30 quick, easy, healthy snacks for the summer (or anytime!)
School’s out for summer so you're either delighted or hiding out in the laundry room! Either way, the kids are home now and you have to become a snack hero for the next eight weeks or so. Would you like 30 easy, quick, healthy snack ideas? You would - great, read on …
What is it with kids and snacks? The never-ending request for more snacks, 5 minutes after you’ve just given them something to eat?!
Well, here’s my thoughts on snacks and that useful list of 30, mostly really quick and simple snack ideas that should get you through those long summer days ahead!
Some thoughts:
1. Agree a schedule with your children on when mealtimes should be and don't allow access to the kitchen for your children between these times. This means that they will actually be hungry for their snacks and their meals when that time comes around. If they are grazing all day, they are unlikely to eat the meals that you serve and you are likely to lose your head!
2. Try and ensure there is some protein in your children's snacks. Giving your kids a handful of breadsticks or a slice of toast and butter means they’ll be back in 20 minutes looking for more food. Protein fills little tummies and will keep them going for longer so there will be less whining and looking for snacks. You’re welcome!
3. Try to include some fresh produce like fruits and veggies at every snack. Some sort of carbohydrate and the aforementioned protein makes a well rounded snack.
4. If your child doesn't like what you’re offering just put it away and tell them there’ll be more food at the next meal time. Remember as a parent, your job is to provide the food, it's your child’s job to decide whether or not they're going to eat it.
5. Try and confine eating snacks and meals to the table. Encourage your child to always sit at the table when eating.
6. Encourage them to make their own snacks - almost 100% guarantee that they will eat them! And snacks are a great first “meal” to get them involved with making. Use safe knives and peelers for young hands and Pick Plates are a fun way to serve your snacks!
30 quick and easy snacks
I’ve broken these down to correspond with different types of proteins just to remind you (and me) how important protein is!
Yoghurt snacks:
I recommend Greek yoghurt because it's much higher in protein than other yoghurts and you can flavour it whatever way you want. Flavoured yoghurts tend to be higher in sugar and may have less protein so just read your labels.
1.Greek yoghurt frozen raspberries and a sprinkling of nuts or seeds
2. Smoothie with Greek yoghurt, frozen strawberries, spinach and banana
3. A fruit salad with plain yoghurt sweetend with a little bit of honey
4. Frozen yoghurt bark with nuts and seeds
5. Smoothie ice pops. You will have to have these prepared in advance but just use any leftover smoothie and pop them into your ice pop moulds, freeze and you're good to go another day
Peanut butter snacks
Peanut butter is a staple in our house as it’s great for making snacks they are really quick and easy. Peanut butter or any nut or seed butter gives the protein that children need and helps to keep them going between meals.
6.Peanut butter spread on apple slices
7. Sliced banana lengthways with peanut butter and chocolate chips or raisins
8. Peanut butter on wholemeal toast or oatcakes
9. Peanut butter spread on celery sticks
10. Peanut butter on banana slices topped with granola like this recipe here
Cheese snacks
Cheese is, again, a great source of protein. Try different types of cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella, edam, cream cheese and even different types of cheddar.
11.Cheese on toast with sliced apple on the side
12. Cheese and veggie quesadilla. Pop a wholemeal wrap on a dry pan cover it with finely chopped veggies like peppers and onions, cover with your choice of cheese and fry on both sides for a couple of minutes or you could try this one here
13. Chunks of cheese with fruit like grapes and oatcakes or wholemeal toast
14.Cream cheese mixed with a teaspoon of honey, spread on apple slices and topped with nuts, seeds or chocolate chips
Chick peas
Chickpeas are not just high in protein they are a great source of fibre is well. Talk to your kids about why fibre is important - they love a bit of toilet talk (or is that just mine?!).
15.Hummus with carrot sticks and fruit
16. Houmous on wholemeal toast or oatcakes
17. A handful of chickpeas : plain or roasted like these ones here
18. Hummus with pita chips and a side of chopped fruit
Eggs:
The ultimate fast food - you can scramble eggs in the same amount of time it takes to toast a slice of bread - wholemeal of course!
19. A hard boiled egg (anyone for a bit of Famous Five?!)
20. Egg muffins - these require about 15 minutes to make but you can freeze the extra ones and have them ready for another day. Grease a muffin tin, chop some red pepper and spinach and pop it in the bottom, top with some grated cheese, whisk six- eight eggs and divide among the 12 muffin cases - bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Yum!
21. Egg pancakes - these take about two minutes to make. Whisk a couple of eggs, heat some oil on the pan, pour the egg in a thin layer on the pan, gently fry on one side, add some grated cheese or ham or whatever else you have that doesn't need a lot of cooking - then roll the omelette, while still on the pan and chop into pieces. Here’s a similar recipe here
22. a simple fried egg or scrambled egg with some wholemeal toast
Other bits and bobs :
Here are some other bits and bobs that don’t fit into any of the other categories.
23. Popcorn trail mix - mix some popcorn with toasted nuts and seeds and some dried fruit or chocolate chips
24. leftover pasta with cooked meat and fruit
25. Whole-grain cereal like Weetabix or shredded wheat served with some nuts on the side for protein or high-protein milk
26. Powerballs that you have already prepared. Check out some recipes here from Baby Led Feeding.
27. Avocado on wholemeal toast, topped with seeds
28. Guacamole with pita chips and some chicken on the side
29. Cucumber with cream cheese or houmous and some fruit on the side
30. Homemade flapjacks or low sugar muffins or banana bread or similar served with fresh fruit and some nuts or seeds
Bonus snack - I just thought of one at the last moment!
31. 5 ingredient oat bars made with date syrup, peanut butter, choc chips, mixed nuts and seeds and oats like this recipe here
Hope you find something to help you become a snack queen this summer! What are your favourite quick and healthy snacks?
