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When it comes to school snacks, we all want to give our kids something yummy, nutritious, and exciting. Whether they need a mid-morning boost or a quick nibble between classes, the right snacks can keep their energy up and their spirits high. Having this list of 15 Snacks for Kids School Lunch handy can mean the difference between tears and joy — and I mean your tears and joy as much as I do your kids!
After many years of making school lunch for my kids, I now realize I’ve got breakfast, lunch and dinner covered. What about the kid’s pre-lunch snack, though? I’m the first to admit this is where, in the past, I’ve given it little to no thought.
For the longest time, I would toss an apple or banana into their lunch bag, which are totally fine choices, but when my youngest has caught me forgetting to add a snack or laming out with one of these default items, I knew I had to change my ways. I came up with a list of my Top 15 Snacks For Kids School Lunch to help inspire all of us (myself included!).
When it comes to snacking, I try to remember to offer a variety of foods through the week to satisfy my kids’ cravings. Easy snacks are the best way to keep everyone happy. You can offer them in your kid’s lunchbox, after-school, pre-dinner or any time of the day that you want something to tide them over to the next meal and fill your kids’ bellies with a wholesome treat!
Tips for Packing Awesome School Snacks
- Keep It Balanced: Opt for snacks that provide a mix of nutrients – a combination of proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates will keep your kids fueled and focused.
- Prep Ahead: Some kids love smooth foods, like a smoothie or applesauce pouches, and others leans towards crunch. Get to know what your kids prefer and keep those on hand so you don’t have to think about it! This saves time and ensures you always have something ready to go.
- Go for Variety: Keep snack time exciting by offering a variety of flavors, textures, and colors. Kids love trying new things, so mix it up with different fruits, veggies, and dips.
- Portion Control: Pack snacks in kid-sized portions to prevent overindulgence and food waste. We love this snack box for just that!
Easy Snacks for Kids School Lunch
- Crunchy Veggie Sticks with Classic Hummus: Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and bell pepper strips paired with a dollop of creamy hummus make for a delightful and healthy snack. I have several different hummus recipes you can try like Red Bell Pepper Hummus, Red Beet and White Bean Hummus and Roasted Carrot Hummus!
- Apple Slices with Nut Butter: A classic combo that never disappoints! Slice up apples and pair them with peanut butter or almond butter for a sweet and satisfying treat. You could also swap out the nut butter for cream cheese and make these cute Apple Donuts!
- Popcorn: I think my favorite snack of all time is Paper Bag Popcorn and I’ve passed that obsession on to my kids. It’s crunchy, salty and you can add nutritional yeast to boost the flavor and nutrition!
- Greek Yogurt Parfait: Layer yogurt with this super healthy granola and fresh fruits in a small container for a fun and nutritious snack that’s also easy to eat.
- Homemade Bars: It’s easier than you think to bake up a batch of homemade bars whether they’re Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, Protein Bars, Oatmeal On-The-Go Bars, Homemade Fig Bars or Protein Cereal Bars. Bars are perfect for a quick and nutritious on-the-go snack.
- Mini Homemade Muffins: I love to make a batch of muffins to add a homemade touch to my kids school snack! Some of my (and my kids’) favorites are Spinach Cake Muffins, Flourless Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins, Very Berry Muffins and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
- Banana Peanut Butter Roll-Ups: Spread peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla, add a banana, and roll it up for a tasty twist on a classic sandwich.
- Fruit Kabobs: Sometimes just piercing fresh berries, bananas or grapes on a skewer makes a classic snack more exciting for kids. You could also add some cheese squares on the fruit kabobs too!
- DIY Trail Mix: Create a custom trail mix with nuts, dried fruits, and a sprinkle of chocolate chips or dye free chocolate coated candies for a scrumptious and energizing snack.
- Frozen Yogurt Bites: This would be better for an after-school snack since it’s frozen but freezing yogurt with fresh fruit is a refreshing and nutritious snack option. Try out my Frozen Yogurt Bark or super cute Frozen Yogurt Fruit Bites.
- Turkey/Ham and Cheese Roll Ups: I love these little wraps because they’ve got protein from the deli meat and the cheese and then you also get a fruit in there with the apple slices. Plus they’re super tasty and fit great in a snack box.
- Homemade Versions of Store-bought Snacks: I love recreating slightly healthier versions of classic store-bought snacks like Homemade Graham Crackers or Homemade Cheese Wafers.
- Fruit Leather: I figured out the best hack for using up extra fruit that’s on the edge of going bad is to make fruit leather! Strawberry Fruit Leather, Peach Fruit Leather and Persimmon Fruit Leather make perfect school snacks.
- Animal Face Toast: This treat takes a little extra effort, but is SO cute to serve for a school snack. If you’re a super parent you could even send a different face of Animal Face Toast every day of the week!
- Squeeze Pouches: It’s super easy to add a squeeze pouch to my kid’s backpack for a school snack. There are several great organic ones that you can get at the grocery, or you could make your own nutritious smoothie or puree and add them to reusable pouches to save money.
- Roasted Chickpeas: I love making these for a quick snack because chickpeas are high in protein so they’ll actually keep you satisfied until the next meal! You can make classic Air Fryer Crispy Chickpeas or a sweeter version of Roasted Honey Cinnamon Chickpeas.
With these 15 kid-friendly school snacks, snack time will be a breeze, and your little ones will be all smiles! Remember to keep it balanced, try out different flavors and textures, and get creative. Snack time is an excellent opportunity to nourish their bodies and brighten their day with a little surprise in their lunchbox. So, pack these delightful treats, and watch your kids enjoy every bite of their school snacks!
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If you’re looking for more help when it comes to school lunch, check out my cookbook Weelicious Lunches filled with lists of lunchbox favorites, ideas for clever lunchbox products, tips for picky eaters, facts on food allergies, and dozens of recipes! Or you can explore all my easy and fun school lunch ideas on weelicious for free anytime!
And as always, tag me on social media if you make any of these recipes or have school lunch and snack time questions!
Anything with cheese or hummus is a big win for us!
My kids favorite was shredded apple mixed with peanut butter; spread on bread, crackers, tortillas, and used as dip for pretzels or celery sticks.
Trail mix;yum!!
Love gogo squeeze for vacation snacks on the go or for an after school snack!
Avocado toast cut in mini squares.
We love your banana dog bites too!
My kids love small cubes of colby jack cheese with pretzel stick used as toothpicks.
Almond butter crackers
Anything with peanut butter!
One of my family”s favorite snacks is cottage cheese with cherry tomatoes and hemp seeds sprinkled on top. Yum!!
Homemade trail mix.
Cheese sticks or grapes
Favorite snack pretzels with some type of dip
My favorite snack is ice cream or apple with peanut butter.
My boys love Gogo squeezes
great ideas. will try some of the ones i hadn’t thought of before. we love gogo squeeZ – i think my kids eat at least one fruit pouch a day for a snack, usually on the go 🙂
Thanks for reminder of putting fruit on a stick. It looks yummier than a few chunks! I will add pea pods to her lunch!