How do I Make Creative Healthy Snacks for Kids?

It is not inherently difficult to get children to eat, but getting them to make healthy choices is not always easy. Because children have smaller stomachs, and can only eat small amounts at one time, plan healthy snacks to fill the nutritional gaps between regular meals. A little creativity is helpful to make healthy food fun and appealing to young palates.

Chop and Dip

Finger food is fun to play with and easy to eat. Fruit or vegetable skewers make an interesting and creative presentation. Apples can be cut in slices and spread with peanut butter. Fill plain ice cream cones with peanut butter and banana slices to create a simple on-the-go snack. Make a quick fruit dip, by blending cinnamon to taste with low-fat vanilla yogurt. Cut vegetables into cubes, sticks or slices to make a fun-to-dip snack. Nutritious vegetable dips include hummus and low-fat store-bought favorites.

Bake

Add fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains to muffins.

Bake homemade cookies or muffins without the additives and preservatives found in their store-bought counterparts. Include whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables to bump up the nutritional punch. Muffins can easily disguise vegetables such as zucchini and carrots. Add walnuts to supply healthy Omega-3 fat. Raisins, apples and berries are also great choices for baking.

Blend

Smoothies require little time to prepare and have the ability to contain fruits and disguised vegetables. Orange juice, frozen blueberries and spinach create a beautiful purple smoothie with the hidden benefit of added leafy greens. If your child doesn't watch you make this, she'll never know the greens are in there.

Freeze

When hot summer weather is upon us, instead of reaching for sugar-filled frozen treats, choose fruit. Purchase ripe fruit from the grocery store (sometimes you can find already ripened fruit at discounted prices); cut it into bite-size pieces and freeze. Bananas, grapes, blueberries, mangoes, pineapple and strawberries all make great frozen snacks.

Enlist Help

Children love to spend time in the kitchen with you. Allow them to help create their own imaginative, healthy snacks. Encourage them to choose new fruits and vegetables to try. Discuss nutritional value with them and why you are making healthy choices. They will be more likely to comply if they feel they are part of the decision-making process.