Nutritious Snacks for Kids

We never associate the word snack with anything nutritious or healthy. We always assume it to be bad for our health, full of fats and calories which ruin our appetite for dinner. But that is not true. Snacks are essential part of our daily meal and we need snacks to sustain us in between lunch and dinner. No doubt the store brought potato chips and nachos are fattening and far from being nutritious. But who said that snacks are only chips and burgers. You can have healthy snacks that are tasty as well. If you are looking for nutritious snacks for kids, then you are at the right place. Here, we will guide you on how, with some simple improvements, you can make healthy snacks for your kids which they will love to eat.

Healthy Snacks for Kids

Kids generally like to eat fried or sweet food and have an aversion for eating vegetables and fruits. The best way to make them eat vegetables is to sneak them in dips and in frittatas. A very good nutritious snack for kids is fresh fruits but they will very likely not eat them. So why don't you make a fruit smoothie or try fruit kabobs and see them eating fruits with relish. Here are some healthy snacks for kids.

Hummus with Crunchy Carrots

Ingredients

• 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup tahini paste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water
• ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium carrots

Method

In a food processor, whiz together the chickpeas and garlic. Add the water, tahini paste, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and blend till you get a smooth paste. Wash and peel the carrot and chop them into long strips. Place the hummus in a bowl and serve them with the carrot strips.

This is a great way to make your children eat fresh carrots. Chickpeas are full of fiber, iron, vitamin B, which is necessary for proper cell formation. You can also add some crumbled feta cheese into the dip to make it more nutritious.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• ¼ cup low fat mayonnaise
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Method

Cut the eggs carefully half lenghtwise and remove the yolk. Place the yolks in a small bowl and add the chopped sun dried tomatoes, mayonnaise, pepper, capers, Kalamata olives, Dijon mustard, salt and chopped fresh parsley. With a fork mix all the ingredients together until you have a smooth mixture. Gently spoon the mixture into the egg white half and serve with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Eggs are a very good source of protein, vitamin A and B12 and also contain other essential nutrients. This is one of the best nutritious snacks for kids at school and are appealing to even those children who generally do not like to eat eggs.

Granola

Ingredients

• 450 g rolled oats
• 120 g sunflower seeds
• 175 g apple sauce
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 250 g whole natural almonds
• 120 g white sesame seeds
• 120 g brown rice syrup
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 300 g raisins
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Method

Mix all the ingredients, except the raisins together in a large mixing bowl. Combine them well by using a spatula until you get a cohesive mixture. Spread the mixture into a baking tin or baking tray and bake it in a moderately hot oven for 40 minutes. When the granola turns golden, remove from oven and let it cool. Mix in the raisins and break granola into bite sized pieces.

This is one of the best healthy snacks for kids to make. This tastes much better than store brought granola and kids have a lot of fun in making it.

Try to get your children involved while planning what snacks to make. Remember that kids love variety, so try to come up with different snacks that are healthy as well.