For kids, summertime brings countless days of exploring, learning, and enjoying the sunshine. All of their summer fun leads to one thing: endless snacking. With school being out for summer, kids are home and wondering what there is to eat. If you’re a parent trying to find the best way to fuel the fun this year, keep reading for easy and healthy snack ideas for kids this summer.
The Best Easy and Healthy Snacks for Kids This Summer
Feeding growing bodies the right way is important. Before we dive into the best healthy snacks for kids, here are some tips to help your kids nourish and fuel their bodies for long days of summer fun.
Healthy snacking strategies for summer
Deciding what to put on your kiddo’s plate can sometimes feel like a puzzle. With endless opinions out there about which food groups are “good” or “bad”, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by information overload. If you struggle with choosing snacks to serve your family, here are some tips to keep it simple.
Preparation is key
When it comes to making the right choices in the moment, prepping some snacks ahead of time for your week is a game-changer. As a parent, you’re juggling a million duties at once- and often, taking on an extra time-consuming task feels too overwhelming when you’re in the thick of things. Have snacks ready and prepped to grab for when you need them most, like pre-washed and cut fruit or pre-portioned snacks, for quick sustenance.
Swap the bag for a bowl
Mindless snacking can turn even the healthiest snacks into an unhealthy practice. Help your kids avoid overdoing it by giving them single-serving portions rather than eating straight from the bag.
Filling foods are best
Foods that are high in fiber and protein are naturally more satiating and will power your kid’s summer fun for longer, giving them more energy to play. Additionally, this is a great way to fill in the nutritional gaps in your little one’s diet. Focus on nutrient-dense foods like fruit, eggs, meat, cottage cheese, or trail mix.
The best easy and healthy snacks for kids this summer
Now that we’ve covered snacktime strategies, here are some of the best healthy snacks for kids this summer.
The Good Crisp Company Gluten-Free Cheese Balls Cheddar
If your kids love cheese balls, try out this better-for-you alternative to the classic snack. The Good Crisp’s cheddar cheese balls are gluten-free, non-GMO, and packed with nostalgia. They’re made with fewer ingredients that can all be pronounced for a healthier option that you can feel good about serving.
Kinnikinnick S’moreables® Graham Style Crackers Gluten-Free
Bonfires are a summer staple, and these graham crackers are a great healthier option for making s’mores. These kosher crackers are free of gluten, casein, dairy, lactose, peanuts, tree nuts, and preservatives.
If you don’t have a bonfire, you can still create fun s’mores memories with the kiddos. Simply preheat the oven to 350 F, break each graham cracker in half, and place on a clean cookie sheet. Place a marshmallow on one side of the cracker and a piece of chocolate on the other. Bake for 3-5 minutes until the marshmallows are golden brown and puffy. Remove from the oven and rest for 1 minute to enjoy ooey, gooey s’mores for the whole family.
Yum Earth Non-GMO Organic Fruit Snacks Banana Cherry Peach & Strawberry
Fruit snacks are a childhood staple. However, they’re often filled with artificial colors, flavors, and mysterious, unpronounceable ingredients. Yum Earth’s simple fruit snacks are non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, nut-free, soy and egg-free, naturally flavored, and naturally colored with real fruit juice. These pre-portioned snack packs are 70 calories each and perfect for on-the-go.
Qwackers Gluten Free Crackers Cheddar Cheese
These gluten-free cheddar cheese crackers are a great afternoon snack option. They’re baked in the USA, peanut-free, corn-free, soy-free, non-GMO, sugar-free, and made without any preservatives or artificial ingredients.
MadeGood Organic Gluten-Free Granola Minis Chocolate Banana
MadeGood’s organic and gluten-free granola minis are a healthy treat secretly packed with veggies. They’re peanut-free, tree-nut-free, organic, non-GMO, kosher, and vegan. These bites may be filled with sweet flavors like dark chocolate and ripe banana, but they pack a healthy punch with nutrients equivalent to one full serving of vegetables. They’re the perfect way to convince your kiddos to eat their greens- without them even realizing it.
Annie’s Homegrown Organic Snack Mix Original
Annie’s snack mix combines pretzels, cheddar crackers, baked breadsticks, and buttery-rich crackers in a delicious savory seasoning for a healthier snack with an extra kick of flavor. Annie’s uses certified organic ingredients grown without pesticides, and their non-GMO snack mix doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, synthetic colors, or preservatives. Made with genuine ingredients like real organic cheddar cheese, this mix is the perfect solution to snack time.
Crispy Green Non-GMO Crispy Fruit – 4 Pack All Pear
If you’re looking for an easy and healthy snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, look no further. These on-the-go pear slices are freeze-dried for a light, crispy texture with a burst of flavor. They’re allergen-free, gluten-free, non-GMO project verified, kosher, and 100% natural with no added sugar or preservatives, and they just contain one ingredient: pears.
GoGo Squeez GoGo Squeez Applesauce On The Go Gluten Free Apple Banana
Enjoy applesauce without a spoon with GoGo Squeez. These portable applesauce packets are all-natural and made with 100% fruit and cinnamon. They’re gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, kosher, and a mess-free way to eat applesauce on the go.
Honest Kids Juice Drink Organic Apple
For a refreshing juice box option without all the extra additives, try Honest Kids’ apple juice. With just half the sugar of other leading kid’s juice drinks, this apple juice is USDA organic, non-GMO, and made without high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners.
Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar Rice and Corn Puffs
Pirate’s Booty’s rice and corn puffs are made of puffed rice and corn with real aged white cheddar cheese to create a light, airy texture. They’re non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, and made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. They come in individually portioned bags for a quick, easy snack.
Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Straws Sea Salt
Veggie straws are a great option to satisfy hunger with a boost of nutrition. Made without GMO, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, these veggie straws use potatoes and vegetables for smart snacking. With 30% less fat than leading potato chip brands and the same satisfying crunch, this simple swap is a no-brainer for snack time.
Kinnikinnick KinniKritters Graham Style Animal Cookies
Kinnikinnick’s graham cracker animal cookies are a fun treat without the harmful ingredients often found in conventional packaged snacks. They’re gluten-free, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, and formulated without nuts, soy, peanuts, dairy, wheat, preservatives, or artificial colors and flavors.
Simple Truth Organic Fruit & Grain Bars Blueberry
Simple Truth’s organic fruit and grain bars are organically grown with 8g of whole grain per serving. They’re made with organic fruit filling and no preservatives and are naturally flavored, kosher, USDA organic, and non-GMO. These convenient bars are a simple way to up your little one’s nutrients- they’re loaded with vitamin A, iron, calcium, niacin, thiamin, and vitamin B6.
Simple Truth Organic Fruit & Veggie Blend Strips Strawberry & Mango
These organic snack strips are made of real fruit and vegetable purees and puree concentrates for a sweet, juicy bite perfect for on-the-go fuel. They’re organically grown, USDA organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, made without artificial flavors or colors, free of high fructose corn syrup, and naturally flavored.
Orgain Organic Kids Nutritional Shake 22 Vitamins & Minerals Chocolate
For a quick energy boost, these Orgain nutritional shakes offer the perfect solution. They provide 8g of grass-fed protein, 3g of fiber, and 22 vitamins and minerals. These organic shakes are made with 40% less sugar than other leading kids’ nutrition shakes and are gluten-free, soy-free, preservative-free, non-GMO, and made without any artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives for a creamy, delicious snack on the go.
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