Healthy Kid-Friendly Snacks

by Emily Brown King

Overview

Sometimes it seems like it is impossible to get your kid to eat a vegetable, fruit or any other kind of wholesome and nutritious food. With all the junk food that is advertised and all the fast food joints everywhere you look, it is no wonder that kids are enticed by these snacks. However, a lot of food that is advertised for kids is full of fat, salt, sugar and chemicals that produce artificial flavors and colors. The trick to getting kids to make healthy food choices is to make it fun and delicious.

Getting kids to eat healthy can be a challenge.
Peanut Butter Snails

Peanut butter, in moderation, is a great, healthy food that most kids will go nuts for. Pair it with some whole grain bread, and you have a wholesome snack. First, get a slice of whole grain bread. If your kid will only eat white bread, you can also find white wheat bread at your grocery store. The bread is soft and white, but they still sneak some whole wheat in there. Cut off the crusts of the bread so the slice makes a perfect square or rectangle. Spread a layer of peanut butter on the bread. Then roll the bread from one end to make a log shape. Use a knife to cut the roll every inch or so. The result is several little coiled pieces that look just like a snail. Kids love popping these bite-sized creatures into their mouths. Just make sure no one has any peanut allergies before serving these to a group of kids.

Fruit Kabobs

Some kids refuse to eat anything fresh, arguing that they can get their daily serving of fruit from gummy fruit snacks and juices. The truth is that much of the juice that is sold and marketed toward children is packed with tons of extra sugar and artificial flavors. A majority of fruit drinks don't contain much fruit juice at all, some with just five percent. Getting your kids to love fresh fruit is easy once they realize how many options they have and all the fun things they can do with it. Get a variety of fruits like bananas, strawberries, apples, pears and melon and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Berries and grapes can remain whole. Use wooden skewers to create fruit kabobs. Help your kids slide pieces of fruit onto the skewers. Then dip the skewers into some yummy yogurt and enjoy. The extra protein and calcium from the yogurt is an added bonus.
Ants on a Log

Getting kids to eat their vegetables is always a challenge. But if you make veggies fun to eat, they will forget that what they're eating is healthy for them. An old favorite recipe is for "ants on a log." Wash and cut stalks of celery into three or four inch-long sections. Spread some peanut butter on the inside curved part of the celery. Then place a line of raisins into the peanut butter. You can make variations of this recipe with a carrot sliced down the middle and some cream cheese. The raisins are the ants. What little boy wouldn't love a chance to eat bugs?

Overview