Top 10 Kid-Friendly Snacks – Michael J. Leach D.D.S. Pediatric Dentistry

1. Easy Homemade Fruit Pops

This delicious treat is super easy and is sure to be a crowd pleaser, even to the toughest of crowds.

Ingredients

• Fresh or frozen fruit of your choice
• ½ to 1 cup of apple juice

Directions                                                                                                                                            

• Add fruit to the popsicle mold (if you use more than one flavor fruit, alternate adding them, so they are layered)
• Slowly add apple juice to the mold, leaving at least 1/8 inch of room from the rim
• Freeze overnight or for at least 6 hours

Recipe and image from Tastes Better From Scratch.

 

2. Veggie and Humus Cups

Appeal to your veggie lover with these simple grab-an-go snack cups.

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber
• 2 peppers (one green and one red)
• Sugar Peas
• Hummus (you can either make your own or buy some from your grocery store)

Directions

• Slice the veggies into thin strips
• Add a tablespoon of humus to the bottom of the cup
• Add 2 slices of each vegetable to the cup on top of the hummus

Recipe and image from Kitchn.

3. Apple Sandwiches

What is better than peanut butter, apple slices, and mini chocolate chips? Nothing! Combine the three and you have a delicious snack.

Ingredients

• 1 large apple
• Peanut butter
• Granola
• Mini chocolate chips, raisins, coconut, nuts, etc.

Directions

• Wash the apple and cut into four slices (horizontal cut)
• Core the apple slices
• Spread peanut butter on one of the slices
• Add toppings of choice to the peanut butter
• Place the other apple slice on top creating your sandwich

Recipe and image from Kitchn.

4. Ants on a Log

This time-tested treat has been delighting children for decades. Perfectly pairing fruits and veggies together, Ants on a Log is a must for the snack rotation.

Ingredients

• 5 – 6 stalks of celery
• Peanut Butter
• ½ cup of raisins
• 1 cup of red grapes (quartered)

Directions

• Spread the peanut butter down the middle of the celery stalk
• Sprinkle the raisins and/or grapes on top of the peanut butter
• Chill until ready to serve

Recipe and image from VitaminBee.

5. Fruit and cheese kabobs

This easy snack is great when you are in a time crunch or are looking to prep ahead.

Ingredients

• Reduced-fat cheese squares
• 24 grapes
• 24 strawberries
• 4 oz. low-fat vanilla yogurt
• Honey (optional)

Directions

• Cut cheese squares into three cubes
• Alternate cheese, grapes, and strawberries on the skewer
• Drizzle honey over the vanilla yogurt and serve as a dip

Recipe and image from My Baking Addiction.

6. Peanut Butter Snails

Appeal to your child’s imagination while fueling them with a healthy snack.

Ingredients

• 2 medium celery sticks
• ½ cup of peanut butter
• 3 apple ringers cut in half
• 4 pretzel sticks broken into thirds
• 12 semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions

• Apply a layer of peanut butter to the celery stick
• Add two peanut butter swirls on the half circle of apple
• Add two pretzel sticks as antennas
• Add two semisweet chocolate chips as eyes

Recipe and image from Walmart.

7. Fruit and Cracker Pizza

Mix a little salty and sweet together to appeal to all the taste buds.

Ingredients

• 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
• Cream Cheese Spread (original or strawberry)
• ½ cup strawberries (chopped)
• ¼ kiwi (chopped)
• ¼ blueberries

Directions

• Spread cream cheese on the Ritz cracker
• Add desired amount of fruit as toppings
• Refrigerate before serving

Recipe and image from Sunshine and Hurricanes.

8. Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Bites

Who doesn’t love a good ‘ole PB&J sandwich? Check out this healthier twist on a classic.

Ingredients

• 1 large banana
• 1 teaspoon peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon jelly (any flavor)

Directions

• Slice the banana in half (hotdog style)
• Spread peanut butter and jam on each half
• Place halves back together and cut into bite-sized pieces

Recipe and image from The Green Loot.

9. Backyard Bug Snacks

These playful ‘bugs’ are sure to have your kids cheering for more.

Ingredients

For Butterflies

o Celery Sticks
o Peanut Butter
o Mini Chocolate Chips
o Mini Pretzels

For Caterpillars

o Grapes
o Wooden skewers
o Mini chocolate chips

For Ladybugs

o Crackers
o Cheese slicers
o Grape tomatoes
o Black Olives
o Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions

For Butterflies

o Rinse and cut your celery into 3 – 4 inch slices.
o Apply peanut butter into the middle and insert two mini pretzels.
o Then add two mini chocolate chips as eyes.

For Caterpillars

o Rinse and dry about 20 grapes.
o Carefully skew the grapes.
o Then add two mini chocolate chip eyes.

For Ladybugs

o Use your cracker as a guide to size your cheese. Place the cheese on top of the cracker.
o Cut grape tomato almost in half, leaving a tiny connection at one end. Open and lay flat on the cheese.
o Cut a black olive in half and place upside down at top of the tomato.
o Place the eyes inside the black olive

Recipe and image from The Crafting Chicks.

10. Meat and Cheese Cucumber Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber (peeled and sliced)
• 1 Cheese slice (flavor of choice)
• 1 Meat slice (meat of choice)

Directions

• Peel and slice the cucumber into rounds
• Stack cheese and meat on top of a cucumber round
• Place a second cucumber round on top to create a sandwich
• Keep refrigerated until ready to serve

Keeping your child’s teeth brushed and flossed isn’t the only thing that affects their health. Maintaining a healthy diet full of fruits and veggies helps build stronger teeth in addition to a healthy immune system. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s diet or oral health, give our team a call at Michael J. Leach D.D.S. Pediatric Dentistry Phone Number (770) 521-8855.