These 11 snack recipes go beyond the typical store-bought options, giving your kids something a little more filling, fun, and nourishing. Bonus: several of them are perfect for lunchboxes, too! Snack prep these options so you have a tasty little snack available when your kids get home from school and dinner is not yet ready.
If you are a family that eats dinner right when your kids get home from school (like mine), these are great options to add on to your dinner, eat right before sports or night activities, or as a before bed snack.
What I Love About These Snacks:
- They’re all easy with less than 10 minutes of prep yet more fun than a bag of Goldfish crackers.
- These are adult and kid-friendly ideas. Therefore, if your kid decides they don’t want to eat it, at least you can enjoy a healthy snack.
- Many options can double as a lunch box component.
- Snack prep! Make some of these options on the weekend so you can just grab on busy school nights.
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1. Frozen Yogurt Bark (Living Chirpy)
The whole family will love this sweet frozen yogurt bark that feels like ice cream but it’s really nutritious! The creamy yogurt provides some calcium and protein with antioxidants from the berries and a little granola for crunch.
Store in the freezer for 2-3 months for an easy snack that satisfies a sweet tooth, too!
2. Honey Nut Cheerio Balls (The Soccer Mom Blog)
Crispy, crunchy, sweet and savory Cheerio peanut butter balls that any kid will love! You only need four ingredients – get them in the kitchen to help make them, too! These are a great option for after-school and for a lunchbox treat.
Cheerios, which often get a bad reputation, are actually fortified with micronutrients that can help fill in the gaps of even the pickiest eaters.
3. Apple Slice Cookies (Little Healthy Bites)
Sometimes, making a snack a little bit more fun means changing up the presentation. Take, for example, these apple slice “cookies”!
Let your kids spread the peanut butter and choose their own toppings as they are easily customizable. Peanut butter, mini chocolate chips, coconut flakes, chopped nuts – the sky is the limit!
4. Pancake Donuts
These “healthier” donuts are made with Kodiak pancake mix, Greek yogurt for additional protein, berries, and some hemp hearts for omega-3’s! Each donut has 7 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. My kids absolutely love making these, too!
Brush each one with maple syrup to add a little sweetness. Silicone donut molds are affordable and you can use them over and over again with different variations.
5. Pumpkin No Bake Cookies (Bucket List Tummy)
These flourless, no bake pumpkin cookies require just 8 ingredients and they are ready in 10 minutes! They don’t have to be refrigerated so they’re great for lunch boxes and ideal for kids and adults. These cookies are a great way to sneak in some extra nutrients.
6. Cream Cheese Pinwheels with Apples and Peanut Butter (Two Healthy Kitchens)
These apple and peanut butter pinwheels are a simple, make-ahead snack that holds up well in the fridge even 24 hours in advance – perfect for snack prep. They’re quick to put together, balanced, and filling, making them an ideal choice for busy moms who want to keep nutritious options on hand for their kids.
7. Mini Cheese Quesadillas (Carrots and Cookies)
One of my youngest daughter’s favorite meals right now is a “taco with cheese”, which is basically her way of saying a quesadilla. Sure, you can serve as a main meal but if you cut them up into quarters they’re a great snack idea!
Easy to customize with veggies, black beans, or add some chicken. Pair with a dip your kids love, like salsa or guacamole. Throw them in your air fryer or even your microwave if you’re running short on time.
8. Healthy Brownie Batter Dip (PCOS Nutritionist Alyssa)
A healthy Greek yogurt brownie batter dip made with just four simple ingredients makes the perfect dip for strawberries or your favorite fruit! No cream cheese, prep in advance, and enjoy this with your kids as well!
9. Healthy Seed Crackers (In the Kids Kitchen)
These super food crackers get their cheesy flavor from nutritious yeast, which offers some additional protein, fiber and numerous micronutrients! Plus, there are chia seeds, hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds to fill in all the nutrient gaps!
They’re portable and perfect to pop into a lunchbox or in the car for a quick and easy snack. This is “functional” snack at its’ finest – tasty and nutrient-packed.
10. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips (Moon and Spoon and Yum)
Prep time is just 5 minutes! The sweet potato chips are then cooked in the air fryer for about 20 minutes. Very simple and easy yet a healthier alternative to potato chips and a good source of potassium.
11. Peanut Butter Granola Bars (Get Inspired Everyday!)
These peanut butter granola bars are made with oats, flaxseed, honey, and peanut butter, then topped with a salted dark chocolate drizzle. If your kids love granola bars, they’ll enjoy this homemade take – a perfect mix between a snack and a nutritious dessert.
I hope this list gives you some easy snack ideas that seem realistic enough to prep during the busy back-to-school season. Feel free to follow along for more nutrition content or subscribe to my newsletter for a 33-page e-book.