15 Amazing healthy snack ideas for kids! ( part 2 of healthy snacking for kids)
Hi everyone!
Excited to share second part of post “healthy snacking ideas” for kids. In first part, I have talked about basics of “healthy snacking”. Read the post here, if you have missed it.
In the second part, I am sharing an exhaustive list of tasty and healthy snack options for kids. I am sure these ideas help you to make “snack time” healthier for your family. Read the post to know more!
Tasty and healthy snack options for kids
Here are some healthy and tasty snack options for kids. I am dividing these options in four categories.
- No cooking healthy snack options
- Snacks that need little preparation
- Snacks that require to follow a proper cooking method
- Readymade snack list (market bought) with healthier option suggestion
Kids love versatility and it is very important to broaden your menu and offer some variations. This thing helps in building a taste for different kind of foods. And also avoid a state of boredom and repetition.
No cooking healthy snack option
Fresh fruits and seasonal vegetables
This one is one of the healthiest and easiest snack options. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in nutrition. They contain various essential nutrients (like vitamin and minerals) and provide excellent nourishment to body. Here are some simple suggestions for having fruits and vegetables as a snack.
- Carrot, celery and cucumber stick with healthy dip (like hummus)
- Apple or peach slice with nut butter
- Eat frozen fruits as a snack
- Fruit popsicle
- Fruit salad
- Fruit ice-cream
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are another healthy no cooking snack option. You can dry roast some of the nuts (like cashew and almond) and can add little salt to enhance the taste. Apart from nuts, various seeds (like pumpkin, sunflower seed) are another great option to use as healthy snack. Seed are rich source of omega 3 fatty acid and work as a healthy source of fat too. It is very important to consume nuts and seeds in moderation. They are high in calories and may cause weight gain, if consume in excess quantity.
Little preparation healthy snack option
Baked veggie chips with guacamole (or other healthy dip)
Chips are one of the most favorite snacks of everyone. But market bought potato chips is loaded with fat and other unhealthy ingredients. Baked veggie chips are best way to satisfied chips craving. You can make these veggie chips at your home and can add spices as per choice of your kid’s taste. Serving them with guacamole or other healthy dip is an excellent idea to make smack time fun and healthier.
Popcorn
Popcorn is one of the most favorite snack options of most of the kids. The best part, we can make it completely healthy by keeping few things in mind. Avoid buying readymade pack of popcorn. They are loaded with butter and contain other unhealthy ingredients too.
Use dry corn kernels and make it pop on stove top, by adding little ghee or olive oil. Add little salt, turmeric and red chili powder to enhance the taste. Your tasty and healthy snack is ready in no time.
Makhana (lotus seed or fox nuts)
Makhana is next easy to make healthy snack option. It contains good amount of iron, calcium and work as a great option for whole family. First dry roast the makhana on slow flame for 15-20 minutes by adding little ghee or olive oil. You can make different version of makhana by changing spices. You can create mint flavor, black paper flavored even sweet makhana too.
For making sweet makhana, take 2-3 teaspoon of ghee, and add jaggery and little water. Wait for few minutes, until jaggery get caramelized. Lastly add makhana and sauté for few minutes. Your sweet and tasty makhana is ready to enjoy as a healthy snack.
Healthy chiwda
Chiwda is another popular and healthy snack option. It is easy to prepare and you can make various version by changing main ingredients. Rice flakes (Murmura) chiwda is one of the most popular snacks in many Indian household.
Apart from rice flakes, you can try ragi flakes, puffed sorghum, barley and wheat as main ingredients to make different healthy and tasty version of chiwda.
Take puffed barley, wheat or sorghum and dry roast it on slow flame for 15-20 minutes. Next, prepare a tadka by adding 2-3 TSP oil, curry leaves, hing or asafetida, mustard seed, sauté these few minutes. Next, you can add peanuts and roasted chana dal (Daliya) and again sauté this for few minutes. Mixed spices of your choices (salt, chat masala, red chili and turmeric powder). Lastly add sav and dry coconut flakes to add some crunch. Your tasty and healthy chiwda is ready to enjoy.
You can also make a tasty bhel with this chiwda by adding some fresh vegetables and lemon juice. Kids will love this healthy and tasty option as a snack.
Dry fruits and oats ladoo
This is another easy to make and healthy snack option for kids. You can prepare this ahead and can serve this a healthy snack during busy weekdays.
First take 2 cups of oats (use classic oats, not the steel cut oats). Dry roast them for 15 minutes. Keep this aside and allow them to cool properly. Meanwhile take 10-15 dates and soak them in warm water for 15-20 minutes.
Next, take dry fruits of your choice. Almonds and walnut are best option to choose. Dry roast them on medium flame for 10-15 minutes. After dry roasting, allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes.
When oats and dry fruits get cool down, grind them in a mixy as a coarse powder. Make sure to keep the powder coarse as it gives good texture to lodoo. Now, take dates, if require grind them in mixcy for few minutes.
Now take a bowl and mixed oats and dry fruit powder in it. Then add dates and mixed everything properly. Now, grease your hand with little ghee and make small ladoo with this mixture. Your tasty and healthy oats-date lodoo is ready to enjoy as a healthy snack. Store them in an air-tight container and use within 8-10 days after making. Instead of dates, you can use also use fig ( Anjeer) as a natural sweetener in this recipe.
Whole wheat and oats cookies
All kids love cookies. But market bough cookies contain white flour, sugar and many other unhealthy ingredients that makes it a completely unhealthy snack option. Making “homemade cookies” with healthy ingredient is best way to turn out this unhealthy option into a healthier one. You can involve your kids while baking cookies and can use different shape cookie cutters to make cookies visually attractive.
For making whole wheat and oats cookies, take 2 cup of wheat flour and 1 cup of oats flour. You can make oats flour at home, by grinding oats in a mixcy into a flour form. Now take 4 TBSP of ghee or clarified butter and add 1 cup finely chopped jaggery or jaggery powder. Heat the both things on slow flame for few minutes.
Next, take a bowl and add both flour (oats and wheat), now, mixed ghee and jaggery mixture and mixed these properly. If you want you can add dry fruit powder (of your choice) in this mixture.
Now, prepare the dough. If needed, add little Luke warm milk or water slowly to make a dough. Make sure to keep dough consistency little crumbly. Now, roll it and cut the cookies in desired shape. Heat the oven at 350 F and bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes. Baking time can be differed from oven to oven.
Check in between. After 20 minutes, your healthy and tasty oats and wheat flour cookies is ready to enjoy. You can store these cookies in air –tight container. Use them within 15-20 days.
Vegetable or fruit sandwich
Kids love sandwich. They are easy to make and you can create many versions of it by using different filling and spread. For making healthier version, use homemade healthy dip (like coriander or mint chutney), and add grated or finely chopped vegetables of your kid’s choice. You can make cold sandwich or can roasted this on tawa or in sandwich maker by applying little butter or ghee. you can add little cheese or grated panner to enhance the taste and add protein portion in sandwich recipe.
As another option, you can make fruit sandwich too. Use nut butter as healthy spread and take any seasonal fruit to make a tasty and healthy snack option for kids.
Whole grain cracker with cheese and fruit toppings
This one is another easy to make, healthy and tasty snack. In fact, kids can make these on their own. Use homemade or market bough whole grain cracker. You can use rice cake too, as an alternative. Apply nut butter or any other healthy spread of your kid’s choice. Add finely chopped fruits with sweet whole grain cracker and add finely chopped vegetables with Savoury whole grain cracker. Add little cheese and sprinkle herb (like oregano) to enhance the taste. Your tasty and healthy whole grain cracker with healthy toppings is ready to enjoy.
Fruit smoothies
Smoothies are fun way to add extra fruits in your kid’s diet. Smoothies are easy to make and best part, kids loved it so much. Use any fruit of your choice, add ½ banana and 1 cup of milk. You can use vegan milk (almond or cashew milk) too, if your kids like the taste.
In most of the smoothies, banana work as a natural sweetener and give a smooth texture too. If you are not using banana in any smoothie recipe, use honey or other natural sweetener option in your smoothie recipe. Blend all things well in blender. Your tasty and healthy smoothie is ready to enjoy. You can add granola or nuts topping to add extra crunch in your recipe.
Healthy snacks that require proper cooking
Here are some easy and healthy snack recipe options that require proper cooking.
Dhokla
Steam dhokla is one of the tasty and healthy snack options. And kids love it so much. take 2 cup gram flour or besan in a bowl, add salt, pinch of turmeric powder, green chili-ginger paste, 1TBSP of oil and sugar as per your taste. Prepare a batter by adding little water at a time. At the end, add ½ TSP baking soda or fruit salt in the batter. Steam this for 15-20 minutes. After steaming, cut them in pieces and add tadka by adding oil, hing, curry leaves, mustard seed and sesame seeds. Your tasty and healthy dhokla is ready to enjoy. Serve this with green chutney.
Mini dosa, idli and uttpam
Though most of the south Indian recipes are usually serve as a healthy breakfast option but once in a while, you can use them as evening snacks too. Make mini idli, dosa or uttpam for kids. They will love it more because of small shape. Serve with sambhar or any other healthy dip. A healthy and tasty evening snack is ready to enjoy.
Appe or paniyaram
This is another tasty and healthy semolina ( sooji) recipe that can be used as healthy snack option. Take sooji or semolina is a bowl, add salt and ½ cup curd and make a medium thick batter by adding little water at a time. Keep this mixture aside for 15- 20 minutes.
Next, take a pan and prepare a tadka by adding oil, asafoedita, curry leaves and mustard seed. Next, add finely chopped vegetables of your choice and sauté this for few minutes. Add dry spices of your choice like red chili and turmeric powder. Add this prepare tadka in sooji batter. Mixed everything well.
Now, heat the appe pan for few minutes. Apply oil in each of part. Next pour this batter with a help of spoon. And cook it for 10 minutes. Turn the side, cook from other side again 10 minutes. Your tasty and healthy appe is ready to enjoy.
Veg Frankie
This street style snack can be made at home by using whole wheat roti. Use green chutney as a spread and add mixed veg and paneer mixture as a filling. Your tasty and healthy veg frankie is ready to enjoy.
Market bought snack option (healthier one)
You can buy few of these items as healthier snack options.
- Baked veggie chips
- Bean, apple or coconut chips
- Granola bars (look for healthier version, like almond granola bar)
- Low fat yogurt (go for no added sugar option)
- Trail mixture (look for good mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruit)
- Whole grain cracker
- Whole fruit bars
- Roasted chickpeas
- Banana chia pods
- Oats or ragi cookies
While buying market bough snacks apply all healthy shopping skills and follow above mentioned guidelines.
So, these were some healthy snacking options for kids. Which one is your kids favorite snack option? Please share about it in comment box.
41 Comments
Alpana Deo
I am always in favor of healthy snack options. Baked chip and dip is my favorite too. Haven’t tried adding oats to aata ladoo yet. Will give it a try. I also keep a box filled with chiwda and ladoo at home.
admin
thanks alpana for reading the post and sharing your thoughts.
Momvatsalya
Thank you so much for sharing healthy snacks options for our little ones. Will surely give it a try, I’m sure my daughter will love it.
Dr Bushra Allaboutthewoman
Thanks for sharing Amazing healthy snack ideas for kids. This are quick and easy to prepare. Also loaded with nutrition and taste
Imagemakeover
This is such an exhaustive list.. So many healthy options thanks a lot Surbhi for sharing and some reminders that’s I haven’t made few from ages. Dholka and chiwdas or out all time favorites. Will try more of fruit smoothie now.
vandita chaurasia
That’s really heathy and delicious recipes and helpful for all moms, i love it and surelly will try it. Thank u for sharing this?.
Gurjeet Chhabra
This is really healthy and yummy option. perfect solution for evening snacks . My kids love nuts, vegetable idli, smoothies, shakes and fruit chaat.
Varsh
Amazing, Surbhi. You’ve segregated the snack options with the preparation needed and it makes planning and selecting them for age of kids too.
Diya
Thank you for sharing and very nice information. I didn’t know about this is 15 Amazing healthy snack ideas for kids. I will gonna try it. Well writing and amazing post.
Pr@Gun
Kids and snacks go hand in hand. You have shared some really wonderful snacks for any time hunger pangs kids come up with. Mutligrain laddos, cookies, chiwda, makhana, crackers are my kids all time favourite.
Sandy N Vyjay
This is a really exhaustive list of some really great healthy snacks. The best part is that though high on health and nutrition, the snacks are high on taste too. The range is awesome, from Dhoklas to nuts, and much more.
Priyal
All the food dishes are wonderful, I too added oats in ladoo and uttapam. As my kids don’t like to eat oats. So this is the best way to add oats. I cook mostly all the dishes which you have shared
MeenalSonal Mathur
Healthy options should be readily planned and they should be placed well too. I liked the option for dry fruits and healthy ladoos, shall place them at the first row in the pantry. This is the master list I am going to refer in future when I run out of ideas for healthy snacking.
TripleAmommy
Thanks for sharing some good options. I love quite a few of those and so do the kids! Dhokla, idli, chiwda, makhane …. The list is quite long!
Mayuri Nidigallu
You’ve given so many wonderful ideas, Surbhi! These snacks are not only good for kids but for anyone who believes in clean eating. The wrong kind of snacks are the calorie culprits.
Rakhi Jayashankar
My daughter loved to cook but I am wary about letting her use the stove. Now I can let her do the no cooking snacks herself
Cindy Dsilva
Wow this is an exhaustive list. I keep giving them fruit and nut but my father in law makes chapati some times so I give them with jam. I looove guacamole and am waiting for avocados. Not for the kids. For me.
The Champa Tree
These are awesome ideas. Kids need variety to make them feel the need to have vegetables and all in all.a healthy diet.
Indiacafe24
Reading your blog gave me the opportunity to think in a different way about cooking and healthy food. What you mentioned is not only good for kids but adults too.
Judy Morris
Guacamole, chiwda and dry fruit ladoo are truly very healthy and beneficial for kids. Instead of munching unhealthy snacks these are much better
Rahul Prabhakar
My children are aged 13 and 9. As a parent, I am always looking out for healthy snack ideas for them, given that they are at home full-time these days. I really loved your suggestions about dry fruits and oats ladoos, whole grain cracker, and chiwda. They’ll absolutely love the same I think, especially during their break time 🙂
mummatalks
Wow my kids relish most of the things from the above list. Idli dosa being our daily snack option and fresh fruits and juices too.
rakhiparsai11984
Its indeed important for growing kids to get complete nutrition. Even at home I strive to provide complete nutrition at home. I have tried few of these things at home for snacks time. Makhana, healthy chivda are really loved by my kids too.
bytetrails
U have given so many healthy snacking ideas . I love to bake and would like to try Oats and whole wheat cookies, thanks for sharing the recipe.
momcaptureslife
I am always in favor of healthy snack options. Like the idea of tried adding oats to aata ladoo yet. Will give it a try.
Kavita Singh
These are some wonderful options for a healthy snacking. Mini Idli’s and foxnuts are our favorites too. I am saving this post and will be making a few options from these soon 🙂
Judy Morris
Thanks for sharing so many healthy snacking ideas. I will guac for my son. Mini Idlis and nuts and seeds he is already taking.
Hema
these are some super healthy and doable snacks options. I am gonna checkout for sure. MAkhana and fruit smoothies is our all time fav
myworldwitheira
Healthy laddoos and makhanas are my go-to these days. My kids just love them and is extremely good for health too.
Ruchie
Making healthy snacks for kids is really a tough job and I am happy that you have shared these easy and healthy recipes. I will try these for sure!!
jhilmildsaha
It is important that from the beginning itself we should be careful about what our kids intake and make them choose the healthier food options. These are some of the best healthy and tasty snacking options that you have listed here.
Gleefulblogger
Don’t we all love healthy and nutritious snacking ideas, I am so glad to have read this post, which is full with healthy snacking for kids.
Jeannine
Great suggestions! Definitely will be adding my list of healthy snacks for my daughters!
Urvi Kunal Savla
These are some really good and different snacking options not only for kids but also for adults. I liked how you have given so many varieties?
yogitaamitjoshi
Wow these are amazing snacks ideas. Healthy snacking is really very important and with these amazing ideas, i m surely having many different options for my son… Will try these asap
Amrita
Some great ideas to satiate the snack hunger that kids have often.I loved all your suggestions. Healthy and delicious is definitely on my mind too always
Rupal Mistry
There are very few examples of healthy food and this article really helps in recognising the actual healthy options. Thanks for sharing this.
Harjeet Kaur
What a plethora of choices, Surbhi. Amazing collection you have listed out. Am sure many moms are going to thank you for these.Only issue is fussy kids don’t eat all of these.
Preeti Chauhan
Great list Surbhi and I am glad that it checks most of the boxes in my list too. I am adding whole wheat or maybe ragi crackers topped with fruits or vegetables to my list.
Noor Anand Chawla
I am so happy to see many of the regular healthy snacks made in my home for my son, included in your list! Nice work!
Archana Srivastava
I always root for healthy snacks at my home too. My family is well familiar with most of the enlisted items of snacks. I make whole wheat and oats laddoo but never tried cookies of it. I have to try my hands on this delicious cookie too.