It’s hard to believe, but before you know it, the kids will be back at school. And so also before you know it, the kids will be back to needing healthy and nutritious ready-made snacks every day, on the regular.
These days, after-school snacks need to work well ‘on-the-go,’ since so many families live such busy lives. Thankfully, with a little planning, you can still plan easy, affordable and healthy snacks that your kids will love. Here are 8 of our favourites.
#1: Fancy Apples
These are a stand-by for a reason, especially for on-the-go preschoolers, since there’s no juice to drip and they’re not ‘smushable’ by little hands. Make it extra fun by coring the apple and cutting it into rings – for whatever reason, kids tend to find them delightful.
If your kids are a little older and you can trust them not to make too much of a mess, add a little protein to their snack by letting them dip their slices in all-natural nut or seed butter (we won’t judge if you swipe a few dipped slices yourself!).
#2: Fruit & Veggie Kebabs
These are great for school-age kids. It magically elevates fruit and vegetables to something really fun, because kids love the rainbow of colour and playful presentation (see why it’s so important to ‘eat’ the rainbow here).
Plus, there’s no fruit trays involved, which somehow always seem to get knocked over. Add cubes of cheese and a sweet or savoury Greek yogourt dip, and you’ve got a fun lunch, too!
#3: Freezies
Another way to make eating fruit fun! Our Organic Superfruit Freezies are always a welcome treat. They’re delicious, of course, but also 100% organic fruit juice and puree with no added sugars, artificial flavors, colours, or preservatives.
They’re also non-GMO, kosher, plant-based, gluten free and free from the top 8 allergens (tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, milk, eggs, fish, and shellfish). So they’re a treat that just about everyone can enjoy. And don’t worry if they melt a little. Trust us: kids love a slightly slushy ice pop just as much!
#4: Energy Balls
It’s hard being a kid! And sometimes they could really use a pick-me-up too. That’s why we love energy balls, which are easy to make and easy to eat without making a mess. They’re also great to make ahead and snack on all week. Or even serve on-the-go for an easy breakfast. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Find a great roundup of healthy, kid-friendly energy ball recipes here.
#5: Refined-Sugar Free Muffins
It seems like there’s no problem a muffin couldn’t solve. Unfortunately, most muffins are little more than glorified cake, packed with sugar and everything else.
But we’ve got your back. These Vegan Strawberry Lemon Muffins are only sweetened with our Strawberry Lemon SuperFruit freezies and real fruit, so they're refined-sugar-free! Find the full plant-based recipe on our Instagram Reels.
#6: Frozen Yogurt Bark
Or perhaps your kids might like something on the cooler side. Make this frozen yogurt bark with Blueberry Pomegranate or Strawberry Lemon freezies, and you’re guaranteed a #MomWin. Get the super simple recipe on our Instagram Reels here.
#7: Smoothies
With so many great thermos cups on the market now, it’s so easy to keep drinks really cold all day long. And smoothies make awesome snacks (or even lunches) that are mess-free and convenient.
Note that some ingredients stay tastier longer than others. For example, we don’t recommend chia seeds for a smoothie that’s going to sit for longer than 30 minutes, as it can start to gel up. And strawberries, sadly, tend to lose their flavor quickly. But yogurt, hemp seeds, mangoes, bananas, and blueberries can all stay fresh for hours if they’re kept cold in a good thermos.
Nut or seed butters are another great smoothie ingredient as well, especially if your kids like chocolate. Try combining a frozen banana, a tablespoon of nut butter, a scoop of chocolate protein powder and your favorite milk for the perfect on-the-go snack (and again, no judgment if you have a few sips, too!).
#8: Super Fast Options
Of course, we get it. It’s great to offer your kids homemade snacks, but given our busy world, that’s not always possible. So don’t feel guilty if you need to reach for some store-made snacks – just be sure you’re picking healthy ones!
So opt for healthy bars and snacks. Like we already mentioned, our freezies are an easy, pre-packed way to give your kids more fruit. We also like GoGo Squeez fruit squeezies (but please note that these aren’t organic, although they are non-GMO). Made Good Bars are organic granola bars we love, and Annie’s also offers lots of kid-friendly and still healthy snacks. Word to the wise: Costco is an awesome place to discover new healthy snack options, too.
Ultimately, all parents are all-too-familiar with finding the infamous treasure trove of crackers and granola bar ends under their child’s car seat. Every child should come with a hand-held vacuum and a lifetime supply of baby wipes! But since they don’t, we like to opt for these clean, nutritious and (mostly) easy to clean snacks instead.
