9+ Favorite Healthy Snacks Kids Love (And Are Easy To Make)

Last updated: July 24th, 2021

Packing lunchboxes can be stressful; especially the day after a long break and the last thing you’ve planned for is packing lunches! Yup, Thanksgiving break is over and it’s back to the daily grind! Luckily the cupboard is stocked full of healthy snacks and lunch material! Here are a few of my favorite healthy snacks for the lunch box and after school treats:

Homemade trail mix

Kids love to snack on stuff by the handful and naturally lean towards food they can eat in bite-sized servings. Moms love it because you can also sneak all sorts of good stuff in there – dried fruit bits, seeds, etc. – without them being any wiser.

Chips & salsa

Always a perennial favorite; you can even make homemade salsa and tortilla chips on the weekend for more control over what your kids are eating.

Apple with caramel

Single-serve caramel tubs and sliced apples are a great, healthy snack for kids of all ages.

Hummus

This Middle Eastern chickpea dip is super healthy and is another great way to serve up those baby carrots. Dips and kids are always a hit.

Fruit medley

For some reason, if you stick an orange in your kid’s lunch box, it comes back to you, untouched. If you stuff a small Tupperware with a strawberry, a few raspberries, some blueberries and a slice or two of that same orange, they will eat every last bite. Go figure.

Yogurt

This is a great snack in its natural state, but not so great when you stir in sugary, chemically add-ins. Try organic vanilla with Grape Nuts cereal. It gives the added crunch your child is looking for, with the healthy twist moms like.

Peanut butter

Sure, PB & J sandwiches are everywhere but try a single serve pack of flavored peanut butter, if your school hasn’t banned it. Super healthy, low in sugar and the squirt-in-your-mouth-fun-factor lets it compete head-to-head with sugary snacks, and win.

Celery with PB and raisins

A classic snack that’ll make them think of mom. Yea!

Cheese

Single serve cheeses are awesome. They include a dose of calcium and protein. Include a toothpick for fun eating.

Dreamy Orange Dip

This is a great snack for kids who love oranges!

What You Need:

• 1 (4 oz.) container fat free cream cheese, softened
• 1 (6 oz) container fat free orange flavored yogurt
• 2 TBSP powdered sugar
• 1 TBSP frozen orange concentrate
• 1/4tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1/2C fat free whip topping, thawed
• Fresh strawberries

How to Make It:

1. Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bow.
2. Use an electric on low speed and beat the cream cheese until smooth.
3. Add the yogurt, powdered sugar and orange concentrate.
4. Beat 1 minute on low speed until mixture is smooth once again.
5. Pour in the vanilla and stir to incorporate.
6. Use a rubber spatula and mix in the thawed whip topping until completely combined.
7. Serve with the fresh strawberries.

8 Servings

This dip can be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours.  Light and fluffy this dip works well with any type of fruit or can be spread on graham crackers as well. I like to leave out the sugar if possible and use the cream cheese, whip topping and yogurt!

Apple Triangle Tortilla Snacks

Crispy, crunchy, green, red or yellow our family loves apples! We really like apples during the fall when we can pick them for ourselves at the apple orchard but they make a healthy year around snack for our family. We have all sorts of tricks on making them fun to eat and I’m excited to once again add another healthy snack time idea for you and your family. If you’re looking for some inspirational ideas or would like to have some help in the kitchen which involves your child, try the Kids Kitchen book! Apple Triangles a favorite in our home and if possible we try to eat local or State grown food and organic if feasible.

What You Need:

• 2 (10 in) whole wheat tortillas
• 4 TBSP cinnamon and brown sugar cream cheese
• 1 apple, cored, peeled and sliced thin

How to Make It:

1. -Lay each of the tortillas out so they are completely flat.
2. -Spread each tortilla with 2 TBSP of the cream cheese.
3. -Layer apple slices on one half of the tortilla.
4. -Fold the other half of the tortilla over the apple slices.
5. -Cut each tortilla into 4 triangles.
6. -Place on a microwave safe plate.
7. -Microwave 30 seconds or until as warm as you like.

2 Servings

Try using your favorite type of cream cheese even plain tastes great.  These also taste pretty good without warming them up.

My son loves blueberries and what I love is that I can buy them organic and frozen.  During the summer when they are fresh and local I can buy quarts and freeze them for year around healthy eating. If your child loves blueberries try one of these delicious recipes to help make blueberry eating even more fun! If you’re looking for tips on packing healthy lunches try the Vegan Lunch Box book or Toddler Cafe for the picky eater. My new favorite resource is Fresh Baby; they have a huge collection of healthy recipes and free resources for in season fruits and veggies.

Blueberry Pear Ice Pops

What You Need:

• 1 cup of blueberry yogurt
• 1 pear, peeled and diced

How to Make It:

1. Place the yogurt in the blender
2. Add the pears and puree
3. Mixture should be very smooth
4. Pour the mixture into 5 oz. cups and place a wooden stick into the middle of each cup
5. Place in the freezer until completely solid

4 Servings

Try strawberry yogurt with diced up strawberries or peach yogurt with peaches or pineapple for a change of pace.

Goodnight Blueberry Fruit Shake

What You Need:

• 2 cups of plain yogurt
• 2 cups of blueberries (you can even use frozen organic blueberries)

How to Make It:

1. Place the yogurt in the blender
2. Add the blueberries to the yogurt in the blender
3. Blend until a shake consistency

Makes 2 servings

This makes a perfect before bed snack.