It’s Snack Time!

“There’s nothing to eat!”

If the kids are home from school, this has more than likely been shouted through the house at least once. Sometimes the best way to get them to eat something healthy is to have them make it themselves. Extra points if it’s something they consider “fun.”

1. Banana Oat Energy Bites

These little balls of energy are filled with good things like potassium and fiber. They are easy for children to make on their own, as there are no sharp objects involved. Plus, they are only filled with five easily accessible ingredients.

If your children grow tired of the banana and oat combination, they can easily switch out the ingredients. Instead of oats, they can use chia seeds, dried fruit, or flaked coconut. 

2. Frozen Banana Pops

This recipe is sure to be a hit in your household. Just have your kids mash up a banana and then mix it with granola. Then, roll it into balls and squish it onto popsicle sticks and dip it into some yogurt. Finally, freeze for a couple of hours and you’ve got yourself a tasty summer treat!

Your children can adjust the recipe in many different ways. They can dip the pops into coconut or even almond flakes. The options are endless!

3. Ants on a Log

Packed with protein and veggies, this classic recipe is sure to keep the kids entertained for a minute or two. If your child isn’t a fan of celery, switch it out for carrots, or even a banana. The same goes for the peanut butter. This can be swapped for yogurt or cream cheese. There’s a variation out there for every child!

4. Hummus With Veggie Sticks

If you’re keen to get your little one munching on veggies, then hummus and veggie sticks could be a winner. Not only are crunchy vegetables, like carrots, cucumber, and celery sticks great for your health, but they also act as natural toothbrushes, scrubbing away food particles and bacteria. 

The great thing about making hummus at home is there are so many different varieties. Why not try sweet potato hummus, spinach hummus, or even peanut butter hummus?

5. Yogurt Bark

There are only two ingredients to this recipe: fruit and Greek yogurt. Of course, your kids can change it up however they please. One day, they can top it with raspberries, and another, nuts. Then one day, maybe they get a little adventurous and add raisins, strawberries, and almond slices.

This recipe requires very little adult supervision. Just throw the yogurt in the bottom of the pan, top it with whatever sounds good at the time, then get it in the freezer!

6. Pizza Crackers

If it’s called pizza, the kids will like it, right? These crackers are cream cheese-covered crackers topped with fruit. Alternatively, you can use Greek yogurt as a topping, or whatever else sounds good at the time. 

7. Banana Sushi

If your kid likes bananas, they will more than likely fall in love with this “sushi.” All they have to do to prepare this nutritious snack is peel a banana, cover it in their favorite toppings, then slice it with a butter knife. Simple!

The recipe has several variations for different sushi flavors, including “coconut sushi” or “chia seed sushi.” But in the long run, this recipe can be adjusted to fit each child’s individual taste buds.

8. Peanut Butter and Jelly Tacos

If your kid is sick of having the same sandwich every day, why not shake things up just a bit by making it into a taco? This consists of a slice of bread for the shell, your classic peanut butter and jelly, then whatever fruit you have on hand. You, as the adult, might need to slice up some of the fruit for this one, or cut off the crust, but the kids should be able to do the rest on their own!

9. Frozen Yogurt Raspberries

This simple recipe is definitely going into my own family’s snack rotation. It consists of only two ingredients: raspberries and Greek yogurt. First, fill a ziplock with some yogurt and throw it in the freezer for a while. Once it hits the consistency you desire, cut off the corner of the bag and let the kids fill each individual raspberry with the tasty filling. You can even top these treats with some poppy seeds to make them even more interesting. 

10. Toddler Snack Mix

Having the toddlers help with snack time can be an adventure, to say the least. Why not have them help make their own specialized trail mix? This will help with that hand-eye coordination as they take handfuls of their favorite treats and drop them into the bag. Admittedly, they might eat their fill in the process, but memories will certainly be made!

Share your snack ideas with us during your next visit to Must Love Kids Pediatric Dentistry.

Now that you’ve got some snack ideas that the kids can make themselves, you’ve got one more problem to solve this summer: how to keep them entertained. We’ve got you covered with eight activities to keep the kids busy this summer!

Book an appointment for your child today and they can tell us all about their fun, new snack or activity ideas at their next checkup.