Healthy School Snacks for Your Kiddo

Healthy School Snack Ideas!

We know coming up with innovative healthy snacks/meals that your child will actually eat can be challenging - so this month we’ve put together some ideas for you! See below for our tips and favorite go to snacks/meals!

Tips for making kid-friendly healthy school snacks: 

1. Keep it simple! Don’t send any new or complicated foods to school.

2. Get the right sized containers - keep it small so it’s less intimidating

3. Aim for individual portions 

4. Get your kid to help!

5. Avoid super messy foods

6. Stay Nut Free - most schools have a no nut policy so opt for sunflower seed instead

7. Try Bento boxes to add more variety 

Snack Ideas:

1. Apple sandwiches: thinly slice apples and use in place of bread with sunbutter in between

2. Turkey & Cheese Pretzel Roll Ups: roll up turkey & cheese & stick a pretzel through it!

3. DIY “Lunchables”: crackers, deli turkey or salami, sliced cheese

4. Tortilla Pinwheels: cream cheese, sliced cheese, deli turkey, thinly sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce or spinach

   – roll tightly and slice into rounds

5. Pesto Pasta Salad: leftover pasta from dinner (or cooked ahead), pesto, cubed cheese or chicken, halved cherry tomatoes

6. Breakfast for Lunch: frozen waffle, yogurt with fruit on the side, or make a waffle sandwich with cream cheese or sunbutter & jam

7. Veggie Egg Muffins: (check them out here) with some pita or crackers & fruit.

8.  Fruit Kabobs: adds a variety of fruit and makes it fun to eat!

9. Quesadillas: are still tasty cold, and can even add in some beans for extra fiber - try white beans so it’s less noticeable if your kid is hesitant about beans

10. Grilled Cheese Dippers: make grilled cheese but cut into strips so it’s like a big french fry! (check them out here). 

11. Quinoa Pizza Bites: check them out here

12. DIY Pita Pizza Bites: pita or pita chips, container of hummus for sauce, shredded mozzarella & pepperoni slices

13. Banana Oatmeal Cookies: mix ½c oats with 1 banana & cinnamon - bake at 350 for 20-25 mins

14. Cut up vegetables with dip: cut into easy to eat shapes like strips of bell peppers, snow peas/sugar snap peas, baby carrots, cucumber spear and pair with hummus, ranch or guac packets.

15. DIY trail mix: popcorn, dried fruit, seeds (pumpkin/sunflower), chocolate chips, granola

16. Bento Boxes: a great way to change the meal daily without having to do too much work. Switch up the fruit component, veggie, protein and starch to keep your child excited. 

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At School Food and Wellness Group, we support nutrition education and serving students delicious and nutritious meals. Contact us today to see how we can help you take your meal program to the next level!