Healthy Snacks to Cook for Children

Feed your children healthy snacks.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, kids get one-third of their daily calories from after-school snacks. This makes it very important to choose healthy snacks for your kids. Remember that eating can easily become a power struggle. You can avoid this by letting children choose from a variety of tasty, healthy snacks that they can help prepare.

Potatoes

Potatoes are a very kid-friendly food, familiar in such dishes as French fries and mashed potatoes. They also provide nutrients such as iron, potassium and fiber --- as long as you eat the skins. One way to make potato skins appealing to children is to make twice-baked potatoes with Greek yogurt, cheese and chives. You could also serve baked potatoes or hollowed-out potato skins with healthy toppings, such as salsa. Sweet potatoes are also great for children, since they're rich in fiber and beta carotene. Cut them into wedges and bake with a little olive oil for sweet potato "fries."

Fruits & Vegetables

Raw fruits and vegetables make easy healthy snacks right out of the fridge --- but if you want to make kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables, you'll have to make them more interesting. Try baking vegetables, such as broccoli, in a homemade cheese sauce of milk, cheese and mustard thickened with a simple roux. Baked fruit is another healthy snack that needs no added sugar. Try pears with apple juice, vanilla and cloves, baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. You can also add vegetables to your kid's favorite snacks, such as macaroni and cheese.

Pizza

Frozen or delivered pizza can be fatty and greasy, but homemade pizza can be a healthy snack for children. One easy variation is English-muffin pizzas: top a split, whole-grain English muffin with tomato sauce and mozzarella, then melt the cheese in an oven or toaster oven. Adding whole grains to a familiar snack, such as pizza, will help you introduce more fiber into your children's diet. Try adding healthy toppings, such as tuna, broccoli, basil leaves or pineapple.

Muffins

Making muffins lets you hide whole grains and other healthy ingredients in a sweet snack for children. You can acclimate your kids to the taste of whole grains by gradually replacing white flour in muffin recipes with whole-wheat flour. Try making muffins with bananas, applesauce or other mashed fruit. Some recipes even replace the eggs with mashed banana, reducing the fat and cholesterol. Muffins with chocolate and shredded zucchini are a great way to give your kids snacks with more vegetables. After all, what kid doesn't enjoy a chocolate treat?

References

• Iowa State University Extension; Snacks for Healthy Kids; March 2010
• Kids and Nutrition: Healthy Recipes to Cook with Kids
• Taste of Home: Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
• "Better Than Peanut Butter & Jelly: Quick Vegetarian Meals Your Kids Will Love"; Marty Mattare and Wendy Muldawer; 2006
• "Knack Healthy Snacks for Kids: Recipes for Nutritious Bites at Home Or On the Go"; Amy Wilensky; 2010