Tips to encourage toddlers to eat healthy snacks
Get kids involved in preparing the snack. Keep ready-to-eat healthy items at eye level, such as applesauce, yogurt, and string cheese. Wash and cut up fruits and vegetables, which make the ideal healthy finger food. Pack healthy snacks in their lunch box.
1. Frozen Yogurt Bites
While you need to make these ahead of time, they’re simple, quick, and make the perfect toddler snack. Plus, you can keep them in the freezer for up to six months. What you need:
1 box of Gogurt Parchment paper or wax paper
Directions:
2. Ants on a Log
The classic Ants on a Log is not only a fun way to encourage children to eat healthy snacks, but it’s also simple enough for kids of all ages to help prepare. What you need:
Celery, washed Peanut butter Raisins
Directions: Note: To get more veggies into snack time, you can substitute the peanut butter for hummus, which is made from chickpeas. Plus, if you switch out the raisins for cucumber, it looks like a snail!
3. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Apple Rings
Apples are a nutritious snack high in fiber and antioxidants. Since a whole apple isn’t always kid-friendly, these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Apple Rings are a manageable size for little ones. What you need:
1 apple Peanut butter Chocolate chips
Directions: Note: Feel free to switch up the toppings and use almond butter or another nut butter, walnuts, almonds, cashews, shredded coconut, or granola.
4. Baked Apple Chips
The sweet apple and cinnamon spice combine to make these Baked Apple Chips the ideal satisfying post-dinner snack. Plus, there’s no added sugar. What you need:
Apples Cinnamon Chocolate chips
Directions: Note: If stored in an airtight container or storage bag, they can last about one week.
5. Blueberry Yogurt Bark
After making this sweet and healthy Blueberry Yogurt Bark, you’ll never want the candy chocolate bark ever again. What you need:
Blueberries Your favorite yogurt, including Greek yogurt or Gogurt. Parchment paper
Directions: Note: If you don’t like blueberries, experiment with other fresh fruit like raspberries or strawberries. Dried fruit is also an excellent option that won’t get soggy.
6. Graham Cracker Fruit Pizza
Graham Cracker Fruit Pizza is highly customizable, making it an ideal easy snack for kids of all ages or adults! What you need:
Graham Crackers Your favorite spread, such as Nutella, peanut butter, almond butter, cream cheese, or yogurt Fruit
Directions: Note: Try using cinnamon graham crackers or a flavored cream cheese spread.
7. Tortilla Roll-Up
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a snack that’s as quick and easy as this Tortilla Roll-Up. What you need:
Whole grain tortilla Banana Peanut butter
Directions: Note: If your kids don’t like the roll-up style, you could cut up the bananas and make a fruit quesadilla. You could also substitute the tortilla for pita bread.
8. No-Bake Cheerio Granola Bars
Make these No-Bake Cheerio Granola Bars from The Lazy Dish ahead of time, so your kids always have healthy finger foods at arms reach. What you need:
3 cups Cheerios ¾ cup peanut butter ½ cup honey
Directions: Note: Store them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
9. Veggie Ladybug Cracker
The cute ladybug will be exciting for kids to design and eat! What you need:
Cherry tomatoes Whole-grain crackers Cottage cheese Black olives
Directions:
10. Trail Mix
Trail mix is one of the best healthy snack ideas for all ages. You can customize it depending on your children’s preference or make it different every time. What you need:
Dried fruit Pretzels Chocolate chips Nuts
Directions:
11. No-Bake Cookies
While cookies don’t seem like a healthy snack, these No-Bake Cookies are made with minimal ingredients and won’t leave you in a sugar coma. What you need:
Peanut butter or almond butter ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup honey or maple syrup 1 to 1 ½ cups rolled oats
Directions: Note: These can last in the fridge in an airtight container or storage bag for two weeks.
