Snack Ideas

I felt the same way and recently started making a big batch of trail mix on Monday and packaging it in snack size ziploc bags so the kids can still grab and go. I vary it, but usually include some combination of the following:

cheerios
sunflower seeds
almonds/cashews
raisins
dried cranberries
goldfish
chocolate/vanilla chips

Hope this helps!

We just found a recipe for "energy bars" in Eating Well magazine that my 3 year old loves. Very easy to make, no cooking involved. It took my husband less than 20 minutes from start to finish (with my 3 year old helping). It makes 16 bars, more if you cut them smaller. We cut and wrap them individually in plastic so we can just grab one and go. Great snack to bring to the beach too! Here is a link to the recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/peanut_energy_bars.html
Good luck!

my daughter loves carrot sticks with different dips. Apple slices dipped in yogurt. Yogurt. Slices of cheese....Sugar free jello cups.......
I hope that helps a little.

I am currently reading up on the Sneaky Chef as she has some recipes for adding in healthy food to snacks and desserts.

I see a bunch of posts stating popcorn. I wanted to note that a Florida EMT stated that popcorn was the one thing that they could not get out a choking child or adult!!! My Sister-in-law turned us on to Pirate's Booty. Texture is like popcorn with out the scare for the little one's.

I started making homemade ice pops with pureed fruit. You can mix fruit and yogurt and put them into the mold and freeze.

I found a great recipe in Globe Magazine (Boston Globe) that had apple sauce, bread crumbs (the new very fine ones, cinnamon and some brown sugar. They layerd it like a parfait with the apple sauce and the 'crumb mixture'.
You can always change it up with a fruit puree or flavored apple sauce.

Puddings is a fun snack and good for the calcium.

Hi M.,

Try low fat yogurt, Lara Bars, edamame, Snap pea crisps (they are baked),Mini rice cakes with salsa for dipping, string cheese, baby carrots, celery, cucumber,and red pepper slices with ranch dressing for dipping, "tortilla" pizzas made with tomato sauce and melted shredded cheese, popcorn, frozen all-juice ice pops, Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, and trail mix made with dried fruit and nuts. If you live near a Trader Joes, they have great trail mixes- in single serving sizes. They also have lots of other healthy, yummy snacks, and their prices are great !L. S.

Since it's summer you can make ice pops with fruit and/or yogurt. It is healthy but seems like more of a treat. †he current Vegetarian times has a few good recipes. If you're interested send me a note and I'll email them to you.

Wow, lots of great ideas, ladies, thanks for sharing! Smoothies hit the spot too. Freeze the fruit for a cooler treat (I freeze the bananas, peaches, strawberries, etc. when they get a little too ripe, they're sweet and taste great in a blender). We use fruit, yogurt, juice and ice. If there's any left over, we just put it in freezer pops for later. The kids have fun making them too. They also like peanut butter toast with sliced bananas, and quesedillas made from tortillas (whole wheat if you like) and cheese -- plus chicken, salsa, sour cream, etc. if you're up for it. A plate of cheese chunks, crackers, pepperoni and sliced apples/pears or a bunch of grapes disappears pretty quickly too! I lean toward a vegetarian diet (blood type A) but my kids crave the meat/protein (blood type O) so it's important for them to have protein with their carbs. Good luck!

My 3-yr-old son LOVES when I make fruit kebabs. Just spear pieces of fruit on a chopstick or other non-pointy stick. I also like Cliff Kid's Z Bars-- like cliff bars for kids. They are really tasty and have no high fructose corn syrup and are all organic. Yum.

I once saw on Oprah a cookbook for "sweet" treats but it was things like brownies (made with carrots) and supposedly no one can tell the difference.

Hi M. -
Some of the snacks we do are cheese sticks, yogurts, fruits, graham crackers with peanut butter, celery sticks with cream cheese, chex mix (homemade) with chex,craisins,choco.chips, peanut butter chips, another kind of cereal that I can't think of right now, they are like cinnamon wheat bites, and nuts, like cashews or almonds. My kids also like veggies & dip, salsa & tostitos, and hummus & pita bread.

Hi, I have a couple of snack ideas for you. A trail mix is nice to have on hand. I make a big, huge bag of it to keep around. I use cheerios, raisins or dried cranberries, peanuts, sunflower seeds, you can really use almost anything. I will in throw different kinds of cereal in sometimes too. It's nice because they can have some before breakfast if they get hungry before I am ready to make breakfast or before dinner too! Another thing that is nice to have on hand is granola. "allrecipes.com" has a great recipe for peanut granola that is really good! Hope this helps!

my daughter loves the 100 calorie snack packs. they come in so many different varieties. i find that there is just the right amount in there for her. they are great on the go too!!!

Hi M.,
I store up on the 100 calorie packs. They have so many kinds that I am sure you'll find some not only that your kids will love but that you will enjoy as well. You can also try to make lower calorie/fat cookies, brownies, the different things are endless. Try looking on an online website for healthy snack foods. Good luck, I know it's tough, I have a 5 1/2 year old who is just "always hungry!" :O)

well I have a almost five yr old son who loves all of my 100 calorie snack packs. They have everything now from chips, cranola bars,and nuts. Even the really bad stuff. It's small easy and quick. So they get the fix they are looking and you don't lose your mind. Works for my guy. Good luck.

My son likes trail mix made of granola cereal with almonds and raisins. You can add mini M&Ms in small amounts, or you can add carob chips from the health food store (tastes like chocolate). He also likes a granola cereal made with dried raspberries. He likes carrots dipped in peanut butter - I put peanut butter in small plastic containers and he can just grab one along with the mini carrots. Keep celery cut up in a container of water in the fridge. That's good with peanut butter or a low fat spreadable cheese. Some kids like cut veggies dipped in ranch dressing too. It satisfies the need to "crunch" without them always eating cookies or crackers. BJ's sells bags of broccoli florets already cut up - some kids will eat those raw. Can you use hummus as a dip? Theh protein is great. You can also make a sort of Chex mix without all the fat and salt by using whole grain Chex, whole grain cheerios, mini pretzel sticks, peanuts, and a healthy butter substitute like Smart Balance. Follow the Chex Mix recipe on the back of most boxes of Wheat Chex, but make substitutions for healthier choices.

My son also likes the South Beach Living High Protein Cereal Bars - they aren't cheap but they are great for packing in a lunch or for taking in the car. At least they are heavy in the protein and light on the sugar. If you can keep the kids' protein level up, they don't get the spikes from too much sugar, then the crash, and then more hunger pangs!

The Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges are pretty low calorie. They are good alone, or spread into a celery stalk. Celery actually takes more calories to chew and digest than it contains, and the cheese provides protein.

If you can boost the protein in their meals, they may not get as hungry as quickly. Same goes for using complex carbohydrates (whole grains, for example) instead of white flour. I agree with the other posts about not using high fructose corn syrup.

Some recipes my families loves are using whole grain couscous or brown rice, even mixing plain brown rice in with a box of your favorite boxed rice pilaf or other mix. Double the water, and use a plain rice - it cuts the salt of the mix by half, but still gives you the flavoring/spices. I even save the water from steamed vegetables - all those green goodies and vitamins! I freeze it, then defrost it as needed and use it for any recipe in which the water is completely absorbed, such as rice. Don't waste it on pasta where the majority of the water gets drained off. My son likes boxed falafel mix - I stretch it and cut the salt by adding wheat germ, flax seed, sesame seed, etc., and adding more of the veggie water. I even put spinach in it and tell him it's parsley! I make patties rather than round balls because they cook faster. I fry them in olive oil on both sides until crispy, then finish in the oven so they are baked. My son also likes "home fries" done in the oven - cut potatoes into spears, drizzle with olive oil, season as desired (pepper, a little salt, dill, parsley, whatever) and bake until fork-tender. You can quarter an onion for extra flavoring, and even mix half white potatoes with half sweet potatoes. Again, these are all things to fill the kids up and hold them to reduce the need for snacks.

Have fun!

My girls love the Fruitaboo organic fruit leathers and fruit rolls. We do sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwiches. They LOVE popcorn (that we pop in the air popper). We buy these organic rice granola bars (we have dairy allergies so it limits us).