Healthy Kid Snack Tips and Recipes

Make-Ahead Snacks that are Tasty, Fun and Nutritious

Sep 26, 2006

Healthy kid snacks can be hard to come by. There are plenty of make-ahead kid snack ideas and recipes that will help you avoid the temptation to buy junk food on the go.

It's easy and cheap to make healthy kid snacks children will enjoy. Here are some ideas and recipes:

DIY trail mix recipe

Make a DIY trail mix ahead of time. It stores well, and is great in a pinch. What's nice is it has a great mix of protein and carbohydrates, so this should keep the kids from having the sugar crash many snacks bring.

In a mixing bowl or large bag, combine the basics - peanuts, raisins and M&M candies - and shake. Some other fun additions: dried cranberries, Reese's Pieces, banana chips, cashews, almonds, pretzels, Cheerios and granola.

Chex Mix recipes

Chex Mix is another great snack food, and you can make it as healthy or fun as you'd like. I would stay away from getting too crazy with salts, spices and sweets, but you can find a slew of recipes on the Chex site, including this recipe for Chex School Fuel.

Cheese and grapes

A fun and fresh snack food is to mix cheese and grapes together. Get funky, and cut sliced cheddar into fun shapes with a cookie cutter (save the edges for recipes calling for cheese).

You can also include crackers, although I would put them in a separate bag. Just keep in mind this snack needs to keep cool. You can invent variations, such as cubes of Monterrey Jack with strawberries or gouda and blueberries, and so on.

DIY chips

You don't have to give in with greasy, salty potato chips. Make your own. Take some pitas, soft flour tortillas or vegetables. Slice them as thin as possible. Spray them with an olive oil based cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Voila! A healthy snack they will enjoy!

Celery and peanut butter

Clean and cut up small pieces of celery. Put peanut butter into a resealable small container. Throw it all together in a Ziplock bag, and you're all set. If this isn't your kid's taste, play with the idea. Try cucumbers and ranch dip, carrots with apple butter, or some other combination of veggie with a fun dip.

Use your imagination

Don't limit yourself to these healthy snack ideas for kids, either. Consider what your kids like to eat and ways to reinvent it yourself and make it healthier. If your child loves popsicles, for instance, try giving frozen grapes. With a few of these choices packed, your travels will be healthier and cheaper.

The copyright of the article Healthy Kid Snack Tips and Recipes in Family Travel is owned by Kelby Carr. Permission to republish Healthy Kid Snack Tips and Recipes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Sep 26, 2006 10:19 PM

Jennifer W. Miner :

A lot of these sound really healthful and yummy! Where are they intended to be eaten? At rest stops? (I read somewhere that todders shouldn't eat in cars b/c a sudden stop might make them choke.) I think it would be SO useful to have some of these when we get to a hotel with our kids. That way, they'll have a snack I feel good about right away, when we're too travel-tired to go back out right away. :)
Jen

Sep 27, 2006 7:37 PM

Kelby Carr :

It probably is bad to feed en route, but we've done it for a long time. Stopping for every snack would really slow us down. You should probably wait until a kid is a little older, not just beginning to eat finger foods.

I usually keep things packed in a little cooler, and pass them out as needed. They usually stay cold plenty long enough for eating when we arrive at a destination, too... and often you are beat when you check into a hotel with kids along. Who wants to hunt down a meal, or order overpriced room service for a kid who probably will hardly touch it?