75+ Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids (budget-friendly)

Healthy Kids Snack Ideas That Are Easy and Budget-Friendly

Everyone seems to have their own definition of “healthy” these days. I consider myself to be in the moderate range. 😉 I think it is okay to have treats every day.

My family and I eat processed foods and sugar every so often, but I do try to buy or make healthier versions when possible and when it works for me. I am not one that feeds kids only whole foods and I am not one that would give my kids Oreo cookies for a snack.

So, this post is not really about what is right or wrong. It is more about giving you a helpful list of great healthy snack ideas for kids to bring to school and munch on at home!

When the school requests a healthy snack for the class, I try to choose snacks that I think most people would consider being healthy, but it also has to be food that the kids will actually eat and budget-friendly!

Healthy Snack Guidelines

Here are some great things to look for in a snack:

• 100% whole grain
• made with no or little refined sweeteners
• no artificial sweeteners
• ingredients you can pronounce and recognize

Good snacks provide carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and some healthy fat, which may include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, seeds, dried fruit, and whole grain crackers.

Healthy Snacks List for Kids (Over 75+ Ideas)

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Ideas

There are tons of fruits and vegetables that make for great healthy snacks for kids! Plus, they are often safe for those with allergies. These are just some of my favorites when the season is right:

• Apple
• Banana
• Carrots
• Celery
• Pear
• Grapes
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Watermelon
• Plums
• Cherries
• Sliced Cucumber
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Edamame
• Olives
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli

Here’s a great tutorial about how to make the best veggie tray!

More Fruity Snack Ideas

• Applesauce (no added sugar and all natural ingredients)
• GoGo Squeez Applesauce pouches
• Raisins
• Craisins
• Fruit leather
• Stretch Island Fruit Chews
• Homemade pear fruit leather
• Clif Kid Twisted Fruit Rope
• Dried mango slices
• Banana chips
• Brothers All Natural Crisps
• Freeze dried fruits
• Dried cherries
• Frozen grapes

Whole Grain Snack Ideas

Whole grains include:

• whole wheat
• oats
• rye
• barley
• sorghum
• brown rice
• wild rice
• corn
• buckwheat
• amaranth
• millet
• teff
• triticale; and
• quinoa.

While 100% whole grain is best, I personally don’t mind if the snack is only part whole grain. I guess I feel like it is better than nothing. You can adjust the healthy snack list below according to your preference though.

• Triscuit crackers
  
• Popcorn (Cajun popcorn, DIY microwave popcorn)
• Shredded wheat
• Ritz with whole wheat
• Goldfish crackers with whole grain
• Brown rice cakes
• Whole grain crackers
• Whole grain cereal
• Whole grain waffles (whole grain pancake recipe, banana quinoa waffles)
• Whole wheat pretzels
• Whole wheat pita chips
• Homemade Power Bars
• Homemade granola bars (another granola bar recipe)
• Granola (homemade granola, more granola recipes)
• Clif Kid ZBars
• Homemade Cheez-It crackers
• Homemade Whole Wheat Graham crackers

More Kids Snack Ideas

• String cheese
• Sliced or cubed cheese
• Pumpkin seeds
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Simply Go-gurt
• Greek yogurt
• Peanut butter or almond butter (homemade almond butter)
• Pistachios or other nuts
• Hummus
• Salsa (salsa recipes)
• Smoothies
• Larabar
• Kale chips

Combine Some of the Healthy Snacks Above for More Fun!

By combining some of the kids snack ideas above and pulling inspiration from them, you can make some even more fun and flavorful snacks. For example, get a bunch of healthy ingredients in one snack with these PB+J Roll-Ups.

Here are some more homemade snack ideas for you to try (these are great for school lunches):

• Healthy trail mix
• Yogurt with fruit or granola
• Spread peanut butter on celery
• Pumpkin Cuties
• No-bake chocolate granola bites
• Dip fruit in yogurt
• Dip crackers in applesauce
• Tortilla Pinwheels
• Make snack kebabs
• Blueberry zucchini bread
• Waffles with peanut butter or applesauce
• Yogurt and banana on crackers
• PB&J Muffins
• Banana Blueberry Muffins
• Baked Oatmeal Muffins
• Banana Coconut Muffins
• Healthy Zucchini Muffins
• Popeye Muffins
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Bars
• No-Bake Chocolate Granola Bites Recipe
• No-Bake Energy Bites
• Healthy Trail Mix Bars
• Healthier Granola

Make sure to use our 25 lunch box hacks to make your mornings a bit easier and less hectic.

Why are healthy snacks for kids so important?

“Food impacts how well a child’s brain works, affecting their moods and abilities … In a kids brain, junk food can cause neurotransmitters, which pass along information, to function improperly. Smart foods, however, allow information to be processed correctly and help the child function at their optimal level.” – Dr. Sears

This list was inspired by EatRight.org, WholeGrainsCouncil.org, and 100 Days of Real Food.