diet. However, unhealthy snacks may increase the risk of childhood obesity. Though it’s easy to equate snacks with junk food, it need not always be true. You have a wide variety of choice when it comes to making healthy snacks for children. Prepare your snacks in a way that your kids derive the optimum amount of proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins out of them. If your kids love fruits, make a delicious pudding with apple, banana, and strawberry slices. In the same way, if your kids cringe at the sight of vegetables, dress up carrots, celery, or broccoli in a low-fat dip.
Some Healthy Snack Ideas
Though there is a never-ending list of healthy snack, here is an attempt to include a few of them.
- Apple slices with butter
- Tortilla chips with dip
- Bread sticks with hummus dip
- Chunks of raw vegetables with dip
- Dried fruits, raisins, and nuts
- Whole grain breads or crackers with fruit spread
- Rice cakes with peanut butter
- Slices of cucumber, carrot, and avocado with creamy dip
- Baked chips, popcorn, and pretzels
- Yogurt, pudding, and homemade fruit smoothie
Healthy Snacks Recipes for Kids
You should take care that the snacks you serve to your kids are as healthy as the meals you prepare. Use the same guidelines to plan the snacks, as you go for meal planning. This will ensure that your kids consume enough nutrients in each delicious bite. Kids love any kind of dips. A plate full of carrot, bell pepper slices and tomatoes will disappear in no time, if there’s a hummus or a bean dip to go with it.
Whole wheat crackers and baked tortilla chips are also healthy and delicious accompaniment for applesauce or sweet cream dips. Most kids love eating frozen snacks. Frozen grapes, bananas, and strawberries topped with fresh cream make healthy as well as indulgently delicious fruit trifle. Frozen bananas coated in chopped nuts and sweet chocolate syrup is also a good idea. You may make fruits, vegetables, and even whole grains attractive to your kids with the help of some tried and tested recipes.
Cheesy Popcorn
Ingredients
- 4 cups hot air-popped popcorn
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese – grated
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
Preparation
Toss popcorn with Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle a dash of Cayenne pepper and serve.
Number of Servings: 4
Tomato Tossle
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup tomato – chopped
- 2 tbsp mozzarella cheese – grated
- 1 fresh basil leaf
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 bread slice – toasted
- Garlic powder and salt
Preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle salt and garlic powder on it. Cut the toast into 4 equal pieces and drain the juice of the mixture over the toast pieces. Prepare it fresh and serve.
Number of Servings: 4
Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp milk powder
- 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp sweetened coconut crumbs
Preparation
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the peanut butter, honey, and milk powder, and stir well. Add the cracker crumbs and mix well. Divide the mixture into 4 portions, and roll them between your hands to make oval shaped balls. Spread the coconut on a plate and coat the balls by rolling them on the plate.
Number of Servings: 4
Chocolate Crunch
Ingredients
- 1 cup Wheat Chex cereal
- 1 cup pretzel sticks broken in half
- 1/4 cup salted almonds – roasted
- 3 tablespoons chocolate chips
Preparation
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water or microwave on medium, for 2 minutes. Take a small bowl and combine the Chex, pretzels, and almonds. Add the melted chocolate to it and stir. Use a baking sheet and spread the mixture on it. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the chocolate is set.
Number of Servings: 4
Apple & Cheese Squeeze
Ingredients
- 1 flour tortilla (6 inch diameter)
- 4 tbsp medium cheddar cheese – grated
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced apple
Preparation
Place the tortilla on a plate and sprinkle 2 tbsp cheddar cheese on 1 half of the tortilla. Place the apple pieces over the cheese and sprinkle 2 tbsp cheese over the apple pieces. Fold the tortilla over the filling and microwave on high, for about 1 minute. Cut the tortilla in half and serve.
Number of Servings: 4
Chocolate Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut crumbs
Preparation
Beat the egg white in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Add the mixture to the egg white and stir well. Add the coconut to the bowl of egg white. Place a parchment sheet on a plate and spoon 4 mounds of the mixture on it. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until the mixture is firm. Repeat with the 2nd batch of egg white mixture. Refrigerate and serve.
Number of Servings: 8
Fresh Fruit Trifle
Ingredients
- 1 cup banana – sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries – sliced
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup chocolate pudding powder
- 1 cup small cake cubes
- 1/2 cup whipped cream topping
Preparation
Put the banana and strawberry slices in a small bowl and combine the chocolate pudding powder with the milk. Stir till the mixture is smooth and thick. Take a pudding glass and put half the cake cubes in it. Spoon the pudding mixture over it. Add half the fruit mixture, topped with 1 tbsp whipped cream. Serve chilled.
Number of Servings: 2
With the help of these snacks you may help your child make healthy choices over hamburgers, chips, pizzas, and other fast foods. Having regular healthy kids snacks will help your children overcome constant food cravings. Late mornings and early afternoons are usually the best time for these snacks. However, don’t forget to limit snacks to just 100-150 calories per serving. Healthy snacks will give the kids much-needed boost, as well as keep them healthy and fit.