It is challenging to satisfy a child, mainly when eating. They’re sleepy and sluggish when they get home from school, & all they want is just something tasty. Before going outside for their evening game, they need to refuel. Snacking between meals is crucial, but eating the right food and avoiding empty calories is must. More importantly, there is a constant battle between healthy snacks for kids and also delicious.
Because children have small stomachs and a voracious appetite, they cannot achieve their daily nutritional requirements alone through main meals. For these tiny bundles of energy, snacking is critical.
When selecting healthy snacks for kids, bear in mind that the snack should contain at least one essential nutrient, such as calcium or iron, in addition to calories and proteins.
Furthermore, your child may not be able to swallow an entire meal at once, so the unfinished piece can be used as a snack. Compared to ready-to-eat commercial snacks, fresh handmade snacks are excellent options and below are some healthy snacks for kids which anyone can try.
10 Best Healthy Snacks For Kids:
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Apple Crumble with Oats
Healthy snacks for kids to get rid of the never-ending struggle of getting your youngster to eat healthily.
Serve a plate of nutmeg-infused oats & apple crumbles that is tasty and nutritious.
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Chinese Cabbage Parcels
These delicate packages will thrill your child with flavourful chicken folded in cabbage leaves.
While you’re perfecting your dumplings i.e., healthy snacks for kids enjoy spending time with your child.
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Yoghurt
Yoghurt is an excellent and one of the healthy snacks for kids because it’s high in protein and calcium. Calcium is very important for children’s bone development. Live bacteria are found in some yoghurts, beneficial to the digestive system.
The majority of yoghurts sold to children contain a lot of sugar. Choose plain, full-fat yoghurt which you can sweeten using fresh fruit or honey instead.
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Veggie Pita Pocket
Some parents say it is difficult to convince their kids to eat vegetables.
However, if you make it enjoyable, they will be more willing to try the vegetables.
Slice up raw veggies like carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, & bell peppers and spread hummus in a whole-wheat pita pocket.
Many children do not consume enough vegetables, high in critical vitamins and minerals which are healthy snacks for kids.
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Smoothie with Fruits
Fruit smoothies are a great way to acquire a lot of nutrients in a short period of time.
Vegetables can also be included in a smoothie. Your child may not even realise they’re in there due to the sweetness of the fruit which is healthy snacks for kids.
Skip fruit juice that is heavy in sugar, and instead use whole, fresh foods.
You can try a variety of combinations, but here’s one to get you started:
Smoothie with berries
Four servings of ingredients:
2 cups spinach, fresh
2 cups berries
1 cup yoghurt
1 cup almond milk or whole milk
1 tablespoon honey
In a blender, combine all of the ingredients & blend until smooth.
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Hard-boiled Eggs
Freeze hard-boiled eggs for an on-the-go high-protein and healthy snacks for kids.
Eggs are a high-protein, high-nutrient food for children. They consist of minerals and vitamins such as B12, riboflavin, & selenium which are highly rich in proteins.
The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, that are beneficial to eye health, are also present.
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Cookies made with Bananas and Oats
Homemade banana cookies are recognised to be one of the healthy snacks for kids and also most tasty. The sweetness of these biscuits comes from mashed bananas instead of processed sugar.
Children’s health problems linked to refined sugars include an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, childhood obesity, & type 2 diabetes which requires healthy snacks for kids.
Ingredients for banana oat cookies:
mashed bananas
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 cups oats rolled
1/2 cup dried fruit or tiny chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix all of the contents in a mixing bowl.
Bake for 15–20 minutes at 350°F, spoonful the cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet.
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Sweet Potato Fries Baked in the Oven
Sweet potatoes are among the best sources of beta-carotene, a nutrient that your body converts to vitamin A. It helps to keep your eyes and skin in good shape.
Sweet potato fries prepared at home are healthy snacks for kids.
Ingredients for sweet potato fries:
1 sweet potato
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
salt from the sea
The sweet potato should be peeled and sliced. Toss the potato with olive oil and a pinch of salt—Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake for 20 minutes on a cookie sheet.
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Balls of Energy
Energy balls represent cookie dough, but they’re made with entire foods that are good for you. These healthy snacks for kids can be made using ground flax or the whole chia seeds, both of which are full of fibre, protein, and antioxidants.
Ingredients for energy balls:
1-pound oats
1/3 cup honey
Almond butter, 1/2 cup
1/2 cup flax seeds, ground or whole chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
half a cup dried fruit
Mix all of the contents in a mixing bowl.
Refrigerate the mixture after rolling it into tiny balls. Swap the dried fruit with chopped dark chocolate chips for a special treat.
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Snack Packets with Raisins
Raisins are grapes that have been dried. They include nearly all of the nutrients found in fresh grapes, but in a more digestible form that can be used in healthy snacks for kids.
The raisins have a good amount of iron, which is a nutrient that many youngsters lack and is required to transport oxygen throughout the body.
Raisins also include plant chemicals like oleanolic acid, which may help protect your child’s teeth from cavities by preventing bacteria from sticking to them.
Raisin snack packs are quick and easy healthy snacks for kids which are healthier than other convenience meals.
Conclusion
Between meals, growing children are frequently hungry. On the other hand, many packaged foods for children are quite unhealthy which are not healthy snacks for kids. They’re frequently high in refined flour, sugar, & artificial ingredients.
Fill your child’s stomach with whole foods that provide energy & nourishment rather than highly processed snack snacks.
Healthy snacks for kids may provide energy while also regularly providing them with the nutrients they require.
Instead of pre-packaged snacks, give your kids natural, unprocessed meals at snack time.
[Read 10 Breakfast Recipes For Kids]
Happy Parenting!