Easy Healthy Snacks For Preschoolers – If the right foods are offered at the right time, snacking can play an important role in controlling hunger and promoting nutrition in children’s diets. Learn what a nutritious snack is and why, and get inspired by this mega list of healthy snacks for kids.
Snacking is common in many parts of the world and contributes to the majority of our children’s daily energy intake. (1)
Easy Healthy Snacks For Preschoolers
Unfortunately, for many children, snacks consist of a packet of chips, cookies, or other energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods.
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Instead, snack time should be seen as an opportunity to add nutrients to our children’s diet and even make up for missing nutrients throughout the day. It’s the perfect time to provide wholesome, nutritious food.
Often people contact me saying that their children are “snackers”, meaning they live on snacks and eat very little of their meals.
What you serve at snack time can make a big difference in whether or not your kids become “snackers.” If snacks always consist of foods like crackers, muffins, chips, etc., some children will happily live on snacks and eat very little breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
In addition, “snacks” often contain simple carbohydrates. Although children need carbohydrates, they burn through simple carbohydrates very quickly. So they have nothing to keep them full and often half an hour later they are begging for another snack.
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Ideally, snacks should be healthy and satisfying. Research shows that foods high in protein, fiber, and whole grains increase satiety when eaten as snacks. (2) Healthy fats are also very filling and a good addition to a snack.
When making a snack, I usually start with fruits and/or vegetables and add a source of protein or fat and/or an additional source of fiber to round out the snack.
The time of day and how close it is to the next meal will influence my decision on what and how much I serve as a snack. (see below for a list of ideas)
As parents/guardians, it is our responsibility to decide what we serve our children, but also when we serve it. If there are constant snacks, it is difficult to monitor food consumption, and often children eat too much and are not ready to eat.
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Providing scheduled meals and snacks allows children to avoid overeating or overeating. They also reduce persistent snacking and stop boredom eating.
The schedule you choose is not that important, everyone is different and it will depend on your family life and the age/nature/health of your children. The important thing is that your children know what to expect.
In our family, we find that three meals and two snacks during the week work well (morning snack at school and one snack after school). We only have one snack on the weekends (minutes in the morning) because we usually have a later, bigger meal.
If your child chooses not to eat food at lunch or snack time, that’s okay. Just remind them that they have to wait until the next meal or snack to eat again.
Healthy Snacks For Kids
Making healthy snacks for kids doesn’t have to require you to spend hours cooking or preparing. There’s no need to use fancy cookies or think of elaborate ways to present your kids’ meals.
You can certainly do it if you enjoy it, have the time and want to do it. Sometimes I do and my kids love it, but most of the time I don’t. The easier you make it on yourself, the more likely you are to keep serving nutrient dense snacks and the less likely you are to reach for convenience foods.
Please note that some of these snacks may need to be modified for small children due to the risk of choking. (Popcorn is a choking hazard for children under five, nuts should be chopped/crushed, and fruit such as grapes and cherry tomatoes should be quartered for choking hazards. Honey should not be offered to children under 1.)
This classic snack is made with celery, nut butter, and raisins, but can be made in so many ways. Check out this recipe to see how you can serve this fun snack.
Kids Healthy Snacks
Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast for kids, but it’s also a fantastic snack. This recipe makes oatmeal into mini muffins for the perfect snack.
Cut the banana in half lengthwise, spread some peanut butter (to keep the kids longer) and top with berries.
Serve these roasted apple slices with mixed nuts for a nutritious and filling snack. Note: Nuts are a choking hazard until at least age 4. Try sowing pulse nuts to produce powder.
Always have a few eggs on hand for an easy snack, breakfast or lunch. Hard-boil a few eggs, peel and freeze in an airtight container (up to 5 days).
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Sweet crunchy apples with creamy peanut butter, these apple and peanut butter sandwiches are an easy, delicious and healthy snack.
Serve one of these two-ingredient banana cookies with snow peas (or a vegetable of your choice) and a small glass of milk.
Popcorn is easy to make (in the microwave or on the stove) and makes a great snack. Serve with a few cubes of cheese to help your kids feel full longer, and some veggie sticks for extra fiber and nutrition.
Peanut butter is the perfect accompaniment to fresh cut fruit. Made with just 3 ingredients, it can be prepared in minutes.
Healthy Snacks For Kids
Made with walnuts, coconut and dates, these nut balls can be made ahead and frozen for an easy snack option. Serve with a few celery sticks or your choice of vegetables.
This creamy guacamole is easy to make, nutritious and filling. Serve on some veggie sticks or spread on toast or crackers.
For this super simple, nutritious and delicious snack, spread hummus on toast and top with some shredded carrots.
Oatmeal cakes are a great snack for both sweet and savory snacks. Find the recipe for oatcakes here, along with a bunch of ideas.
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Double this snack as an activity. Serve your kids yogurt and raspberries and have your kids fill them up.
Serve these sweet potato wedges with avocado dip or your choice. Prepare the wedges in advance and place in the oven if needed.
Toast/warm tromet and top with peanut butter banana slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve with some chopped vegetables.
Kids love to eat on a stick, and serving fruit this way can make snack time more engaging and fun. Serve with yogurt or peanut butter to keep the belly full longer.
Cute Healthy Snacks For Kids
These mini muffins are made in a blender and sweetened only with fruit. They keep well in the fridge for a convenient snack when needed.
Pizza Toast is easy to make and delicious, serve with broccoli florets (or fruit/vegetables of your choice)
These apple waffles can be made ahead and frozen for snacking as needed. Serve with some chopped vegetables for extra goodness.
Cut a piece of bread into bite-sized squares and stuff a small chopstick with slices of cucumber, cheese and tomato.
Cute And Healthy Snack Ideas
I often think of snacks as “mini meals” and this snack is just that. Easy and delicious breakfast as a snack.
Cottage cheese and tomato top crackers (or why not try peaches, figs, sprouts or thinly sliced radishes)
Make your own trail mix with a selection of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Serve with some vegetable sticks.
A fun snack that kids love. Top the “pizza” with yogurt to keep little tummies around longer.
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Mash the avocado and spread it on toast or rice crackers. This is a very simple and delicious snack packed with goodness. Keep it varied with a variety of toppings like diced tomatoes, feta or even a drizzle of honey.
Boiled eggs are a great snack option. Add a piece of toast and cut into fingers. Serve with some blueberries or fruit of your choice.
These Sweet Potato Muffins are sweetened with just fruit and can be refrigerated for a quick snack option. Serve with vegetables and a small glass of milk.
A frozen yogurt shell is simply yogurt that has been frozen on a tray with many different foods mixed in and/or added to the top of the yogurt. It is very simple to prepare and can be easily adjusted according to taste.
Summer Snacks For Kids
Spread the peanut butter on the tortilla, place the banana on the tortilla and roll up. Cut into equal sized pieces and get your healthy snack.
These banana pancakes are made with just two ingredients (banana and egg) and are a great snack for kids.
This is a good choice for kids who like crunchy snacks. Bake the spiced chickpeas in the oven or fan. Serve with some fresh fruit or vegetables
A fantastic make-ahead snack for kids. Blend it for less than 5 minutes, then let the chia seeds do their magic.
Healthy Kids Snacks
Many children feel hungry between meals and need snacks. The key to successful snacking is not only what you serve your kids, but also when you serve it.
Look to serve whole foods that contain at least one
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