Sunday, February 15, 2015

10 Quick Healthy Snacks for Kids

Do your kids ever come home from school starving and you rack your brain thinking of an easy healthy snack for them?  Well here are 10 ideas to make your afternoons easier.  The best part, these are kid approved, easy to find, and don't go bad quickly.  Just add the basic ingredients to your shopping list and you are set for a while.



10 Quick Healthy Snacks for Kids

1.       Yogurt Parfait
In a cup, add 1 large scoop of vanilla yogurt in a cup, 1 heaping tablespoon frozen fruit (I like blueberries and strawberries), 1 more large scoop of vanilla yogurt and you are set to go.  My kids love them.  
2.       Baby Carrots with Ranch Dip
Just buy the already skinned and cut carrots, and throw together with a bowl of ranch.  Can’t go wrong.
3.       Apple Slices With Peanut Butter
Wash apples, and cut with a round apple cutter/corer.  Add a bowl of peanut butter. (Be sure not to eat this around people with allergies.)
4.       Healthy Smoothie
This is one of my favorites for sneaking in veggies.  I add a handful of fresh spinach, about ½ cup frozen berries, a fresh peach, a banana, and a cup of juice.  If you want it creamier you can add some vanilla yogurt or almond milk.
5.       Popcorn
We eat popcorn so much at our house, buying a popcorn popper became more economical.  Just add a little melted butter or a spray of olive oil and a bit of salt.  You can also play with different seasonings.  
6.       Trail mix
Buy it premixed or mix it yourself, trail mix gives a powerful punch.  I like to have mixed nuts and seeds in mine along with dried fruits your kids like (mine don’t like raisins, but do like craisins).  If your kids won’t eat it without chocolate, add a small amount of dark chocolate chips.  
7.       Seaweed
I know, weird, but my kids love seaweed.  Why not try it at your house?  We like the little packages you can get at Trader Joe’s.  You can also get them at other stores like Sprouts.  
8.       Edamame
I cannot keep my kids away from edamame.  My two-year-old would eat it all himself if he could.  Just get a frozen bag from the store, pop it in the microwave (usually around 5 minutes), and add salt if needed.  Yum!
9.       Hard boiled eggs
Ok, this one takes a little prep before hand, but once you have them made, you can grab and go when you need them.    
10.   Apple Sauce with Cinnamon
Use apple sauce cups, a large jar poured out into bowls, or homemade, apple sauce is a sweet delicious way to fill your little ones’ bellies.  Make them fancy by adding a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.  (We love to sprinkle the Pampered Chef Cinnamon blend on top—so good).