These Kid-Approved Healthy Snacks Are Perfect for Lunch and After School
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Between school pickups, sports practices, and shuttling the young ones back and forth from their friends' houses, spending quality time with the kiddos may seem few and far between. One of the only times you can guarantee a free moment with the busy bees is at your family dinner or snack time. And, with all those activities, your kids are sure to work up an appetite that's especially ravenous after school. While prepackaged salty snacks or sugar-filled granola bars may be the easy option when in a time crunch, there are plenty of healthy snacks for kids that taste and feel good. Chock full of healthy dips, crispy chips, and make-ahead energy bites, this healthy snack roundup has it all!
These healthy recipes for kids are packed with protein, good-for-you fats, vitamins, minerals, and, most importantly, lots of flavor. For the kid with an insatiable sweet tooth, there are creamy fruit smoothies and crunchy, nutrient-packed, homemade granola bars. There are even plenty of air fryer versions of kid-friendly fast food items, like french fries, chicken tenders, and onion rings. No one will be able to tell apart from the "real" thing! So, say no to endlessly rumbling tummies with these satiating, easy-to-make healthy snacks for kids that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders are the ultimate 'kid food,' and this air-fryer version makes them even healthier! Chicken is coated in a buttermilk marinade with a panko breadcrumb and parmesan cheese breading before crisping to golden perfection in the air fryer. They're the perfect vehicle for honey mustard, BBQ sauce, ranch, or any sauce your kiddo could eat by the quart.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Tenders recipe.
Spicy Sriracha Popcorn
Plopping down on the couch with a good TV show and a bag of microwave popcorn sounds like an ideal after-school afternoon. This homemade spicy sriracha popcorn will elevate their crunchy TV snacking experience. Plus, you can control the amount of butter and oil, unlike the kind that comes in bags for healthier consumption.
Get Ree's Spicy Sriracha Popcorn recipe.
Watermelon Smoothie
Smoothies are the perfect snack for iPad kids (and adults), as they take minimal effort to slurp up while staring at a screen. This refreshing watermelon smoothie is also a great and easy source of nutrients and hydration, as it contains watermelon, strawberries, and bananas.
Get the Watermelon Smoothie recipe.
Air-Fryer Taquitos
Instead of scanning the freezer aisle for the prepackaged taquitos from your own childhood, turn to your air fryer instead. Making your own rolled beef taquitos is easier than it looks, and it allows you to avoid those heavy oils and preservatives that their frozen counterparts are chock full of. Serve them with a side of homemade guacamole, and your kids won't even be able to tell the difference!
Get the Air-Fryer Taquitos recipe.
Guacamole
Kids may stick their noses up at most green foods, but creamy guacamole is one healthy snack that people of all ages enjoy. Pair it with some oven-baked tortilla chips and watch as the bowl's contents disappear in no time.
Get the Guacamole recipe.
Dill Dip
Getting your kids to eat their veggies will be no big deal with this delicious dill dip. The dip has a base of sour cream and mayonnaise for extra creaminess, with a splash of pickle juice and lots of dried dill, parsley, onion, and garlic. Plus it can be made up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight container, so you can prep it for them to take to school or for those afternoons when they have to fend for themselves!
Get the Dill Dip recipe.
Air Fryer French Fries
Make your kids' math class daydreams about fast food a reality with these healthy air fryer french fries. They're soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and prepared with only a fraction of the oil used in traditional fries.
Get the Air Fryer French Fries recipe.
Granola Bars
Upgrade your snack basket with these healthy, homemade granola bars filled with oats, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. Pack them in your kids' lunch bags as a source of midday fuel, or dole them out after school as a sweet treat.
Get the Granola Bars recipe.
Homemade Dole Whip
Bring the iconic Disney World snack to your kitchen with this homemade dole whip recipe. It's slightly healthier than regular ice cream thanks to frozen real pineapple chunks, plus it's so refreshing after a long day at school!
Get the Homemade Dole Whip recipe.
Shrimp and Veggie Quesadillas
A seafood-based snack may seem counterintuitive for kids (i.e. picky eaters) but shrimp is mild enough for anyone to enjoy. Plus, it cooks so fast and absorbs the flavors you cook it with, which, in this case, is salsa verde. They won't even notice the veggies between all those layers of gooey, melted cheese.
Get Ree's Shrimp and Veggie Quesadillas recipe.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Whether they're baked, roasted, mashed, or air-fried, sweet potatoes are the ultimate carby side. These crispy air fryer sweet potato fries are tossed with savory cumin and spicy cayenne and pair perfectly with honey mustard or ketchup. Plus, they're full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Get the Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries recipe.
Classic Hummus
Hummus is a fantastic healthy snack that's full of protein and easy to make at home. Plus, it's perfect for those who only like simple, beige-color foods. Pair it with oven-baked pita wedges for a nutritionally well-rounded nosh!
Get Ree's Classic Hummus recipe.
Salted Pita Wedges
Prepackaged pita chips may be billed as a healthy snack, but when they're heavily processed, full of additives, and fried in oil, their nutritional value diminishes greatly. Luckily, they're so easy to make at home in the oven. Just cut your pita bread into small triangles (bonus points for whole wheat pita), brush them lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt before baking them for around 15 minutes.
Get Ree's Salted Pita Wedges recipe.
Rainbow Fruit Skewers
Teach your kids that moderation is key early on in life with these delicious and colorful fruit skewers that are complete with a singular donut hole for good measure. They'll happily get a serving of fruit as they eat their way to the bite-sized sweet treat at the end.
Get the Rainbow Fruit Skewers recipe.
Pumpkin Smoothie
If the term "pumpkin smoothie" has you scratching your head, you're not alone. Initially skeptical upon hearing the term "pumpkin smoothie," Ree's doubts quickly vanished after giving them a try. "It turned out to be one of the creamiest, most delicious treats I’d ever tasted—almost like a pumpkin milkshake, but not nearly as sinful," she said.
Get Ree's Pumpkin Smoothie recipe.
Air Fryer Onion Rings
Onion rings are a popular kid-friendly snack often found at fast food joints. They're delicious once in a while as a treat (especially when dipped in ranch or spicy mayo) but not for every day, as they're typically deep-fried and breaded. These buttermilk-soaked, panko-encrusted onion rings maintain the crispy, rich magic of the classic onion ring without the hot pot of oil on the stovetop, as they become perfectly crisp after just 10 minutes in the air fryer.
Get Ree's Air Fryer Onion Rings recipe.
Cheese-Stuffed Baby Peppers
Instead of going straight for a charcuterie spread, stuff these baby peppers with herbed cheese spread and chopped fresh chives. They have just as much flavor and crunch as the classic cheese and crackers combo while also providing a serving of veggies.
Get Ree's Cheese-Stuffed Baby Peppers recipe.
Spicy Air Fryer Chickpeas
Crunchy, lightly spicy, and full of protein, these air fryer chickpeas are best enjoyed by the handful. They're a great healthy substitute for prepackaged hot chips that are full of saturated fats and oils. Plus, you can use the leftovers on your salad the next day!
Get the Spicy Air Fryer Chickpeas recipe.
Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls
These adorable sandwich pinwheels are high in protein, as they call for your choice of cold cuts and cheese, and low in carbs, as they use wraps or flatbreads. Plus, they can be made up to six hours ahead so you can pack them in the kids' lunch bags for a mid-day snack.
Get Ree's Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls recipe.
Baked Apple Chips
Chips don't have to be salty! Nor do they have to be fried or full of oils. Thinly sliced apples are lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar and baked to airy, crispy perfection.
Get the Baked Apple Chips recipe.
Fruit & Nut Energy Bites
These bite-sized energy balls use a versatile base of dates, nuts, and any mix-ins you like! Energy bites make the perfect addition to any lunch box or snack bin. They're full of healthy fats, so they’ll keep you satisfied and calm your sweet tooth down with flavors like almond joy and raspberry hazelnut.
Get the Energy Bites recipe.
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