Kids Snack Ideas

I called this snack ideas for kids, but truth is I love most of these snacks myself :-) I'm always looking for new snack ideas for the kids to keep things interesting and kids eating... Literally as I was writing this post, there was a dialogue about this
on one of my local mom's groups... its nice to know I'm not alone :-)  So here are some of my favorite/most successful snack ideas these days (hopefully you'll share yours with me):

Smoothies! You know I love a green smoothie!  Keep checking out Thirsty Thursdays on here for more ideas.  And check out my full post on smoothies- including ideas to make them more appealing and portable for the kids!

Gorp- I've been a huge fan of gorp since I was a kid.  My mom always mad big batches for us to snack on.  I take a large slider storage bag and mix up the following:
* dry roasted unsalted peanuts
* raw almonds
* raisins and cranberries (or other dried fruits)
* "cheerios" of some sort.. I like to use Kashi O's...Heart to Heart Nutty Chia Flax Barley & Oat Cereal
* and a few dark chocolate chips

**But be creative! Add whatever your family will eat!  Its a perfect go-to snack to have around the house. 

Ham and Cheese rolls- as simple as it sounds, my kids love ham and cheese rolls... I literally just take a piece of ham (we tend to buy applegate all natural no nitrates ) place a slice of your favorite cheese on top and roll it up :-)  Can't get much simpler than that for a protein fix.

Ants on a log - I did a post about these a couple weeks ago, they are a favorite, and really the only way my 3.5y/o will eat celery :-) Check it out

Carrots and/or graham cracker sticks with peanut butter for dip - Its as simple as it sounds... my kids love "dip" and peanut butter, so I put carrot sticks and graham crackers sticks (we love back to nature brand) with a little dish of peanut butter and its usually a hit.

Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips (we like food should taste good brand) with bean/corn dip or hummus- Again, my kids like dips, and of course chips...so this is a great snack for us..  I have a great black bean dip/salad recipe that they love (not spicy) I'll post that soon!

Energy balls-  I got this recipe from a friend, and I ALWAYS keep this in the fridge as they are a easy on the go snack and treat for the kids (and myself and my husband too :-) )  I've seen lots of great variations on this that use almond butter or fruit... but you get the idea...

1c oatmeal 
1/2c peanut butter
1/3c honey
1/2c
flax seeds
1tsp vanilla
1/2c dark choc mini chips (optional)
1/4 cup raw coconut flakes



Mix all the above ingredients together until combined well. Roll spoonfuls of the mixtures into balls. Store in the fridge.

Muffins - My kids adore muffins (who doesn't) and they really think of them as a treat which is great.  Muffins are also a favorite at my son's co-op, so I've been exploring alternative muffin recipes lately ... turns out there are a lot of great ones out there!  Two of my favorites are My Mom's Muffins from the Pioneer woman and the Whole Spelt Pumpkin Muffins from 100 Days of Real Food.  A friend just told me that she loads pureed or shredded veggies and fruits in her muffins; I can't wait to get ahold of that recipe... stay tuned!!

Yogurt Parfait - use plain yogurt add your favorite granola (or homemade) and raisins or fresh fruit

Banana bites- Love these and so simple.. We love nut butters in our house!  So simple, just slice up a banana and top each slice with a little dolup of peanut butter or almond butter, yum!

Homemade bars- I'm a lara bar addict, so I've been looking for recipes to make my own.  My favorite are the Homemade Energy Bars from Nutritionist Sara Sullivan,  its a great recipe and one you can easily tweak.  My kids also LOVE "bars" and constantly ask for them, so I try to keep a batch of these in the fridge or freezer.  

Some of my favorite snack packaging:
Sili Squeeze
Ziploc Divided Container
Freezer mop molds
reusable snack bags
silicone muffin cups - for more than muffins :-)


Happy Snacking!

Rebecca