Monday, August 31, 2020

Healthy Snacks for Kids

This school year is going to be like no other, yet we all still need healthy snacks for our kids. I’ve created a recipe roundup of my kids’ fav snacks, which are fun and nutritious. These snacks can easily work whether your child is schooling from home or in person. Share these recipe ideas with your kid, and let them help choose some great options to fuel their bodies and minds this year.

Snack Food for Kids in America

Studies, and well life, have shown that it’s hard for kids to stick to just 3 meals a day, especially while learning and growing. Yet, kid snacks from the grocery store are packed with sugar, artificial dyes, and complex carbohydrates. These ingredients may:

  • curb your kid’s attention span
  • limit your kid’s ability to comprehend
  • create sugar highs, then sugar crashes

None of that sounds like something that should happen during the school day, right?! While the FDA still allows artificial food dyes in American snack foods targeted for children, other countries like Europe have long since banned them, opting for more natural, healthy snacks options for kids, according to the US National Library of Medicine.

Fun Healthy Snacks for Kids

My kids are more likely to eat a healthy snack if, they help make it, and if they have options. A bowl of fresh fruit is always out on my kitchen counter, ready for grab n’ go snacking. I have a cabinet designated for ‘snack foods’ where my kids can choose between sweet and savory options. Jackson is our family’s foodie, so he loves searching for and creating new recipes. He offers great input in the grocery list, and I can count on him to help test + perfect new snack recipes too. So these recipes are kid tested AND kid approved!

Quick Snacks that Promote Focus

healthy snack for kids

Ever feel like healthy snacks for kids are hard to make or have weird ingredients? Both the recipes in this roundup, and this list of super simple list of snack ideas below will help you take the guesswork out of the snack game. Here’s a list of foods that are designed for increased focus and productivity:

  • Leafy greens– great for digestion, loaded with minerals, and studies show that a diet rich in leafy greens leads to less cognitive decline later in life (and green smoothies are a super quick + tasty snacks for kids!)
  • Nuts and seeds– another great source of healthy fats and proteins, and easy to eat raw or lightly toasted. A handful of nuts is a healthy and easy snack idea
  • Avocados– full of potassium and healthy fats, and can be added to a green smoothie or eaten plain, on toast, or as part of a veggie tray

Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids

Now, on to the recipes! I hope these healthy snack ideas can inspire you and your kids to have fun with food this school year. There’s enough to stress about this school year already, so let’s make snacking an easy win.

homemade popsicles can be a simple healthy snack for kids

Ultimate Homemade Popsicles

Make snacks pop naturally with these colorful smoothie pops. They are super quick, easy, delicious, AND full of only whole foods.

Best Deviled Eggs

Hard boiled eggs are an easy snack win for my family. I make a big batch, then keep them in the fridge for easy access. This fun recipe from my Simple Green Meals book jazzes them up a bit.

Healthy snacks for kids include yogurt

The Best Vegan Yogurt

Surprisingly simple and kid snack approved, this vegan yogurt recipe can be customized with many different toppings. Turn that next study session into a healthy snack party by adding a toppings bar for this recipe.

Healthy Rice Krispies

This treat is a total winner at my house. A great healthy snack or dessert idea for kids, without the worry about artificial sweeteners, dyes, or gums.

Almond Butter and Jam Muffins

I love making these muffins, then picking a few different jams for the filling. A fun and healthy for breakfast or snack for my kids and their friends.

I’d love to hear your top snack ideas for this school year. What are some fav snacks at your house? Drop a comment below to give us all even more healthy snack ideas for our growing learners.



from
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes/healthy-snacks-for-kids

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