Simple Stress-Free Healthy Snacks for Your Kids

I’m going to be sharing with you my absolute favorite simple healthy snacks that keep my kids happy in between meals.

Before we get into it, an important note: kids really don’t need a lot of snacks. After reading the book “French Kids Eat Everything”, I totally changed my perspective on snacks and snacking. I was always willing to let my kids eat a snack in between each meal and didn’t think much of it. But one thing I learned from that book is that is a very American thing to do. And it may be doing your kids a disservice. If your kids don’t eat great at mealtimes or are really picky about what they eat, it might be because they know they can just get a snack to fill up if they don’t like or eat their lunch or dinner.

Of course depending on the situation, there are always times where a snack may be needed or at least much appreciated. And when that occasion arises, I like knowing I have several healthy options to turn to for some guilt-free nutrition.

Let’s start with some pre-packaged snacks that require no prep at all and are good for diaper bags or purses and then we’ll get into the others that do require a little bit of prep (but not much, I promise).

BEAR Real Fruit Rolls & Strips

My kids absolutely love these. All real ingredients, they are my go-to backpack snack. We’ve tried several flavors and both the rolls and splits and my kids love any of them. If you see them at your local grocery, give them a try!

Chomps Jerky Sticks

I was shocked when my kids wanted to try these and then doubly shocked when they actually loved them. My 4-year-old will not eat any protein at dinner time (can’t wait to get through that phase), but jerky sticks? She’ll eat these anywhere anytime. Totally wild but hey! It works!

Cheese Sticks

Cheese sticks are another go-to in our household! The girls love them and I can rest assured knowing they aren’t ultra-processed and will keep them satiated until the next meal.

ANY Fruit

Watermelon, cantalope, mango, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, etc. My kids LOVE fruit! If ever they are hungry, the first thing I always offer them is an apple or banana. What I love about fruits is that you can always find some in season at a good deal and just tailor that week’s snacking around what was on discount.

Sourdough Crackers

I follow this recipe for these, but they are SO incredibly easy to make! The prep is so minimal and even though the baking time is a little longer, you can make a quick batch of these at the beginning of the week and have them ready to go throughout the rest of the week.

Healthy Popsicles

Now I do love the GoGo Squeeze applesauce/fruit puree snacks, but wanna know what kids love even more? When you turn them into popsicles! And it’s SO EASY! I bought these popsicle molds a while ago and all I do is squeeze the Gogo Squeeze into the mold and freeze it. My kids think of this as a dessert! And if you wanted to make your own homemade version of the Gogo Squeeze or do a healthy smoothie instead, you can! But making anything into these fun popsicle shapes instantly makes it way more fun!

So there you have it! These are my kids’ favorite simple healthy snacks (and mine too!)! I’d love to hear what your kids’ favorite snacks are that you recommend for us mamas!