Healthy Snacks for Kids

Unhealthy food like chips, candies, and sodas are everywhere! But faced with so many attractive adverts and packaging materials, parents are left wondering which healthy snacks to prepare for their bulilit. While giving in to the occasional junk food request from kids is okay, it is best to curb the habit early on.

Here are 10 easy-peasy snacks that will make your kids forget about junk food.

1. Tuna Wraps

A plate of hefty tuna wraps with a side of french fries on a blue plate

Take your favorite tuna salad recipe, tomatoes, and leafy greens. Assemble them over a tortilla. Then apply the same rolling technique you use when making lumpia. Cut crosswise and serve. Make the wrap as big or as small as you want. Pair with homemade air-fried fries.

2. Zucchini Pizza

Zucchini slices used as crusts for cheese and pepperoni bits to make pizza bites

No kid can resist pizza. Even one that uses vegetables as a crust! If you are trying to get fussy eaters to eat more veg, hide them under gooey cheese! Cut zucchini into ¼-inch-thick slices to make bite-sized low-carb snacks. Arrange on a baking sheet and pile on with your kid’s favorite toppings. Bake until the zucchini is tender or for five minutes at 450°F.

3. Fruit Salad Tacos

Tortilla wraps filled with fresh fruits like strawberries, kiwis, bananas, and mangoes

Put together fruit tacos in minutes. Use tortilla wraps or crepes to encase fruits. To help keep the fruit slices in place, some recipes call for cottage cheese, which is an excellent source of calcium. Alternatively, you can reach for Greek yogurt for a healthy dose of probiotics.

4. Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwiches

Three slices of white bread topped with peanut butter, jam, fresh fruits, and nuts

Classic PB&J sandwiches are perfect high-protein snacks. They also make for excellent jelly donut substitutes. Turn it up a notch by topping with pieces of sliced bananas, strawberries, or berries. Nuts, cereal, and chocolate chips would also work well. Go for natural or sugar-free peanut butter when possible.

5. Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

Different onigiri variations on a tray next to a pair of chopsticks

A popular snack in Japan, onigiri rice balls are fun and nutritious to eat. Kids love them because they contain a surprise protein filling inside. To make, begin by draining a can of tuna and combining it with Lady's Choice Real Mayonnaise and soy sauce.

With wet hands, grab a scoop of rice one-sixth the size of a cupped palm. At the center of the ball, poke a hole and fill with 2 teaspoons of the tuna filling. Cover this with rice and shape the ball into a triangle. Place a piece of nori at the base and garnish with sesame seeds.

6. Cheese and Veggie Quesadilla

A stack of quesadilla triangles filled with cheese and vegetables

Level up cheese quesadillas by putting colorful and nutrient-rich veggies. Mushrooms, corn, bell peppers, spinach, and canned beans cook quickly, making them great additions to this Mexican snack. Other tasty and filling veggies like zucchini, sweet potatoes, and squash can upgrade the basic quesadilla recipe.

7. Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

A tray of ham and cheese pinwheels next to a plate of crackers

Inexpensive and appealing for both children and adults, pinwheels require very few ingredients. Flatten sliced white bread with a rolling pin. Next, spread some mayo or a combination of Lady's Choice Real Mayonnaise and cream cheese onto the bread. Layer with lettuce, ham, and cheese. Roll tightly and cut into one-inch-thick rounds.

8. Fruity Ice Pops

Four homemade fruit ice popsicles made of orange, blueberries, lemon, and kiwi

Instead of indulging children with store-bought ice cream popsicles, teach them to make their own. Blend fruits like oranges, kiwis, apples, and dragon fruit until smooth. You can also leave some chunks in. Add your choice of milk or yogurt to the mix for creamier pops. When ready, just pour the mixture into molds and freeze until firm.

Use up any leftover fruits and make several flavors at a time for variety. Serve these popsicles as a reward for helping with chores or as a refreshing dessert. You can even wrap these frozen treats separately and hand them out at birthday parties.

9. Popcorn

A bowl of popcorn with uncooked kernels in a jar in the background

Did you know that popcorn is a healthy snack? Switch out sodium-laden chichirya for air-popped corn. The trick is to keep shaking the pot every two to three seconds to keep the kernels from burning.

You can also cook it with some oil. We suggest olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or any neutral option. For flavoring, season your cooked kernels with herbs and spices. You can also just skip the salt and use Parmesan.

10. A Grazing Board of Healthy Snacks

A large black tray containing sliced apples, pinwheel sandwiches, bananas, popcorn, pretzels, and sandwiches

Feeding hungry chikitings? Assemble a healthy and kid-friendly snack board. It can include a selection of filling snacks and a few sweet treats, perfect for large households, playdates, and parties. Include goodies like pinwheels, apples, tuna wraps, and popcorn. Elements like pretzels, a handful of gummy worms, and some M&Ms make for a fun surprise. Remember to add these sweet ingredients in moderation!

One of the best ways to get children to eat healthy snacks is by allowing them to help in the kitchen. Pantry staples like bread, cheese, peanut butter, and mayo are just some prime ingredients you and your child can turn into extraordinary snack food items. With some creativity and imagination, you can get your kids to ditch junk food in favor of the healthy snacks for kids on this list. Watch them ask for seconds!