In many ways, science says, children are what THEY eat.
Children’s eating habits are shaped by their own experiences with eating and by observing what others – like their parents – eat. If you eat healthy, so will your kids – and not just because you are responsible for shopping and cooking. Parents are their children’s first role models. Even if you’ve had some bad habits in the past, your kids will be watching all of the healthy changes you make now and may want to join in
Since you are responsible for shopping and cooking, you can help yourself and your children by not bringing tempting snacks into the house. It’s hard to be satisfied with an apple when your kids are making your favorite chocolate chip cookies crispy.
It’s time to improve your snack game! Fill your kitchen with healthy kid snacks that will fit into your healthy weight loss plan too. Here are some easy snack ideas and healthy snacks for kids, as well as some recipes to keep you and the kids happy, healthy, and satisfied.
1. Fruit kabobs with yogurt dip
Fruit kabobs are a fun and creative way to ingest fiber and nutrients. All you have to do is grab some skewers and slide them on your favorite fruit! Cut any combination you like into bite-sized pieces. Sliced grapes, strawberries, bananas, watermelons, melons, whole raspberries, and blackberries are delicious options.
Houston Family Nutrition recommends serving fruit skewers with a side dish of vanilla yogurt for dipping. You could also buy a simple, low-fat yogurt and sweeten it with a little stevia and vanilla extract.
2. Perfect fruit
Instead of filling store-bought baked goods and sugar-filled desserts, make yourself a healthy parfait at home. They are a tasty snack that doubles as a sweet treat! Simply layer low-fat yogurt with fresh berries or fruits in a glass and sprinkle with muesli.
Try finding a low sugar granola for the kids at the store or consider making it yourself this homemade chocolate muesli recipe! > When you are on the Nutrisystem weight loss plan, you can create your own personal parfait with the Nutrisystem Granola while the kids enjoy a different way.
3. Homemade potato chips
Satisfy your sweet and savory cravings with a homemade chip recipe! Making chips at home rather than buying them in the store gives you control over the ingredients and calories added. Better still, using a hot air fryer can really reduce the fat by eliminating tons of oil.
Fortunately for you, The Leaf Weight Loss Blog has several healthier chip recipes to fit into your weight loss plan! They are so good that even the kids will love them. Our BBQ sweet potato chips recipe is easy to prepare and can be cooked in the oven or in the air fryer. Get the full recipe here! >
4. Air fryer desserts
If your kids are always asking for sweet treats, healthy dessert recipes are a must for your meal prep menu. Desserts from the hot air fryer are a great option because they’re quick, easy, and fun to make.
Give our Hot air fryer Skinny Chocolate Donuts one try! You and your kids won’t believe this is a healthy snack, but it is. These whole grain donuts are coated with a homemade chocolate icing and taste just like you picked them up at the local bakery. Your kids will love how good they taste, and you will love how they fit perfectly into your Nutrisystem plan!
5. Vegetable sticks with dip
A delicious dip is the ultimate trick to helping you and your kids eat your daily vegetable servings. Simply cut vegetables like carrots, celery, and cucumbers into chopsticks and conjure up a simple dip recipe to dip them in. Buy pre-cut vegetables and you have a quick pick-me-up!
Our Buffalo blue cheese dip recipe makes your vegetable sticks taste like hot wings. Can’t take the heat? Explore this list of 20 healthy dip recipes to find one that your whole family will love! >
6. Energy balls
Energy Balls are sweet, healthy snacks for kids that are really nutritious! It’s all healthy stuff – oats, nuts, dried fruits, and spices – but you and the kids will think you’re eating cookies. Most energy ball recipes only require a food processor and some time in the refrigerator. Check out some of our favorite energy ball recipes below:
7. Homemade granola bars
Sure, you can buy granola bars at the grocery store. However, you then have no control over the fat and sugar content. Making your own granola bars at home is a much better option because you can choose the ingredients and flavors your family loves.
Our Homemade No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bar Recipe is easy and quick to prepare – just mix peanut butter, honey, oatmeal and semi-sweet chocolate chips in a saucepan, let cool and press into a pan that will set in the freezer. You can make multiple batches at a time to last all week (unless the kids go back for seconds). Each bar has 199 calories. They even fit into your Nutrisystem plan as a Smart Carb and a PowerFuel.
8. Apple slices and nut butter
Apples and peanut butter are a snack staple. The dynamic duo combines fiber-rich fruits with the healthy fat and protein found in nuts. This balanced snack is a great option for school or office lunch. Would you like to change something? Almond butter makes this old standby something special. You can buy a jar of almond butter and smear a tablespoon on a sliced medium-sized apple, or look for single-serving packs of almond butter in the grocery store.
9. Ants on a log
The favorite snack of every kindergarten child! Brush a celery stalk with peanut butter and sprinkle with raisins. Just like with the last snack, you can swap almond butter for something else. Instead of raisins, you can even use different types of dried fruit. It’s a simple three-ingredient treat that kids will be asking for all week!
10. Healthy “ice cream”
Stop buying sundaes that are loaded with sugar, fat, and calories. If you have a powerful blender, you can easily make your own ice cream at home that is just as delicious! “Nice Cream” is the trendy frozen treat that everyone mixes in their kitchen. Most recipes use bananas as a base because they create a creamy and decadent consistency that is like real ice cream. Then you can have fun adding all of your favorite toppings and additions.
A … do Peanut butter and chocolate version of nice cream, grab your blender and mix a quarter cup of peanut butter powder with a medium frozen banana and a tablespoon of sugar-free chocolate syrup. Mix creamy and then eat right away. It doesn’t last.
11. Black Bean Brownie Dip
You may want to keep the black beans as a secret ingredient when serving this healthy snack to the kids. You will never know! You will never know that Medjool dates and maple syrup provide the sweetness to go with it, either Brownie Dip with Black Beans, which also contains unsweetened vanilla almond milk, unsweetened cocoa powder processed in the Netherlands and chocolate chips. Serve with strawberries or graham crackers.
12. Spicy Buffalo Deviled Eggs
If your family loves buffalo wings, they will love this version of egg with hard-boiled eggs, buffalo sauce and light mayonnaise. Each satisfactory serving (a whole egg) has only 81 calories. You can count it as a PowerFuel when you have the Nutrisystem plan. Get the full recipe here! >
13. Banana Pops
This “popsicle” is healthier than any other option you can find in the store. With fresh bananas and low-fat vanilla yogurt, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego recommends peeling and halving the bananas and sticking a popsicle in the flat end. You will then roll each banana in the yogurt. 3
After coating with the yogurt, we think that these tasty pops with a coating of chopped nuts or granola would be even more delicious. Put them in the freezer when you’re done so they can set before you eat. Yum!
14. Chocolate covered fruits
Chocolate covered fruits are great healthy snacks for kids. You can even help out in the kitchen! Simply melt some semi-sweet or stevia-sweetened chocolate in the microwave. As soon as it is cool enough, have the children dip their favorite fruits in the chocolate. You can even use dried fruits like dried pineapple slices, mangoes, oranges, apricots, or raisins. You can even sprinkle them with chopped nuts, seeds, or even sprinkles!
Looking for more healthy snacks for kids? For tons of after-school snack ideas, click the link below !:
Swell:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2678872/
- https://houstonfamilynutrition.com/kid-friendly-fruit-kabobs-recipe/
- https://www.rchsd.org/health-articles/banana-yogurt-popsicles/
