Trying to nail down healthy snacks that will appease your little one’s picky sensibilities can feel a little like solving the riddle of the Sphinx. Who among us moms hasn’t heard, “Eww, that’s gross!” when trying to convince our kids to trade the cookies for kale chips or some other health-friendly food?
We should know that kids do need the energy that comes from healthy snacking. Good moms should commit to finding kid-friendly and mom-approved foods for on-the-go, between-meal noshing. As they say, a mother’s work is truly never done.
We have asked other real moms to weigh in on the guilt-free snack foods they hand out in their households. Here’s what they had to say.
“Peanut butter celery boats. The kids love ’em!” — Karly C.
“My kids love baked apples with a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar. Even the picky one adores it. You don’t have to add much of the sugar at all, if any.” — Elizabeth B.
“Easiest is Parmesan crisps. Just put spoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese on a cookie sheet about an inch apart and cook at 400 degrees [F] for three to six minutes (depending on your oven) until crispy. Remove from the cookie sheet immediately or they will stick. They make great snacks or can be crumbled on tomato soup or served with salad.” — Terrie J.
“My kids are fruit fans. I keep washed strawberries, oranges, bananas and apples on hand at all times. They also like string cheese. I know none of these are necessarily homemade, but this makes life and snacks easy!” — Kristi S.
“My son eats anything, even though we mainly have him eating whole foods. It varies from fruit or nuts or a granola bar, but today I made clean-eating chocolate cups using this recipe from The Gracious Pantry. I like to add in a little salt and store in the freezer. It’s a great alternative to something that tends to be unhealthy.” — Kelly A.
“Our kiddos love fresh-cut veggies in Ziploc bags. Easy access and yummy. We also keep popcorn and fruit in the house for snacking.” — Susan P.
“Flourless chocolate zucchini muffins are a favorite in our house!” — Shannon J.
“My 20-month-old wants milk all the time. To get him more interested in water, I use fun cups and straws, infuse water with cuke or berry, make smoothies watered down enough to get through the straw, etc. Speaking of smoothies, my kids love them, and I hide kale and other veggies in them.” — Brooke N.
“My kids are big fans of ham and cheese roll-ups, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. We slice up ham and cheese, roll them up and skewer them with a pretzel stick to hold them together.” — Amy M.
“We are huge fans of frozen edamame. They steam in the bag in the microwave! Easy, healthy and filling! Our dog Sallie even loves when they drop on the floor and she gets to ‘clean up.'” — Constance M.