Whether your kids are going back to school or Zooming it from home, you don’t want them snacking on chips and empty-carb-laden pretzels. What can you stock their lunchboxes with and keep in the fridge for when they get hungry?
You can prepare tons of healthy snacks that don’t take up your entire weekend. Portion them into individual servings, and your hungry scholars will never run out of brain-fuel. The following 15 treats will keep them nourished when it’s time to hit the books.
1. Ants on a Log by i Heart Naptime
All you need to prepare the classic version of this treat are celery sticks, peanut butter, and raisins. However, don’t let the simplicity of this treat hinder your creativity. Add apple slices instead of raisins to make snails or grapes or berries for caterpillars.
2. Chocolate Almond Energy Bites by Lovely Little Kitchen
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Give your kids a protein-punch with this snack that combines the fiber of oats with the healthy protein of peanuts and almonds. Your kids will stay full until dinner time when they snag a few of these after school — it’s the perfect nutrition to keep them going without ruining their meal.
3. Veggie Sticks and Hummus by Inspired Taste
You know your children should eat more veggies, but if they balk at plain carrot sticks, you can hardly blame them. However, add a side of a fun dip, and they can’t wait to dig into the goodness. Hummus dip is vegan and contains filling chickpeas that are rich in fiber and protein.
4. Gluten-Free Honey Graham Crackers by Simply Quinoa
Does one of your children have a sensitivity to gluten? Intolerance of this grain protein can hinder snack choices — even standard graham crackers can cause gastrointestinal symptoms. This recipe removes the troublesome substance while introducing healthy sweetness via liquid honey.
5. Oatmeal Banana Muffins by Nutrition to Fit
These soft and chewy muffins are like eating a bowl of oatmeal that fits in the palm of your hand. You won’t have to worry about your hungry 6-year-old spilling milk all over your counter. This recipe is gluten-free and vegan, making it ideal for anyone with sensitivity or restrictions.
6. Fruit Kabobs by Dinner at the Zoo
If your weekend food-prep game is on-point, you’ll put beautifully scalloped pieces of kiwi and cantaloupe to good use in this recipe. However, don’t worry if your version turns out looking more like a Pinterest fail. You don’t have to be an artist to blend fruits of various hues on a stick to get your kids a dose of healthy phytonutrients.
7. Homemade Gummy Bears by Kirbie Cravings
Few foods are more delicious than gummy bears. Plus, they’re so cute, little hands can’t resist popping these treats into their mouths. Commercially produced versions can contain excess additives — can you read the label as an adult? Why not make a healthy homemade recipe to delight your young scholars instead?
8. Apple Strudel Rolls by Will Cook for Smiles
These apple strudel rolls might remind you of afternoons at grandma’s house. Bake a batch before you have relatives over to visit safely, and they might accuse you of raiding her cookbook. The pecans provide nutrition and protein, making this treat the ideal dessert to pop in your child’s lunchbox to keep them full until the afternoon bell rings.
9. Fall Harvest Healthy Granola Bars by The Seasoned Mom
Back to school means fall has arrived. Celebrate the season’s bountiful harvest with these healthy granola bars that make the perfect grab-and-go school-day breakfast or after-school snack.
10. Raw Chocolate Orange Truffles by Scrummy Lane
Did you know that raw chocolate is chock-full of antioxidants that fight cell-damaging free radicals? How can such a heavenly elixir be healthy? Don’t fight Mother Nature in her infinite wisdom — whip up a bunch of these for a no-hassle dessert or anytime snack.
11. Banana Blueberry Cookies by Tasting Page
Bananas provide a dose of heart-healthy potassium to your little ones, and blueberries contain a ton of antioxidants and anthocyanins. This recipe is gluten and dairy-free, so it’s another wise choice for those with sensitivities or allergies.
12. Granola Parfaits by Make-Ahead Meal Mom
This snack contains only three ingredients, so your children can assemble it solo when they arrive home. However, you can also whip it together in a storage container and send it along in their lunchboxes. You can use any fruits you like, although bananas taste divine with peanut butter granola.
13. Chia Seed Protein Bites by Taste of Home
Chia seeds are a rich vegetarian source of essential omega fatty acids. If you, your children, or family follow a vegan lifestyle, you benefit from adding these tiny wonders to your diet. Do so deliciously with these protein bites that will keep little bodies full and healthy.
14. Healthy Breakfast Casserole Bites by Show Me the Yummy
You need to think outside the lunch box — busy school mornings leave little room for rustling up eggs and toast. Make these breakfast casserole bites on the weekend, and your children will enjoy a healthy morning meal without missing the bus.
15. Ham and Cheese Cucumber “Sushi” by Tasty.co
If your kids turn their tiny noses up at the real deal, they’ll nevertheless flip for this cucumber “sushi” version that dresses up their typical sandwich. If you want to feel fancy, pack it in a leftover BPA-free takeout container and include chopsticks and a side of tangy mustard dipping sauce.
Treat Your Kids to These Great Back-to-School Snack Ideas
You don’t want your kids going hungry come back-to-school time. The 15 snack ideas above will keep their bellies full and their brains fueled for learning.
