Getting kids to snack is never hard to do. Finding healthy snacks for kids is the difficult part. If your tween is always looking for something to munch on, consider these healthy snacks for kids of all ages. They're great for after-school snacking, summer snacking, weekend snacking, or anytime snacking. And they're loaded with the nutrients your child's body needs, rather than the preservatives and added ingredients you'll find in most processed, ready-to-eat foods.
Healthy Snacks for Kids
Organic fruit yogurt (avoid sugar-laced yogurt drinks or yogurt sticks that are heavy on added ingredients and dye)
Whole-wheat crackers served with peanut butter (or almond butter) and fruit spread
A handful of nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews or a mix)
Popcorn (pop your own, you can control butter and salt content and there are no added preservatives or ingredients)
A veggie plate (broccoli florets, celery sticks, carrot sticks, green pepper sticks, etc) served with ranch dressing
Fresh fruit (choose from in season fruit such as bananas, apples, oranges, clementines, pears, berries, etc.)
Celery sticks (cut into bite-sized pieces and fill with peanut butter or cream cheese, dot with raisins or Craisins)
Apple slices or banana rounds topped with peanut butter or almond butter (or a cocoa hazelnut spread like Nutella)
Yogurt smoothies (make your own with organic yogurt, milk, orange juice and fresh fruit)
Home-made trail mix
Deviled eggs
Banana Pops
Cheese cubes and ham or turkey cubes served with a side of ranch dressing
Home-made fruit freezes
Whole grain cereal (Cheerios, Wheat Chex, Shredded Wheat) served with 1/2 cup of skim milk, topped with fruit
Graham crackers topped with peanut or almond butter and banana rounds (or raisins)
Cottage cheese (top with canned, cubed pineapple, strained, or a handful of canned Mandarin orange segments, strained)
Yogurt, topped with a handful of granola and sliced fruit
Cheese and crackers (kids prefer soft cheeses such as a soft herb cheese or Alouette)
Toss chopped pecans, raisins or Craisins into cooked instant oatmeal, add a dash of milk or cream
Sprinkle shredded cheese over a corn tortilla, microwave for about 15 seconds and top with salsa
Make a mini-pizza by toasting an English muffin and topping with pizza sauce, and shredded cheese
All natural Tortilla chips served with chunky salsa
Leftovers can sometimes be the healthiest snack of all, especially if it was a healthy meal to begin with
All natural pita chips served with hummus