10 Healthy Snacks for Kids

{Today we are privileged to have a guest post written by a school teacher.}

It’s never too early to get your child to eat healthy food. But how can you convince them to eat fruits and veggies when their friends are eating cookies and potato chips? Here are 10 snacks that are healthy and fun that they’re sure to love!

1. Cheese - Cheese is full of protein that will keep your kids going until dinner. Cheese cubes are easy to pack and bite-sized. For even more fun, use a cookie cutter to make cheese slices into fun shapes.

2. Fruit - Kids love fruit for its bright colors and natural sugar content. Many fruits like blueberries and strawberries also contain antioxidants that support your kids’ immune systems. Almost any fruit is great on its own or combined with cheese, yogurt, or peanut butter.

3. Peanut Butter - You may already put peanut butter in your kids’ sandwiches, but it’s also a fun dip for fruit and crackers. Peanut butter has lots of protein and fiber that will keep them from getting hungry later.

4. Healthy Baked Goods - Kids won’t notice if you sneak fruit or vegetables into a yummy muffin or cake, and they’ll be getting lots of nutrients. Try banana bread, zucchini muffins, or mini carrot cakes – there are endless recipes online.

5. Yogurt - Low-fat yogurt is a great source of calcium and protein, and it can be even better with granola and fruit. Mini yogurt cups and products like GoGurt are even made especially for kids’ lunches.

6. Sweet Potato Chips - These are the perfect alternative to potato chips – they have vitamin A, B6, C and folate and they also generally contain less grease and salt. Kids also love their sweet taste and crunchy texture.

7. Hummus - Hummus is made from chickpeas, which contain vitamin B6, iron, and folate. It works well as a dip for crackers or bite-sized vegetables like celery and baby carrots.

8. Raisins/Dried fruit - Raisins contain lots of good things including fiber, potassium, and vitamins. Even if your kids don’t like raisins, you could try a number of other dried fruit products like Craisins (dried cranberries) or banana chips.

9. Snack Mix - Save money by making your own snack mix with all the bite-sized ingredients your kids love. Nuts, pretzels, whole grain cereal, dried fruit, and popcorn contain lots of vitamins and minerals, along with a variety of flavors to add some fun to your child’s lunchbox.

10. Oatmeal Cookies - Instead of chocolate chip cookies, try baking low-fat oatmeal cookies to give your kids a healthy sweet snack. You can put a variety of tasty surprises in them, including raisins, other dried fruit, and nuts. You could even bake them with your child on the weekend so that he or she has something to show off at lunchtime.

Jan Pierce is a 4th grade teacher who has over 20 years of experience in the classroom. She also owns the site <ahref=http://www.elementaryeducationdegree.com>Elementary Education Degree</a> for students interested in earning a degree in elementary education.

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