Easy Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids – Dietitian Recommended

Back to school season is in full swing and if you’re a parent of young children, it’s back to the snack-packing grind. That means it’s time to start thinking about healthy snack ideas for kids that don’t require a ton of time to prepare, and, obviously, that the kids will actually eat.

What I find really helpful is to come up with a list of snacks my kids will eat and pin it on the fridge. This way, each day, I can glance at the list and pick a few items, instead of racking my brains each evening when it’s time to pack the next day’s snacks. The list below can help give you some ideas to include on your own list.

The Idea Behind the List

There are many resources for healthy snack ideas. The list below chooses to focus on whole foods with minimal sugar that provide active nutrition. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a bag of pretzels for snack, but I choose to focus on healthy snack ideas for kids that are actively filling nutritional needs, rather than just addressing hunger.

Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids

While many of these ideas can just be grabbed from the fridge or pantry, some of these snacks do require some prep. I prefer to do as much as I can in bulk on weekends, like boiling up a large pot of hard boiled eggs, or washing and cutting up fruit.

Grab & Go Snack Ideas

• • Hardboiled Eggs
  • String Cheese
  • Applesauce Cups (preferably unsweetened – apples have plenty of natural sugars!)
  • Whole food snack bars (When I look at snack bars, I look for minimal sugar and the inclusion of real, whole foods.)
    • Rx Bar
    • Lara Bar
    • Kind Healthy Grain Bar
    • Stone Ground Whole Wheat Fig Bar
    • That’s It Bar
    • Peatos Snack
  • Roasted Chickpea Snack (or make your own!)
  • Cocoa Roasted Almonds
  • Gouda Triscuit Crackers (these are a great substitute for Doritos)
  • Apple Slices with
    Jif to Go cup, or other
    nut butter pouches
  • Peatos Snacks
  • Cauliflower Pretzels

  Healthy Snack Ideas with Easy Prep

  • Fruit Kabobs with Yogurt Dip
  • Fruit Roll Up (You can use any kind of nut butter if your child’s school is peanut free)
  • Homemade Fruit Strips (there is no need to add sugar – there is plenty of sweetness in the fruit)
  • Apple-Peanut Butter Sandwich
  • Banana Wrap
  • Mini Sandwiches (you can use toothpicks to keep these together)
  • Energy Bites
  • Protein Muffins

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