10 Healthy Snacking Options for Kids: Healthy and Delicious Options
TL, DR
Growing kids need additional nutrition for their bodies to develop and function properly. Those needs of the body can be fulfilled in a fun way by feeding kids healthy snacks that they enjoy. The list of 10 healthy snacking options includes things that a child normally avoids but would love with just a few changes here and there.
Whole grain wraps, crackers, and muffins provide fiber paired with veggies, cheese, and fruits, which fulfill the need for added proteins, calcium, and vitamins.
Fruit smoothies, popsicles, and dried and frozen fruits become a healthy alternative for the same things in packaged form with added sugars, excessive chemicals, and preservatives. Popcorn is also a healthy snack with high fiber and low calories, which most kids always enjoy.
Nuts in any form are beneficial for diet. Trail mix and granola bars provide that nutty goodness without any guilt. Yogurt, with its live bacteria, proves to be good for the kids’ digestive system, and sweet potato fries are the best alternative for regular fries.
These ten healthy snacking options are not only free from junk but are exciting and can fulfill all the needs of your child’s growing body.
10 Healthy Snacking Options for Kids: Healthy and Delicious Options
Parents are often worried about their kids and their eating habits. Kids need all the right nutrients and minerals for their bodies to function effectively without health risks. However, it isn’t easy to convince kids of healthy alternatives in this world full of convenience and processed food.
Seeing their friends eat all that junk and heavily processed food items, kids crave the same food and even show the worst tantrums towards healthy food.
As a parent, you can make your young one happy by choosing healthy snacking options that fulfill the cravings for bakery foods and are equally healthy and risk-free for them. This article provides you with ten healthy snacking options for kids that can help you solve one of your biggest parenting issues.
Top 10 Healthy Snacks for Kids:
Kids generally have a very messed up relationship with food and rely heavily on snacks rather than timely meals. Snacks, being the main food source for their small stomach, should be healthy and provide them with the required energy and nutrition.
It is always better to replace processed food with healthy snacks your child loves and eats happily. Here is a list of ten healthy snacking options filled with nutrition and love.
1. Smoothies and Popsicles
Fruits and vegetables are the most difficult things to feed kids as they think they are boring and less tasty compared to processed flavors available in the market. To solve this problem, smoothies jump in as a lifesaver as they can be one of the best sources of protein and vitamins.
Smoothies also play a vital role in keeping your kid hydrated. Kids love to drink smoothies as they are colorful and tasty. You can add the fruits and vegetables your kid does not eat easily into that smoothie, and your kids will drink that without any tantrums.
You can add low-fat milk or cream to make the smoothie even healthier. Fresh juices popsicles are also a better alternative for those available outside as they are not processed and have no added sugars. Kids and adults love popsicles, so making those popsicles with natural ingredients can be the best snack option.
2. Whole Grain Muffins
Children love consuming sugary food like cakes, cookies, and especially muffins. Muffins are a great energy source for kids if prepared with the right ingredients. Making muffins out of scratch is an easy way to provide all the basic nutrients in the form of bakery-style muffins.
Adding whole grain with the shredded vegetables or fruits of your choice can make the healthiest available muffins for your kids. Whole grains fulfill the body’s need for fiber. Adding fruits, vegetables, or even natural dark chocolate can provide extra benefits by replacing packaged and unhealthy muffins. These muffins can be a great lunchbox item for toddlers and a healthy snack as well.
3. Popcorns:
We often think popcorn is just some unhealthy snack that does little for the health of a growing kid. However, popcorn is a natural whole grain that is tasty and nutritious. Popcorn contains high fiber and low-calorie content, making it a perfect snack for kids of all ages.
It remains healthy and guilt-free until you add excess oil, butter, and toppings. Additional toppings include sugary caramel or cheese sauce which can be unhealthy. Instead, you can drizzle some honey or have the salted popcorn for an amazing flavor and balanced diet.
4. Trail Mix:
If you want your kid to have a healthy snack on the go, trail mix is what you need. It is a healthy snack full of nutrients and can easily be prepared at home. You can get packaged trail mix, but the excessive quantity of chocolate chunks needs to be revised to maintain the purpose of a healthy snack.
You can add the nuts your kid likes, cereal, dried fruits, and seeds to get a balanced snack with healthy portions of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and fiber. Be careful when selecting nuts. Make sure your child is not allergic to any, and you are good to go. Also, large portions can upset one’s stomach, so limit the quantity you serve.
5. Yogurt:
Kids need calcium to develop strong bones and teeth and yogurt is one of the best options as it contains calcium and protein. Kids usually like yogurt, and it can be their healthy snacking option.
If your kid does not like plain yogurt, you can even go for flavored yogurt to enhance their taste palette. Yogurt can also be used in smoothies, shakes, and puddings. You can make flavored yogurt by adding fruit pulps and honey to it.
You can even add other flavors like granola and cereals to make it taste better. These small steps can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle for your children from a young age.
6. Sweet Potato Fries:
Potato fries are one of the kids’ favorite snack items, but are they healthy or homemade? The answer is no! However, you have a better alternative with a better taste; sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are much healthier than regular potatoes and contain a good amount of vitamin A with a low glycemic index. All these qualities indicate that sweet potatoes can be used to make fries instead of regular potatoes to avoid the risks of high sugar levels in the blood. This makes sweet potatoes a healthy snacking option for kids of all ages.
7. Mini Whole Grain Wraps:
Subway can be a healthy snacking option, but all those unhealthy sauces ruin the purpose.
Plus, if you can make it at home cheaply, why go for expensive stuff? You can make amazing whole-grain wraps for your kids that are healthy, and nutritious.
You can add turkey, veggies, or avocado as a source of protein. For the fun part, you can add cottage cheese and a bit of tomato sauce, or as a healthy option, use mustard. These wraps, being small in size, can be a fun snack for the kids as well as a healthy snacking option.
Just like the turkey one, you can make peanut butter and banana wraps or add any cheese and hummus wrap according to your child’s preferences.
8. Frozen Fruit Chunks:
The healthiest snacking option that should always be available in your fridge is frozen fruit chunks. Kids enjoy frozen fruit more than they enjoy regular fruits. You can store fruit chunks in your freezer and feed your kids every evening as a snack.
This way, your kids will consume a healthy amount of fruits in a fun way without throwing tantrums. You can also use dehydrated fruits and vegetables as a snack for your kids as they taste better.
9. Whole Grain Crackers with Cheese:
Whole-grain crackers with cheese slices are also one of the best snacking options for kids. Whole-grain crackers are rich in fiber and, when paired with cheese slices, are a fun alternative for unhealthy packaged crackers that have high sugar content.
Cheese is a rich source of calcium and protein, while whole-grain crackers have balanced portions of carbohydrates which makes them healthy and exciting. Everything has a healthy alternative; you must be creative and thoughtful about it.
10. Granola Bars:
You can get granola bars from the market, but excessive chocolate makes them unhealthy. However, you can make these granola bars at home without adding sugar or excessive chocolate and turn them into healthy snacking options.
Add nuts of your choice to these bars and bring them with jaggery to make them healthy and fun. These bars can provide an instant boost of energy and can be a handy source of happiness for your kids.
It is a basic parenting instinct to prevent your kids from eating junk and unhealthy stuff. As a responsible parent, you can make some homemade healthy alternatives for things available. By using these ten healthy snacking options for your kid’s snacking routine, you can successfully provide them with a balanced diet.
The best way to make kids love food is to present it in the way they love. Involve them in the cooking process so that they enjoy cooking and develop the curiosity to try the food they made.