March 4, 2021
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
We talk a lot about school lunches here at MOMables but snack time is important too! Today I’m sharing my top healthy school snack ideas that kids love. Since these are made with fresh, real ingredients and aren’t too complicated to make, moms end up loving them too.
In 2015, I wrote a book positively stuffed with snack ideas kids (and adults). And while the yummy snacks didn’t stop with this book (just look at the ideas listed below for more inspiration), I definitely wan to make sure you had the chance to grab your own copy to find more kid-favorite snack ideas.
This book is packed with over 200 healthy, homemade snacks that the whole family will LOVE.
Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids
Whether you are the assigned “snack mom” for sports or a classroom event, or you’re just looking to pack some healthy snacks for school each day, I’ve got you covered with more than 60 delicious snack recipes. These classroom snacks are healthier homemade versions of kid-favorite staple snacks!
If you’re looking for after-school snacks, I have ten favorites for you here!
Bite-Size Healthy Snacks
Bites and balls are always simple to make and a huge hit when it comes to snack time. With so many options to choose from, your kids won’t run out of healthy school snacks any time soon!
These Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites have all the dessert flavors your kids love, but they’re healthy! The perfect snack to give your child a little pick-me-up after a long school day.
- Spinach Balls
- Egg Cups
- No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Mini Taco Cups
- Cheesy Quinoa Bites
- Pecan Pie Energy Bites
- Pumpkin Pie Bites
- Parmesan Broccoli Tots
- Mini Quinoa Pizza Bites
- Avocado Bacon Pinwheels
- Cinnamon Soft Pretzel Bites
- Sweet Potato Tots
Best Fruit Snacks for School
Fruit is often a go-to snack for parents to pack in school lunches, but if kids are tired of a simple apple or banana in their lunchbox you can try one of these fruit-inspired snack ideas to mix it up a little while still packing a healthy snack.
Homemade fruit leather takes a little bit. of time in the oven, but it couldn’t be easier to make! Kids will love finding this simple snack swap in their snack box.
- Baked Banana Chips
- Baked Apple Chips
- Rainbow Fruit Skewers
- Ham & Cheese Apple Wraps
- Chocolate Covered Apple Slices
- Homemade Fruit Cups
Vegetable Snacks
Snacktime is one of the best times of day to get a little extra “green” in your child’s diet. When vegetables are re-invented into a delicious snack, kids are a lot more willing to try them than they are at the dinner table. Be sure to try one of these tasty veggie snacks with your kids.
Tiny Zucchini Pizzas make the perfect afternoon snack at school. Customize the toppings to include all the things your kids love and toss a few in a lunch container for your kids to enjoy.
- Broccoli Nuggets
- Baked Cauliflower Bites
- Hummus Stuffed Celery Stalks
- Veggie Cups
- Carrot Fries
- Green Bean Fries
- Zucchini Chips
Healthy Snack Cookies
There’s no denying, kids love opening up their snack bag to find a cookie inside. But store-bought sugary cookies aren’t exactly what kids need to make it through P.E. and recess with energy to spare for their math test. These cookies are healthier versions that kids can still love but provide important nutrients to help keep kids feeling their best after snack time.
Usually, I serve these huge oatmeal cookies for breakfast, but when I know one of my kids has a big day ahead, I’ll tuck a couple in a bag for snacktime too. Filled with oats, peanut butter, and raisins, these cookies are a winner any time of day.
- 2 Ingredient Magic Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Brown Rice Krispy Treats
- Raw Cookie Dough Bites
- Paleo Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Homemade Oreos (ok, ok, this may not be “healthy” exactly, but they are a way better homemade alternative to the store bought and processed cookies)
Snack Crackers
Crackers and chips are always fun snacks, but did you know it was this easy to make your own? Grab one of these recipes and pack a healthier salty snack in your child’s lunchbox this week.
Related: More Snacks with Crackers
Crunchy, cheesy, amazing… these Homemade Doritos are everything school snack dreams are made of! Best of all, they’re made with real ingredients, so you can feel great about your family munching them.
- Cheese Straws
- Homemade Cheese Crackers
- Maple Glazed Snack Mix
- Homemade Potato Chips
- Cinnamon Popcorn
Snack Muffins & Scones
While muffins and scones are traditional breakfast foods, they’re so easy to pack in a container, I’ve started packing them for snack time too. These snack recipes are filling, healthy, and have just the right amount of sweet.
You don’t have to wait for breakfast to enjoy these Pear Muffins made with delightful cinnamon crumble. This recipe is a snacktime favorite at our house.
- Grain-Free Blueberry Scones
- Banana Oatmeal Muffins
- Jumbo Lemon Poppyseed Zucchini Muffins
- Traditional Scones
- Yogurt Muffins
- Kitchen Sink Muffins
Healthy Dessert Snacks
While some kids want salty snacks, others prefer something sweet. Packing “dessert” for school snack is a pretty certain way to be sure even your picky eaters come home with a fully eaten snack. Try one of these healthy recipes for a special snack treat.
This soft, moist blueberry cake is baked with Greek Yogurt and is practically guaranteed to be your child’s new favorite school snack.
- Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- Carrot Zucchini Bars
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Chocolate Coconut Granola
Snack Bars for Kids
Bars are one of those go-to snacks that are all too easy to grab at the grocery store. While most store-bought bars are either over priced or packed with way too many “extra” ingredients, the following snack bar recipes are easy to make, include real ingredients and are easy to grab-and-go.
This recipe for healthy cookie dough snack bars are naturally sweetened with dates and include a generous handful of mini chocolate chips.
Easy Snack Dips
Everything is better with dip, right? Especially snacks! These healthy dip recipes make epic partners for many of the recipes listed above.
7-Layer Mexican Dip is a tasty one for parties, but my kids love it so much, I pack it for snack time too. A simple mason jar is all you need to convert the popular appetizer into a single-serving snack!
- Homemade Guacamole
- Kid-Friendly Salsa
- Healthy Peanut Butter Dip
- Edamame Hummus
- Greek Hummus
- Pumpkin Cookie Dough Dip
- 5-Minute Homemade Ranch
- Homemade Ketchup Recipe
You can find even more delicious snack ideas by browsing the recipe index on this site. You can sort all the recipes by meal or dietary need so that you can find the perfect recipe for you.
Healthy School Snacks for Kids
Ingredients
Broccoli Tot Ingredients
- 2 cups russet potatoes cubed
- 1 ½ cups raw broccoli finely grated
- 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese divided
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Peel, cube into small dice sized pieces, and measure 2 cups of russet potatoes (about 2-3 potatoes). Steam or microwave the potatoes to the point where a fork is easily inserted but it’s too tough to eat (about 10 minutes boiling, 6-7 in the microwave). Once they are cooked drain them and set aside to cool down.
- Preheat oven to 425F, place oven rack in the middle of the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In the bowl of your food processor, pulse about 2 cups of chopped broccoli florets (depending on how you cut it, it should yield about 1 ½ cups chopped) until it resembles coarse rice. Measure 1 ½ cups of finely chopped broccoli and transfer into a large bowl.
- Next, pulse semi-cooked potatoes and 1 ½ cups of the Parmesan cheese; just enough to break up the potatoes and combine them with the Parmesan cheese. Transfer mixture into the bowl with the broccoli.
- Add seasoning into the large bowl and fold all ingredients with a large spatula to combine.
- Place remaining Parmesan cheese into a small bowl.
- Begin to form tater tots into small balls with a 1 tablespoon size cookie scoop or you’re your hands and a spoon. Once formed, roll each tot on more Parmesan cheese – just enough to coat it. Place each tater tot on the baking sheet, about ½ inch to 1 inch apart.
- Bake 12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve.
Notes
- Please do not use wax paper. The cheese will melt onto the wax and the recipe will not turn out.
- You can make the mixture ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze individual tots prior to baking for up to a month. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
I’d love to know, What are some of your favorite go-to homemade snacks that you send to school with your child?
C Smith
Suggestion for store bought snacks. Made Good is the name brand. They are granola minis that come in chocolate chip, strawberry and mixed berry. I bought mine for my grandchildren at Sprouts. They are free from nuts and safe for schools and organic nutrients from vegetables.
MOMables - Laura
thanks for the healthy snack suggestions!
Mauliyani
thanks for sharing the recipe
Rebecca
Does anyone have any suggestions for healthy store bought snacks? My children’s school also has a store bought only policy and I am stumped on ideas for snacks. I have 4 kids in 4 different grades and I am always sending the same things (goldfish, animal crackers, pretzels etc…), which my kids are tired of, so I am sure their classmates are too. I honestly just do not know what else to buy.
najwa
Lara Bars!
Claudia
I do volunteer art at school and take small apples, juice boxes or bottles, cheese sticks or cheese cubes, kind bars or granola bars, but kind are gluten free for those who need that, boxes of raisins or cranberries, or cheese and crackers or healthy ( without high fructose) yogurts. Our school only allows healthy snacks.
Chemille
While they look healthy and nice
MOMables
They are delicious, too!
Jennifer A.
Per the comments on the pre-packaged snack frustration in the classroom. Please understand that the school probably has this policy in place for especially young children due to life-threatening food allergies as known as Anaphylaxis. Just one bite or touch of their allergen can cause a serious allergic reaction that can lead to closed off airways, cardiac arrest and possibly death. For more information please see http://www.foodallergy.org. Here are the numbers that explain why it is such a big concern: Food allergy is a growing public health issue that impacts almost every school across the United States. Nearly 6 million children in the U.S. – which equates to 1 in 13, or roughly 2 in every classroom – have a food allergy. Studies indicate that 16-18% of school-age children who have food allergies have had a reaction in school. In addition, in approximately 25% of the reactions that occur at school, the student had not yet been diagnosed with food allergy.1
1. Administration of Epinephrine for Life-Threatening Allergic Reactions in School Settings. CL Mcintyre, AH Sheetz, CR Carroll, MC Young. Pediatrics. Vol. 116, No. 5. Nov. 2005
Kristen
This year for 3K we have brought: homemade muffins with unsweetened applesauce squeeze packs, homemade trail mix (cereal, freeze dried berries, cashews, craisins, pretzels), homemade bagels with cream cheese/butter and apple slices, individual packs of pretzels/hummus/baby carrots and clementines, and homemade muffins with fresh pineapple.
MOMables
great ideas Kristen!
Renee
I really wish I could bring ANY of these to my son’s Kinder class, but his school has a strict “no-homemade” policy. It could actually be a CA law, I’m not sure. But it really sucks because they are fed Goldfish, Go-Gurt, and all kinds of other crap because it MUST come in a package and not have any nuts. Grrrr.
I don’t even know why they need a morning snack anyway – if they have breakfast at home and lunch is at 11:45, I know my son is ok in between. I guess the snack is for all the kids whose parents don’t feed them food that sustains them.
MOMables
that is very frustrating Renee. sorry!!
Amanda
No-homemade snack rules are all over now. I do agree that they need to feed our children more wholesome snacks instead of overly processed and artificial flavor and colored junk. BUT, every child is different and maybe some get hungry in between and need a snack to keep them focused. It doesn’t always have to do with the parent just not feeding them. My son eats a healthy breakfast at 8:30AM and then lunch at 11:30AM (he doesn’t go to school yet) but he is ALWAYS asking for a snack in between those times.
MOMables
Some schools still allow them and we get a lot of requests for ideas. Of course, these snacks would also apply for playdates, parties etc. I never said moms are not feeding their kids enough, and you are right, kids love snacks.
Amanda
Oh, I’m sorry. That comment had nothing to do with you. It was in regard to someone else who posted. I don’t comment on blogs to often so maybe I don’t know how to correctly, sorry again.
Melissa
Renee – I understand your frustration with prepackaged snacks and unhealthy options for morning snack. Let me assure you, though, that not all kids who need a morning snack aren’t fed well at home, as it seems you are implying. I have two boys, 5 and 3, who are fed real food at every meal. They need a morning snack and often an afternoon snack. Our breakfast is early, between 7 and 730 am, with lunch between 1130 and noon. Maybe those kids who are hungry mid-morning just eat breakfast earlier then your son. Or perhaps your son just doesn’t have the same metabolism as they do. Perhaps you could work with the teachers to find healthier snack options as there are some packaged snacks that are at least healthier than those you listed. Good luck.
Mary
It could also be for the little ones that have medical conditions and can’t go long periods of time without eating or for the once that are used to their parents feeding them small snacks every 2-3 hours, or to make sure are kids are well feed and have the energy to get through the day; most of this rules are perfectly understandable, kids like to share and they do not know the ingredients on every food, let’s not be so quick to judge, only because we don’t like certain rules. It’s difficult and frustrating I get it, but nothing we can’t handle
Katie
Thank you for this list! I’m struggling with this very thing right now. I need to print this for my daughter’s teacher. She said they had Popsicles for snack last week. :(
MOMables
Good luck!