Growing kids often get hungry between meals or when they are home with nothing to do during the Coronavirus quarantine.

However, many packaged snacks for kids are extremely unhealthy. They’re often full of refined flour, added sugars, and artificial ingredients.

Snack time is a great opportunity to sneak some extra nutrients into your child’s diet.

Instead of highly processed snack foods, fill your child’s tummy with whole foods that will provide energy and nutrition. These good eating habits will help them get ready for the upcoming kids mud run season

Here is a list of kid-friendly snacks that are both healthy and delicious.

1. CELERY WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND RAISINS

Celery with peanut butter and raisins, sometimes called “ants on a log,” is a fun way to get your child to eat a vegetable.

Cut a stalk of celery into three or four pieces, spread peanut butter inside the celery, and arrange a few raisins on top of the peanut butter.

These three foods combined provide a good balance of carbs, protein, and fat.

Just be sure to buy peanut butter without added sugar or vegetable oils.

2. TRAIL MIX

As long as your child is not allergic to nuts, trail mix is a healthy snack for kids to eat on the go.

Most commercial trail mixes contain chocolate candies, which are high in sugar, but you can easily make your own at home.

For a healthier version, mix nuts, dried fruit, and a whole-grain cereal.

3. SLICED PEARS WITH RICOTTA CHEESE

Pears are a sweet treat and easy for a little one to eat when they’re cut into slices. Pears are high in fiber and beneficial plant compounds.

Spread each slice with ricotta cheese to add a yummy source of protein and calcium to your child’s snack.

4. FRUIT SMOOTHIE

A fruit smoothie is a good way to pack a lot of nutrients into a small snack.

You can also add veggies to a smoothie. With the sweetness of the fruit, your kid may not even realize they’re in there.

Use whole, fresh ingredients and avoid fruit juice, which is high in sugar.

There are countless combinations you can try, but here is one smoothie recipe to get you started:

BERRY SMOOTHIE

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 cups (60 grams) of fresh spinach
• 2 cups (300 grams) of frozen berries
• 1 cup (240 ml) of plain yogurt
• 1 cup (240 ml) of whole milk or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon (20 grams) of honey

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

5. VEGGIE PITA POCKET

Some parents think it’s hard to get their kids to eat vegetables. But if you make it fun for them, they’re more likely to try the veggies.

Spread some hummus in a whole-wheat pita pocket and slice up raw veggies, such as carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, and bell peppers. Let your child pick a few veggies and fill the pita.

Veggies are loaded with important vitamins and minerals, and many kids don’t eat enough of them.

Some parents think it’s hard to get their kids to eat vegetables. But if you make it fun for them, they’re more likely to try the veggies.

Spread some hummus in a whole-wheat pita pocket and slice up raw veggies, such as carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, and bell peppers. Let your child pick a few veggies and fill the pita.

Veggies are loaded with important vitamins and minerals, and many kids don’t eat enough of them.

6. BANANA OAT COOKIES

Homemade banana cookies are a healthy snack for kids that tastes like a treat.

These cookies get their sweetness from mashed bananas rather than refined sugar.

Refined sugars are associated with health problems in children, such as an increased risk of heart disease, childhood obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

BANANA OAT COOKIES

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) of coconut oil
• 2 cups (160 grams) of rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (80–90 grams) of mini chocolate chips or dried fruit
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Place spoonfuls of the cookie mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes at 350°F (175°C).

7. RAISIN SNACK PACKS

Raisins are dried grapes. They have nearly all of the nutrients found in fresh grapes — but in a smaller package.

Raisins contain a decent amount of iron, a nutrient that many children don’t get enough of, and which is needed to transport oxygen throughout your body.

Moreover, raisins pack plant compounds, including oleanolic acid, which may protect your child’s teeth from cavities by preventing bacteria from adhering to them.

Raisin snack packs are an easy grab-and-go snack that’s much healthier than most convenience foods.

8. TURKEY AND AVOCADO ROLL-UP

A turkey and avocado roll-up is an easy-to-eat, healthy snack.

Turkey is a good source of protein, which is responsible for building and repairing tissues in your body. It’s also very filling, which can help kids feel satisfied between meals.

Avocados are full of heart-healthy fats, along with fiber, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, several antioxidants, and vitamins C and K.

To make a turkey and avocado roll-up, first peel and slice an avocado. Gently toss the slices in lime juice to prevent browning. Wrap one piece of turkey around each avocado slice.

9. BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES

Sweet potatoes are one of the richest sources of beta-carotene, a nutrient that can be converted into vitamin A by your body. It contributes to healthy eyes and skin.

Homemade, baked sweet potato fries are a nutritious alternative to french fries.

SWEET POTATO FRIES

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh sweet potato
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of olive oil
• Sea salt

Peel and slice the sweet potato. Toss the potato in olive oil and sprinkle it with sea salt. Bake on a cookie sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes.

20. ENERGY BALLS

Energy balls taste like cookie dough but are made with nutritious whole ingredients.

You can make these snacks with either ground flax or whole chia seeds — both source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants.

They’re a healthier alternative to commercial granola bars, which are usually high in sugar and artificial ingredients.

ENERGY BALLS

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (80 grams) of oats
• 1/3 cup (115 grams) of unfiltered honey
• 1/2 cup (125 grams) of almond butter
• 1/2 cup of ground flax seeds (55 grams) or whole chia seeds (110 grams)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla
• 1/2 cup (80 grams) of dried fruit

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Roll the mixture into small balls and refrigerate. For a treat, replace the dried fruit with chopped dark chocolate chips.