From study sessions to soccer practice, kids can have days as jam-packed as adults. To avoid a mad rush to the vending machine for bags of chips and cookies, having healthy snacks on hand is clutch. With the right balance of protein, healthy fats and carbs, these snack ideas not only taste delicious, but they make the grade in the nutrition department, too. Stash ‘em for in between classes, basketball games and homecoming parties — your kids are back-to-school ready this fall.
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8 Healthy Snack Ideas Kids Will Absolutely Love
1. Dark Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites
Bananas are loaded with potassium and healthy carbs for some afternoon energy, and dark chocolate is rich with cancer-fighting antioxidants that’ll satisfy a mid-afternoon sweet tooth. Cut the bananas into small slices and spread peanut butter between two to make a sandwich. Line them on a sheet pan to freeze for about 20 minutes, and then dip into melted dark chocolate. Wait for chocolate to firm up or place them in freezer. Photo and recipe: Emily / Is This Really My Life
2. Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
If there’s one thing we know kids love, it’s tasty dips! This creamy peanut butter dip doesn’t disappoint. Made with just three ingredients — peanut butter, Greek yogurt and honey — you can easily whip this up for an after-school snack to share with friends. Pair with sliced apples, raspberries, strawberries, bananas and whole-wheat crackers for dipping. Now that’s a tasty healthy snack idea! Photo and recipe: Jaclyn Bell / Cooking Classy
3. Homemade Cheddar Cheese Crackers
For tiny tots who crave a salty crunch, skip the Doritos, Goldfish and Cheez-Its, and prep a batch of these all-natural cheddar cheese crackers instead. You need only six ingredients to make these tasty, cheesy bites, including wheat flour, cheddar cheese, cayenne pepper, salt and butter. Combine, bake and cut into bite-size pieces. Photo and recipe: Mary Hatton / The Cake Chica
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4. Fruity Unicorn Toast
Your kids’ dreams of chasing rainbows comes to life in these colorful toasts. Don’t worry, there aren’t any artificial colors here! To prepare the rainbow “butters,” Carmen blends blueberries, raspberries, mangos and cherries and then mixes them with coconut cream. Packed with antioxidants from the fruit and healthy fats from the coconut cream, these vibrant toasts will leave the little ones satisfied. Photo and recipe: Carmen Sturdy / Life by Daily Burn
5. Veggie Garden Cups
When vegetables are cut into fun shapes and presented in easy-to-grab cups like these, kids will want to gobble them down. We love that you can save on prep time by using store-bought guacamole or hummus. Stack the cups like a potted plant, filling it with broccoli florets, shredded carrot sticks, snap pea shoots and cucumber stalks. Looking for more fun ideas? Check out these fruit flowers. Photo and recipe: Catherine McCord / Weelicious
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6. Crispy Oven “Fried” Chicken
There’s nothing that can make a kid happier than a side of crispy chicken. Gluten-free flour and corn flakes make the chicken extra crunchy, and the buttermilk keeps the meat nice and moist. But the spices and seasonings are what really make this dish finger-licking good. Serve with some homemade honey mustard sauce by combining mayo, Dijon mustard and honey in a bowl. Photo and recipe: Carmen Sturdy / Life by Daily Burn
7. Peanut Butter Celery Owls
These celery owls are such a hoot, you’ll have to remind the younglings it’s snack time and not play time! Fill celery sticks with peanut butter or another nut butter of choice and top with almonds. Mini carrots make up the feet the beak, while grape slices and mini chocolate chips frame the eyes. Photo and recipe: Cara / Fork & Beans
8. Quinoa Pizza Bites
Move over, pizza bagels! These nutritious pizza bites are so good, kids will want to snack on them every day. Your mini muffin tin comes in handy here. Simply mix the cooked quinoa with shredded cheese, one egg, salt and pepper, marinara sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes. Pack a tablespoon of the mixture in the muffins tins and bake for 12-15 minutes. Enjoy the popovers with marinara sauce. Photo and recipe: Jessica Hylton-Leckie / Jessica in the Kitchen
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