Healthy Snacks for Kids: Pediatrician-Approved Ideas

Mother sharing healthy vegan dessert snacks with toddler child. Healthy sweets for children.

What comes to mind when you think of a snack? For many kids and adults, it might be something quick and sugary or a packaged item full of simple carbohydrates. While these types of snacks can offer convenience, they rarely provide the nutrition your kids need to manage hunger and perform at their best.

Across the nation, just 7.1% of adolescents meet daily fruit intake recommendations. When it comes to vegetable consumption, that number drops to just 2.1%. Unfortunately, an imbalanced diet can contribute to a number of diet-related chronic conditions, including diabetes and obesity. Many of today’s pediatricians are concerned about these issues.

It’s important to know that healthy snacking is possible when you focus on whole foods that are close to their natural state. With a little preparation, whole-food snacks can be as convenient as grabbing something from a package, and they’ll contribute to your child’s overall well-being. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few guidelines and some tasty pairings you can use to make snack time more nutritious.

Tips for Planning a Healthy Snack for Your Child

If your child is used to eating processed or sugary snacks, it can seem daunting to make a sudden switch to whole foods. A few pediatrician-recommended tips for getting your child on the right track include:

  • Serve items from two or more of the five food groups
  • Prepare whole-food snacks in advance to reduce the temptation to rely on pre-packaged convenience foods
  • Look at food labels to ensure the snacks you’re choosing don’t include excessive added sugars or artificial ingredients
  • Start with snacks your child already loves and look for healthier substitutions, such as replacing chips and dip with baby carrots and hummus

Ultimately, it’s important to plan a snack your child will love. Otherwise, it might be a challenge to get them to eat it. Don’t be afraid to experiment with combinations to find out what your child likes (and what might cause any allergic reactions), as this is the way to ensure they stick to a healthy snack routine.

Your Guide to Quick and Healthy Whole-Food Snack Ideas

Finding snacks your child’s pediatrician would approve of doesn’t have to be difficult. Consider these healthy options as a starting point to help you get started and get the wheels turning for even more fun combinations.

Fresh Vegetables and Guacamole

This popular pairing offers healthy fats and a ton of vitamins and minerals. If you’re using pre-packaged guacamole, watch out for unwanted added ingredients on the label. Additionally, you can try experimenting with different dips like hummus or tapenade.

Banana and Nut Butter

Nut butters provide your child with lots of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as well as protein and fiber. Bananas are a source of potassium and magnesium, which can bring energy and vitality. When choosing a nut butter, be sure to steer clear of those with added oils and stick to single-ingredient options.

Grapes and Cheese

This classic snack is a healthy play on sweet and savory pairings. The best thing about this simple option is that you can experiment with lots of different cheeses to find the one your child likes best.

Homemade Fruit Popsicles

Freezing fruit brings out its natural sweetness, making homemade fruit popsicles perfect for those warm days when your child is craving something sweet. Grab some popsicle molds, puree some of your favorite fruit (strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes work perfectly), pour it all into the molds, and freeze them until they’re solid.

Tuna and Fresh Veggies

If your child loves savory snacks, this nutritious combination will be ideal for them. To make it more convenient, choose tuna cans with a pop top or easy-open packages. It will go great with a sliced vegetable like cucumber or radish, which can deliver a nice crunch.

Turkey Rollup With Veggies

If tuna isn’t your child’s thing, try experimenting with a different meat option. Rolling up some turkey around a vegetable they love is easy to do, which makes this snack a breeze to prepare in advance.

Fresh Fruit and Greek Yogurt

This combination proves that healthy snacks can also be convenient. Just grab your favorite fruit (such as apples or strawberries) and a few containers of your favorite Greek yogurt for a power-packed snack full of protein and calcium. Make sure to choose yogurt without added sugar, as the fruit will provide plenty of sweetness.

Homemade Trail Mix

If you miss the sweet and salty combination of your favorite packaged snacks, trail mix is a great alternative. Best of all, you can put anything you want in your homemade version. To make it healthy, skip the chocolate-covered candy and replace it with dried fruit like raisins and cranberries or even coconut flakes. Then, add all the nuts and seeds you want for some salty goodness.

Kale Chips

Perhaps the best thing about kale chips is that they’re so easy to make. After washing your kale and letting it dry, simply tear it apart with your hands. Then, drizzle a little olive oil and flaky salt on them and bake them low and slow for 20 minutes. If you’d like, you can add a few of your favorite spices to experiment with different flavors.

Healthy Snacking Promotes the Development of Healthy Lifestyle Habits

The habits your children develop today will become the habits they take into their adult years. Consequently, it’s important to partner with a pediatrician to help your child build a solid foundation of healthy behaviors. With the right support on your side, you can help your child to make the healthiest possible decisions about their diet and lifestyle.

Remember that the more enthusiastic the family is about healthy eating, the more likely your children will grow to love healthy snacks. Take some time to gather together and consider some new snacks and foods you all would love to try and get on the path to making snacktime exciting, delicious, and healthy.