Proper nutrition for your kids doesn’t need to be boring! From the classic ants on a log to peanut butter and jelly ‘sushi’ rolls, parents have been trying to find snacks which are both fun and healthy for years. Picky eaters combine with a plethora of sugary or unhealthy readily available snacks to create a bonafide nightmare for parents, but it’s time to regain control of snack time. By feeding your kids healthy and fun options at snack time, you achieve two major things. Number one comes in with the most important thing of all: keeping your little ones healthy through a balanced diet! The second is they develop a positive association with healthy foods, and reach for sugar or fat-laden options less throughout their life. We’ve put together our top 5 healthy snack ideas for kids to help you make snack time a breeze!
- Mini Fruit Pizzas
Pizza doesn’t have to be unhealthy! Instead of opting for the traditional cheese or pepperoni slices, use small whole wheat tortillas (we find the street taco size to be perfect), cream cheese, and fresh sliced fruit to make fruit ‘pizzas’. This is a great activity to involve young kids, as you can put the fruit in separate bowls and let them choose their favorites to top their pizzas.
- Grape Pops
A summertime favorite, grapes are loaded with vitamins to power your kid’s immune system. Take a spin on the popular cake pop idea and make the healthier alternative, ‘grape pops’. This is a supervised snack since you’ll need skewers to make them, but they’re incredibly easy and fun! Skewer a grape and dip it into vanilla Greek yogurt to make each grape pop. You can get creative by adding sprinkles, crushed graham crackers, or even decorate them!
- Apple Cookies
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Fresh fruit is full of vitamins, fiber, and simple carbohydrates which provide lasting energy throughout the day without any sugar crashes. By slicing apples whole and making large rings (take the seeds out first!), you can top them with peanut butter and make a healthy spin on cookies. Whether you top the peanut butter with raisins, miniature chocolate chips, or coconut, kids will go crazy for them!
- Flavored Milk
Put down the Nesquik, there’s a better option in town. A glass of cold milk provides a massive dose of bone-building calcium and muscle-strengthening protein, and it can be made fun with Sipahh flavored straws. Instead of traditional flavorings which are almost all sugar, flavored straws provide the same great taste at only a fraction of the sugar or calories. Your little ones can pick from fun flavors such as Okey-Dokey Cookies and Cream or Hello Marshmallow, and you can take comfort in knowing there’s less than ½ a teaspoon of sugar in each serving! Order Sipahh milk straws today!
- Cucumber Bites
Crunchy, delicious, and low calorie, cucumber is one of the best foods to snack on! To make cucumber bites, you just need to slice them into one-inch sections and hollow out the center using a small spoon or melon baller if your cucumbers are on the larger side. Fill out the cucumbers with a ranch dip made with calcium-filled yogurt and powdered ranch mix for a crunchy and creamy mix. These are guaranteed to be a hit with kids who lean more towards savory snacks, and they’re perfect for parents looking to make snack time quick and easy.
