I often feel like my children are bored at snack time since I tend to stick with whatever is easiest: crackers, cheese, fresh fruit or fresh vegetables but not necessarily mixed together. Just hand it to them and go!
Since Ruble seems to be endlessly hungry, I decided to try to bump up our snack routine a little, trying to incorporate more of the food groups (especially protein) in our mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks.
If you have been looking for a list of easy but healthy snacks, I hope these ideas for feeding the kids (and momma too!) will inspire you.
Snacks with Apples
Apple Pie Crackers – Graham crackers with cream cheese mixed with applesauce.
Applesauce Slush – Freeze homemade applesauce into portion sizes.
Gourmet Apple Slices – Decorate slices of apples with melted chocolate, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut.
Fruity Kabobs – Place grapes, apples, and marshmallows on bamboo skewers.
Grilled Cheese & Apples – Thinly slice apples and place in a cheese sandwich. Grill over medium heat until the cheese has melted.
Snacks with Eggs
Devilish Eggs – Deviled eggs with bell pepper strips faces.
Egg Boats – Hard-boiled eggs halved with cheese sails.
Egg Salad Select – Mix chopped egg, a little mayo, and dill pickle relish together. Drop in rounded teaspoon-fuls on crackers. Top with shredded carrots or bell pepper pieces.
Fried Rice – Scramble an egg and toss with cooked rice, peas, and carrots. Stir fry the mixture in a drizzle of olive oil and a drop or two of soy sauce.
Egg Eyeballs – Slice hard-boiled eggs, place on crackers, and top with sliced black olives.
Snacks with Bread
Blueberry Bagel – Mix together cream cheese and blueberries. Spread over half a bagel. Top with additional blueberries and/or shredded coconut.
Mini-Muffins – Prepare your favorite muffin recipe but bake it in a mini-muffin pan.
Tuna Melt – Top half an English muffin with tuna, a slice of tomato, and sliced cheese. Toast and let the cheese melt.
Chicken Crescents – Chop boiled chicken and mix with a little mayo and sweet relish. Serve in a baked crescent.
Morning Glory Muffins – A muffin full of yumminess at The Happy Housewife.
Snacks with Cheese
Cottage Fruit – Cottage cheese topped with canned fruit.
Campfire Classic – Place pretzel stick in the middle of a bowl. Surround with grapes. Top the pretzels with zig-zag sliced cheese.
English Muffin Pizza – Spread pizza sauce over half an English muffin. Add choice of meat or vegetable. Sprinkle with cheese. Toast.
Cheesy Quesadilla – Smear beans on a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Microwave for 30 seconds and fold in half. Cut into triangles. Serve with salsa or guacamole.
Snacks with Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter Balls – Peanut butter and cream cheese mixed and rolled in chopped nuts, coconut, or crushed graham crackers.
Peanut-y Strawberry Sandwich – Spread peanut butter and place sliced strawberries on whole wheat bread.
Peanut Butter Banana Stacker – Peanut butter and banana slices on crackers.
Sweet Pizza – Smear peanut butter on a rice cake. Top with sliced fruit and drizzle with chocolate sauce.
Chunky Monkey Smoothie – Blend together vanilla yogurt, bananas, and peanut butter with ice and milk.
Snacks with Bananas
Frozen Chocolate-Covered Bananas – Place half a peeled banana and place it on a stick. Dip in melted chocolate and roll in chopped nuts or coconut. Freeze on waxed paper.
Fluffer-nutter Roll-Ups – Spread peanut butter on a tortilla. Sprinkle with marshmallows and chunks of banana. Roll up.
Banana Tortilla Stack – Spread cream cheese on a tortilla. Cut into triangles. Stack alternating with sliced bananas and chopped nuts.
Sushi Rolls – Spread peanut butter or cream cheese or jelly on bread, crusts removed and cut into long strips. Place a thick slice of banana on one end and roll up.
Buggy Bananas – Place two pretzel sticks in half a banana as antenna. Top each pretzel with a grape.
Snacks with Vegetables
Bruchetta –  Stir together chopped tomatoes, dry basil, chopped garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle on bread, top with grated Mozzarella and toast until the cheese melts.
Dip Sticks – Slice vegetables in long pieces and serve with ranch, peanut butter, and/or honey.
Bugs on a Log – Slice celery and top with cream cheese, cottage cheese, or peanut butter. Add raisins.
Neat-a Pita – Spread hummus in a pita pocket. Add shredded carrots.
Ladybug Snack Crackers – Smear cream cheese on crackers. Cut a grape tomato in half and then slice again. Place on half tomato on cracker with “wings” spread. Use a black olive for the head.
Quick Nachos – Sprinkle shredded cheese over tortilla chips or crackers. Microwave just until the cheese melts. Top with chopped tomatoes, black beans, and/or avocado.
Kabobs – Serve grape tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, black olives, and sliced yellow squash on a bamboo skewer with dipping sauce.
Cucumber Sandwiches – Stack sliced cucumbers with cheese, cream cheese, or peanut butter in between.
Snacks with Yogurt
Frozen Yogurt Bits – Use a plastic bag with a hole cut in the tip to pipe yogurt into a mini ice tray or on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze and serve.
Frozen Fruit – Dip grapes or strawberry halves in yogurt. Freeze on waxed paper.
Yogurt Parfaits – Top yogurt with whole grain cereal, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and/or fresh fruit.
Summer Snacks
Festive Flags – Slice watermelon into stripes. Serve with blueberries as the stars.
Fruity Snowcones – Shave ice and top with fruit juice instead of syrup. Or, shave frozen fruit.
Chunky Fruity Popsicles – Puree fresh fruit and reserving some of the fruit cut into small chunks. Mix together and freeze into popsicles.
Tropical Fruit Salad – Dice and mix kiwi, pineapple, papaya and melon. Toss with marshmallows.
Creative Dip Recipes
Spinach & Artichoke – Mix together wilted spinach, chopped artichokes,a little mayo, and minced garlic with cream cheese.
Fluffernutter – Mix peanut butter with marshmallow cream.
Hummus – Cooked (or canned and rinsed) chickpeas processed with olive oil, garlic, sesame oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Black Bean – Process together black beans, lime juice, salsa and cream cheese.
Guacamole – Mash avocados with fresh cilantro, lime juice.
Pudding Pie – Vanilla pudding mixed with chopped bananas and ricotta cheese.
Salsa – Process tomato, garlic, a little onion, and cilantro together in a blender.
Snacks with Popcorn
Banana S’more Popcorn Trail Mix
Salted Caramel Almond Pretzel Popcorn
Homemade Snack Bars & Cookies
Green Pumpkinseed and Cranberry Crispy Bars
Convenience Snacks
- Dried fruit
- Fig Newtons
- Dry cereal
- Graham crackers
- Animal crackers
- Whole grain crackers
- Raw vegetables
- Fresh (whole) fruit
- Sliced pineapple
- String cheese
- Packaged yogurt
- Pretzels
- Tortilla chips
- Vegetable chips
- Nuts
- Cereal and milk
Pssst… Hey smart parent reading this… I know you don’t need to be reminded to use your own discretion and be wise about feeding your younger child hard and /or chunky foods. I know you already quarter grapes and soften carrots and all that. So, I won’t waste your time by restating that here.
A free printable for you ~
Kelly says
Hi! I found you via Pinterst. Thank you so much for putting this list together. This is exactly what I have been looking for! I’m a SAHM to 2 year old twins and although some of these suggestions seem obvious, my brain does not always come up with the obvious! I also love that you included a printable version. 🙂 Thanks again!
Kelly
Penny says
I understand that completely, Kelly. None of these are super-original but I needed a consolidated list of ideas to help me think when the kids are pulling at my leg and whining, “I’m hungry! I’m hungry!” Normally, I just grab whatever is convenient to make them stop. So, I guess I created this list for me but I am glad I can share it. 🙂
Shannon Wallace says
Thank you so much for sharing!!! I’ve hit a “rut” in the food department, and I’m very excited to start making some new snacks! 🙂
Penny says
So glad that I can help, Shannon! I hope you and your family enjoy these. 🙂
Mary says
I love your list. Thank you 🙂
Penny says
Thanks so much, Mary. It certainly takes the thought out of figuring out what to give everyone.
Angie says
I have seen lots of lists like this and yours is by far the best !!! Thank u so much!!!
Penny says
Thank you, Angie. I really tried to make it a GREAT list because I have seen a lot that just seemed to be lacking. Your compliment means a tremendous amount to me. 🙂
Kelli @ 3 Boys and a Dog says
Oh what a great post! I would LOVE it if you could share your post on Homeschooling on the Cheap! http://3boysandadog.com/deals/2013/homeschooling-on-the-cheap-january-17-2013/
Kelli
Penny says
Thanks, Kelli. I will try to swing by there. I appreciate the invitation. By the way, I have a community board on Pinterest for frugal living and another for homeschooling. Would love to add you if you are interested. 🙂
Single parent cooking says
Mmmm, these look delicious! This is my kind of lunch, thanks you!
floriental says
Thank u so much!!!I love your list!