Here is a big list of healthy snacks that I feed my family. This list is guaranteed to keep your children full and happily satisfied forever – or at least until the next time they need a snack (which may be within the next five minutes, so you may want to read quickly).
I obviously don’t have all of these snacks on hand at all times, but when my kids are hungry between meals, this is an idea of what I might offer.
- Fresh fruit or veggies (This is always the first option. If they eat a fruit or a veggie and are still hungry but it’s not meal time yet, then I might offer something else.)
- Homemade tortillas with peanut butter and honey or jelly or other yummy things inside
- Muffins or quick breads
~Applesauce bread
~Orange Muffins
~Chocolate Swirl Muffins
~Coconut Flour Muffins
~Vanilla Muffins with Cinnamon Crumb Topping - Homemade bread and butter
- Whole wheat soft pretzels
- Nuts or Trail Mix
- Raisins
- Homemade Poptarts
- Homemade Popcorn with coconut oil and sea salt…or sprinkled with parmesan cheese
- Mudballs
- Milkshakes
- Applesauce
- Whole Wheat Graham Crackers
- Crispy Cheese Crackers
- Whole Wheat Vanilla Wafers
- Homemade Yogurt with Fruit
- Chewy Granola Bars
- Breakfast cookies
- Homemade Creamy Pudding
- Breakfast bars
- Slushies
~Strawberry-Peach
~Pineapple-Orange
What are your favorite healthy snacks to feed your kids?
Hi Laura,
Great list of healthy snacks here. We made our own potato chips once … not exactly healthy when cooks in the deep fryer bu I hoped they would be healthier than the shop-bought variety!
I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your site, from way back a few years ago when I was asking you all those questions about US/Australian conversions and substitutes, right up to today. We particularly like your recipes, and some of our family favourites now include Giant Breakfast Cookies, Herb-Sprinkled Chicken, and my son’s all-time favourite sweet food Easy Butterscotch Bars. He loves to take them to school in his lunchbox, or have them for an afternoon snack. I even made them a couple times for a dessert, we ate them warm with ice cream and chocolate fudge sauces sprinkled with chopped nuts.
So thank you for your wonderful blog and all associated bis and pieces.
Oh boy, I remember that – helping you with US/Australioan conversions. That was back when my blog was just a baby. :) Thanks for sticking with me for so long!
Lots of great ideas here, and just in time! J is always hungry!
Hey Laura,
I just clicked on breakfast cookies here and it sent me to Home Depot Gardening Club. I clicked on it twice with the same results. Dont know if its just my computer or what but wanted to give you a heads up.
I just checked and it did the same for me!
Thank you for letting me know! It’s fixed now!
Hey Laura!
I was just making your chewy granola bars today, and instead of the honey, I blended dates into the PB and melted coconut oil. Have you ever used dates for sweetening much? I’m just getting into it. I know that their sugar content is high, but do you know if it’s really better for you than other sugars? I’m having success with flavor and texture, we’re really enjoying it!
Always love your site!
I’ve used dates to sweeten homemade Larabars, but not these granola bars. I’m not sure they’re “better” than other sugars, but they are a completely natural sugar and therefore a great choice. Just like anything made with a natural sugar (be it honey or dates), just don’t eat the whole pan. This is what I have to tell myself when I make brownies with whole wheat and sucanat. :)
You mentioned homemade popcorn with coconut oil and sea salt. Do you just melt the coconut oil and use it instead of butter or do you cook it in coconut oil?
I do either one. Sometimes I make the popcorn in a pan on the stove with melted coconut oil. But we also have an air popper popcorn maker that the kids use. If we do it this way, pop the corn in the popper, then pour melted coconut oil into the bowl, stir and add sea salt.
Here is our list of snack ideas: http://onelittlewordsheknew.blogspot.com/2009/07/snack-ideas.html
:)
I just clicked on the orange muffins link and it also took me to the Home Depot post. :(
Thanks for the snack ideas! My little girl is ALWAYS hungry and I was running out of ideas!
Thanks for letting me know – I got it fixed!
Thank you SO much for this! I find it so difficult to keep up with my “always hungry” kiddos!!!
What do you put in your trail mix? I wanted to make some, but I was having a hard time finding a good recipe since most of them call for candy.
It’s a little different each time but usually a variety of nuts, dried fruit and some chocolate chips. I personally like a simple mix of peanuts, raisins and chocolate chips.
Laura,
Thank you for so many wonderful ideas for recipes. I am just getting into cooking like this. I have always been a only homemade, from scratch type of cook, but you have opened my eyes to many new ideas. Monday I will get my first Azure Standard delivery which among other things I will be getting 75lbs of wheat. I can hardly wait. I have a blendtec blender I can use to grind the wheat. It bought a small amount from the local whole foods store to see if it would work and it worked like a charm. I have coconut oil coming in the mail soon too. I am so excited to be getting all this and starting to cook lots of the same things we often eat but with different and better for us ingredients. You have been the inspiration and instructor for my new way of cooking. Again I say thank you.
Oh, and by the way when I clicked on the link for homemade bread it took me to Home Depot Gardening Club.
Thank you for letting me know – I fixed the link!
I am loving this list, and it could not come at a more perfect time. Thanks SO MUCH!
Oh my goodness, I cannot wait to make ALL of these!!!!
My boys’ favorite snack is “Ants on A Log” (celery, nut butter, and raisins) or anything that I can give a wacky name. They also enjoy popcorn and homemade popsicles (frozen smoothies, but in much smaller amounts!). I’m excited to try some of your ideas!
Fruit!! Second choices are usually peanut butter bread or a muffin, since we always have those things & they’re quick. I have been wanting to make your wafers for a long time, they look so good! I just don’t know if I’d be able to control myself. :P
Thanks for the list, lots of yummy ideas here!
Love this list and I also regularly serve hummus! Easy to make at home and goes great with almost everything. And my toddler refers to it as “frosting.”
Thank you so much for this list! I’ve been searching for nutritious snacks for the kiddos.
The homemade tortilla link goes to your shopping page, fyi. I was at the store today, comparing tortillas and wondering why do they have so much sodium??? Maybe I should try to make some!
Maybe a silly question.
The popcorn with the coconut oil – are you stove popping it? OR air popping it & using it instead of butter?
Air popping and then adding coconut oil…and not a silly question :)
I have a list of low sugar healthy snack ideas at my blog here:
http://angathome.com/2012/04/07/no-or-low-sugar-snacks-for-kids-morning-and-afternoon-tea-snack-ideas/
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails
with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from
that service? Bless you!
I’d be happy to. I tried using the name and email address listed in this comment, but didn’t find it in the comment subscription list. Is there another email address I should look for?
So I have been on the same quest. Recently my kids love the green spinach muffins (made with applesauce) I make – a recipe I based off of a book called Weelicious Lunches that I borrowed from the library. I changed a few things in several of her recipes to suit us and I think make healthier, but wonderful ideas.
Hi Laura love your receipts simple quick health and delicious , found y while browsing as usual; mother of 3 boys and a girl and I am always looking for healthiest ways to feed my family and I love cooking ;just going through a face of my life ‘; will tell y later … So far I have tried the breakfast cake jus made them in muffins size love it; soaked oats for the giant cookies tomorrow will keep y posted.. Thanx alot for the love you transmit through your receipts keep doing it… Read your Ebook on marriage advice it’s just what I needed I just need to act on it…