7 Easy and Healthy Snack Ideas (Kid-Approved)

To wrap up a busy week, here are seven snack ideas that my kids and I love. Even better, they are easy to prepare and pack.

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Homemade or Nitrite Free Beef Jerky

Who doesn’t love beef jerky? My kids would eat it by the pound if I kept enough of it around. It is high in protein, and good versions don’t have any chemicals or artificial preservatives. Stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods often carry healthy versions, and you can easily make your own (Mark’s Daily Apple has a great how to guide with recipe).

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Wellness Bars

I make these all the time and my kids call them “candy bars.” They are made with a base of nuts and medjool dates and variations can include anything from cinnamon to dried fruit to dark chocolate. (My favorite is the basic recipe above with organic dark chocolate chips… tastes like a cookie!). These are easy to make and a fast snack on the go.

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Lettuce Wraps

I make variations of these all the time with whatever leftover meat I have in the house. The picture above is a “taco” version with ground beef or turkey, salsa and natural sour cream and avocado (not pictured: I was out) on romaine lettuce (I add hot sauce). Other favorite variations to wrap in lettuce are:

• turkey or ham with avocado
• Homemade chicken salad
• Tuna or egg salad
• smoked salmon and cream cheese

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Guacamole and Sliced Veggies

Most days, this is an easy snack to throw together in just a couple minutes. I make easy guacamole by mashing avocado and homemade salsa and slice carrots, cucumbers, and celery for them to dip in it. My one year old usually just eats the guacamole by the handful, but with all the nutrients in avocado, I don’t mind at all!

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Celery with Almond Butter

This is one of my personal favorite snacks (or breakfasts when paired with hard boiled eggs!). Almond butter is less allergenic and has a higher nutrient profile than peanut butter (peanuts are actually a legume) so I opt for the almonds! I just slice celery and smear on almond butter. You can always add some raisins for the “ants on a log” look.

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Cucumber With Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese

I could make a meal out of this (and I do sometimes). Simply slice cucumbers and spread on some cream cheese or top with a piece of avocado (or some guacamole). Put a piece of smoked salmon on top and presto- the perfect snack. A healthy fat, protein and vegetable in one bite!

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Deviled Eggs

I make these with a variation, and the kids love them. Instead of using mayo (unless you make a healthy version yourself) mash the yolks with avocado and a little salt and pepper. Put some nitrite free bacon crumbles on top and you have an amazing snack (or breakfast… or lunch…)

Other snack ideas we sometimes eat:

• organic berries with whipped heavy cream
• homemade trail mix with nuts, chocolate, dried fruit and coconut
• sliced fruit
• walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc

Hope you (and your kids) will enjoy trying out these ideas. Most contain avocado (maybe I should have called this “Seven ways to use avocado?”) which is a staple at our house. They are also all grain/gluten/peanut free and can be dairy free also. Have better ideas? Tell me about them below.

This post is proudly part of 7- Quick Take Fridays at Conversion Diary and Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade.

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