Quick Kid Snacks

Creating a fast snack is easy but healthy snacks are a little trickier. While feeding kids healthy snacks should be a priority, it’s understandable that sometimes parents simply don’t have time to make great, healthy snacks and reach for choices less healthy for the body. Thinking about all these parents out there, Happies put together a list of healthy, tasty, easy to make snacks for your kids.

 Oven-baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes, halved and cut into 4x1/2-inch wedges,

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed,

• ½ teaspoon salt,

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.

• Place sweet potato fries on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out on the pan in an even layer so that they aren't touching.

• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Turn fries over and let bake until crispy, about 10 minutes more.

Avocado Toast with Cherry Tomatoes Strips

Ingredients

• 2 whole grain bread slices,

• 1 avocado,

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes,

• Sea salt to taste,

• 1 tsp lemon juice.

Directions

• Toast bread slices to the desired doneness.

• Meanwhile, mash the avocado in a bowl and stir in lemon juice and sea salt.

• Spread avocado mixture onto toast. Top with cherry tomatoes cut in half.

• Cut into strips and serve.

Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients

• 8 strawberries, hulled,

• ½ cup skim milk,

• ½ cup plain yogurt,

• 3 tablespoons white sugar,

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract,

• 6 cubes ice, crushed.

Directions

• In a blender combine strawberries, milk, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla.

• Toss in the ice.

• Blend until smooth and creamy.

• Pour into glasses and serve.

Frozen Blueberries Bites

Ingredients

• 125g blueberries,

• 1 vanilla yogurt,

• 1 tsp sugar or stevia.

Directions

• Coat fresh blueberries in yogurt (vanilla-flavored works well) and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

• Freeze for one hour, or until completely frozen.

• Then serve and enjoy!

Tropical Chia Seed Pudding Parfait

Ingredients

• ¼ cup chia seeds,

• 1 cup coconut milk,

• 2 tbsp agave or maple syrup,

• 1 cup pineapple chunks, to serve.

Directions

• Combine the chia seeds, coconut milk and agave or maple syrup and refrigerate overnight.

• Serve with fresh pineapple chunks.

Peanut Butter Cheerio Clusters

Ingredients

• ¼ maple syrup (or honey),

• ¼ cup peanut butter,

• ¾ cup Honey Nut Cheerios.

Directions

• In a bowl, melt maple syrup (or honey) and peanut butter in the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds, until smooth.

• Add Honey Nut Cheerios (or another lightly sweetened whole-grain cereal) to the bowl and toss to coat. Dollop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

• Set aside to harden, about 10 minutes.

Note: if your child has a nut allergy, replace the peanut butter with seed butter, such as sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or raw tahini.

Banana Boats

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 bananas, (as needed)

• almond butter,

• honey and shredded coconut to serve.

Directions

Slice banana in half lengthwise and top with almond butter, honey and shredded coconut.

Chocolate-covered Mandarin Oranges

Ingredients

• 1 orange,

• 125g bittersweet chocolate.

Directions

• Melt bittersweet chocolate in the microwave (start by popping it in for 60 seconds, then take it out, mix and add additional 20-second intervals until smooth) and

• dip each mandarin orange slice in the melted chocolate.

• Place on parchment paper and refrigerate until the chocolate is solid about 10 minutes

Cookie Dough Bites

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews or slivered almonds,

• ½ cup rolled oats,

• 3 tbsp agave syrup or honey,

• 1 tsp vanilla extract,

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon,

• ¼ cup chocolate chips.

Directions

• Grind 1 cup cashews (or slivered almonds) and rolled oats in the food processor until a fine meal form.

• Add the agave syrup (or honey), vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Process until “dough” comes together.

• Fold chocolate chips and shape them into bite-sized truffles.

Zucchini Tots

Ingredients

• ½ cup grated zucchini,

• 1 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs,

• ½ grated parmesan,

• 1 egg.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Combine grated zucchini, seasoned panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan and egg together.

• Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out the mixture and squeeze out excess liquid.

• Shape into a tater tot and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crispy and golden.

• Serve with ketchup.

Mini Broccoli Cheddar Frittatas

Ingredients

• 1 cup of broccoli florets, finely chopped,

• 3 eggs,

• 3 tbsp milk,

• ¼ cup shredded cheddar,

• 1 pinch salt and pepper.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Finely chop 1 cup of broccoli florets (or use pre-cut store-bought ones) and steam in the microwave for about 45 seconds, or until tender.

• Whisk together the eggs, milk, shredded cheddar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

• Add the chopped broccoli.

• Pour mixture into greased mini muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through.

Apple Peanut Butter Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 apple, (as needed)

• peanut butter of your choice,

• ½ cup raisins.

Directions

• Slice one apple into rounds. Using a cookie cutter, remove the core and seeds of each apple ring.

• Spread each ring with peanut butter and scatter raisins on top. Place another ring over the top to create a “sandwich.”

• Note: If your child has a nut allergy, replace the peanut butter with seed butter, such as sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or raw tahini.

Hummus and Carrots Sticks

Ingredients

• 1 cup baby carrots,

• (for hummus) 400g can chickpeas, drained,

• 80ml extra virgin olive oil,

• 1-2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and crushed,

• 1 lemon, juiced then ½ zested,

• 3 tbsp tahini.

Directions

• Thoroughly rinse the chickpeas in a colander under cold running water.

• Tip into the large bowl of a food processor along with 60ml of the oil and blitz until almost smooth.

• Add the garlic, lemon and tahini along with 30ml water.

• Blitz again for about 5 mins, or until the hummus is smooth and silky.

• Add 20ml more water, a little at a time, if it looks too thick. Season and transfer to a bowl. Swirl the top of the hummus with the back of a dessert spoon and drizzle over the remaining oil. Serve with crunchy crudités and toasted pitta bread, if you like.

Note: Premade hummus is also fine. The important thing is ditching the pita chips and serve a delicious, full of nutrients hummus with sweet, crunchy baby carrots.