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Home » Appetizers & Snacks

Healthy Kids Snacks

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: May 14, 2025 | Published: Jul 13, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. See my 
disclosure policy.

Easy, healthy snacks for kids that they’ll want to eat! Tons of fuss-free and wholesome snack ideas that are perfect for fueling busy kids.

A collection of tiny containers with different colorful healthy kids snacks on a counter.


 

From one mom to another, snack time can be a bit of a nightmare.

I've been all over the place with my kids, especially when they were little. Having to battle a 3- or 4-year-old over snacks when they're just getting up from a nap is no fun.

And even older kids go through stages and phases of what they will and won't eat, and it's not always convenient - or healthy!

So today I'm sharing a BIG list of easy, healthy kids snacks that they will want to eat and that you'll feel good about serving up.

We're not getting overly cutesy with our food, we're not spending hours in the kitchen making something just for snacking (cause guess what, dinner isn't far off!), we're just stocking a few favorites and having a good rotation of healthy options available.

No getting stuck in a rut with all of these ideas!

A plate full of sliced bananas stacks with peanut butter sandwiched in the middle.

Also, to note, you won't see a lot of vegetables on this list. (Really only as a possible dipping agent.)

Sure, that would be a great healthy snack. It's just not a practical one in my house.

(We mostly save vegetables for meal time. If you can get your kiddos to snack on veggies, too, that's amazing and keep it up!)

I've got a main list below, as well as a break-out of snacks for babies and toddlers, since there are some different considerations at those ages.

And back when I first published this post (it's been updated several times), I had also created a free printable, too, on snacks for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. All of those work for older kids, too.

You can download that PDF and print it out to keep some healthy snack ideas handy. Or copy and print the list below.

And you might also want to check out these healthy snacks on the go for both kids and adults on those days where you're just running all over town. Or browse these ideas for high protein snacks if you need some extra fuel.

A plate full of fresh veggies and pretzels and a bowl of hummus for dipping.

30 Healthy Kids Snacks

  • Yogurt (plain or flavored, Greek or regular)
  • Applesauce (plain or flavored)
  • Cheese and crackers
  • Toast and spread (peanut butter, smashed avocado, etc)
  • Peanut butter and banana
  • Fruit (fresh or dried or canned) - apples, oranges, grapes, watermelon, pears, etc.
  • Smoothies (fruit, green, yogurt, etc)
  • Popcorn
  • Rice cakes
  • Hummus with pita, pretzels, crackers, veggies, etc
  • Mini bagels with cream cheese
  • Cereal
  • Trail mix or granola
  • Pudding or pudding pops
  • Popsicles (especially fruit based ones)
  • Granola bars
  • Fruit bars or fruit leathers
  • Wraps (with hummus and turkey, cream cheese and jam, peanut butter and banana, etc.)
  • Banana bread
  • Healthy cookies/breakfast cookies
  • Muffin or mini muffins
  • Fruit and dip
  • Chips and dip (salsa, guac, etc)
  • English muffin pizzas
  • Nuts - peanuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, etc.
  • Seeds (such as sunflower seeds)
  • Energy balls/cookie balls/date balls
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Carrot sticks and Ranch dressing
  • Mini waffles or pancakes with nut butter or fruit spread
  • Graham crackers or animal crackers

So, so many options to choose from! And keep reading for some additional ideas and specific recipes.

And here's a handy list to pin and save for later.

A bulleted list of tons of ideas for healthy kids snacks on a green background.

But as I mentioned, I wanted to break out some snacks for our littles.

Healthy Baby Snacks

~ No added sugar/sweeteners, no choking hazards

* Cut pieces of ripe banana, pear, avocado, blueberry, mango, strawberry, grapes, peaches, mandarin oranges
* Applesauce (look for one where the only ingredient is apples)
* Beans: black beans, cannellini beans, pinto beans, refried beans
* Whole wheat bread or toast with a spread of applesauce or mashed avocado or pureed beans (or any pureed baby food) or hummus or peanut butter (if no risk of allergies and OK with pediatrician) or canned pumpkin and a bit of cinnamon
* Or use mini whole wheat bagels or pita bread instead of bread or toast
* O cereal (We buy Trader Joe’s brand)
* Baby banana cookies – just 5 wholesome ingredients
* Cheese (shredded for little ones, cubes or slices or string cheese when older)
* Soft fruit bar or Lara bar (make sure there aren’t any large nut chunks)
* Banana slices with peanut butter (I make little sandwiches)
* Smoothies

Fruit bowl

Healthy Toddler Snacks

~ Limited added sugar/sweeteners, no choking hazards
All of the above and also:

* Raisins (I waited until about 18 months with both of mine; check with your pediatrician) - also dried blueberries, cranberries, apricots and prunes
* Trail mix
* Fruit cups (preferably in 100% fruit juice, not heavy syrup and not no sugar added, which means they used artificial sweeteners)
* Animal crackers (Trader Joe’s has some good ones)
* Rice cake (made with brown rice) spread with peanut butter and raisins or cream cheese and jam
* Crackers with spread, such as peanut butter, hummus or a soft cheese
* Fruit leathers (we buy ours at Trader Joe’s)
* Edamame
* Blueberry oat cookies
* Whole wheat wrap spread with peanut butter or hummus or guacamole - can fold it over or roll it up and cut it into slices

Don't forget to get your free printable so you can keep these lists handy for reference!

Also, I've got this very big list of healthy finger foods for toddlers that might give you some more ideas for meals and snacks.

On-the-go snacks

Last but not least, here are some of our favorite recipes if you're looking to make one or two things a week to have on hand for snacking.

Healthy Snack Recipes

  • No bake granola bars or my favorite homemade granola bars
  • Mini muffins (such as spinach-banana mini muffins) or any of these healthy muffins
  • Microwave popcorn - top with butter and a little salt, or with Parmesan cheese or even a butter/honey/cinnamon mix
  • 5-ingredient granola
  • Folded wraps - how to make them and 25 different combinations
  • 5 fruit flavors for applesauce
  • Raw date brownies or raw brownie bites
  • Creamy peanut butter yogurt dip
  • Mango yogurt popsicles
  • 5 minute healthy chocolate pudding
  • 10-minute chocolate cookie balls
  • No bake chocolate chip cookie balls
  • Chocolate peanut butter energy balls
  • Healthier no bake cookie bars
  • Banana chocolate chip snack cake
  • Healthy banana bread or chocolate chip zucchini bread

I hope this gives you some ideas of some new healthy kids snacks.

And if you've got a crowd of kids, make a kids charcuterie board (tons of ways to customize and vary this) - so fun and they feel so fancy!

Also, please share your own go-to snacks in the comments below! Or anything that you would add to this list. We can all use more ideas.

XO,

Kathryn

Pin

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Belinda @ bindybee

    October 01, 2015 at 7:31 am

    Love these ideas. I've been looking for some great healthy snacks. It's so easy to just grab something from the pantry.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      October 01, 2015 at 9:02 pm

      It really is, Belinda! I always find myself forgetting what some of the other easy, healthy options are - it helps to have a reference to turn to when we get in a rut!

      Reply
  2. Lucy @ Bake Play Smile

    October 02, 2015 at 6:26 pm

    Yum!! These snacks sound great! Hehehe you certainly took back control of snack time... in a super delicious way! Thanks for joining our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party! xx

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      October 02, 2015 at 6:35 pm

      Thanks Lucy! I have to constantly remind myself of some of our go-to snacks. It's so easy to get into a rut! Have a great weekend! XO

      Reply
  3. Karen

    October 04, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    some great ideas here - am pinning for later. always in need of inspiration! visiting from Fabulous Foodie Fridays

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      October 04, 2015 at 2:21 pm

      Thanks Karen! I know, I'm always having to remind myself of the easy, healthy snack options we've got on hand - it's so easy to get into a rut! Hope you find this helpful!

      Reply
  4. Carlee

    October 09, 2015 at 8:26 am

    Great ideas! It is hard to keep snack time fresh and fun.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      October 09, 2015 at 3:46 pm

      I know, right? I have the same problem, Carlee. I get stuck in a snack time rut ALL the time! Helps to have a list to go back to and remind myself of all the other easy ideas out there 🙂

      Reply
  5. Aury

    June 24, 2021 at 7:50 pm

    Dear Kathryn, you had me at "If I could convince my children that carrot, pepper and cucumber slices were a suitable snack, I’d totally do it. It just doesn’t work around here. At least not yet."

    Signing up for anything you post and share! SIGH
    What a relief to find a page that won't suggest peanut butter and celery sticks a la "ants on a log".

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      June 25, 2021 at 4:52 pm

      Bahaha, you are my people! ❤️

      Reply
  6. stayhealthy here

    August 10, 2023 at 3:50 am

    Navigating snack preferences is a shared struggle; this list of practical, kid-approved snacks offers a welcome solution for both picky eaters and time-pressed parents.

    Reply
  7. Codie

    July 31, 2024 at 4:01 pm

    I don’t usually leave comments, but I’m so grateful for this post. I think what makes or breaks articles and blog posts about “snacks for kids” is how relatable they are. Is it actually practical for kids, or are we going for an image? Is it suggesting things using ingredients we already have, or am I going to have to change how I shop? So many posts miss the mark! They leave me thinking, “Okay, I know most people’s children do not eat things like this,” and then I’m left confused like we’re an outlier haha. I love that this includes what we already buy, it’s a list of items to mix and match, and as a supplemental piece, you included recipes if someone wants to make something in advance. We also have another on the way, so I’m glad to see food options for several ages offered in one place. Great post!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      August 05, 2024 at 1:44 pm

      Oh wow, thank you so much for such a thoughtful reply! It makes me so very happy to hear this is helpful for you! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Arabella

    September 25, 2024 at 12:29 am

    These snack ideas are fantastic! I love the variety and creativity. They make healthy eating so much more enjoyable for kids. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      October 06, 2024 at 9:42 am

      Absolutely! I'm so happy to hear it's helpful for you! : )

      Reply

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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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