• Cold Nachos
  • Top a tortilla with cheesy salsa (mix one part salsa with two parts cream cheese) and shredded cheese to make a Mexican pizza-style, nacho-flavored delight!
• Pizza kebabs
  • Use bamboo skewers to combine favorite pizza toppings such as pepperoni slices, summer sausage cubes, mozzarella cheese cubes, bell pepper chunks, olives, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, red onion chunks, and grape tomatoes–because everyone loves pizza!
• Veggies and dip. Precut veggies including carrot sticks, cucumber rounds, bell pepper slices, jicama sticks, zucchini rounds, and celery sticks so they are easily accessible. Then try one of these easy and tasty dipping options, some of which kids can make on their own!
  • Kids can easily mix this mayonnaise-based vegetable dip to enjoy with the veggies of their choice.
  • For an Asian flair, kids can mix up this vegan paleo “peanut” sauce,which is especially tasty with carrots!
  • Sour cream dip is always a family favorite. Kids can combine sour cream with fresh herbs (parsley, dill or chives are good choices), a pinch of sugar, fresh squeezed lime juice, salt and pepper and a bit of cream cheese for a versatile dip for any veggie.
  • Kids can make easy guacamole by mashing an avocado with a fork and mixing in a tablespoon or so of their favorite salsa. For a creamier option, add in a little mayo.
  • Everyone loves Mexican 7 Layer Dip, and kids can make their own version by layering canned refried beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
• Cucumber boats with spiced yogurt
  • Halve a small cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Mix plain Greek yogurt with a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a dash of cumin in a small bowl, then spread into hollowed cucumbers.
• Ham rollers
  • Top an apple wedge or melon cube with a slice of cheese, then wrap in half a slice of deli ham for a protein-rich snack with a burst of fruity flavor.
• Pretzel wands
  • Dip a pretzel stick in nut butter and roll in chopped dried fruit and nuts for a magical snack!
• Cucumber “sandwiches”
  • Stack squares of sliced cheese and deli meat between two slices of cucumber for an easy and delicious snack. Add a smear of herbed cream cheese for some extra flavor.

• Trail mix
  • The best part of trial mix is that your kids can choose the ingredients so it really tempts their taste buds. A general rule-of-thumb ratio for trail mix is 1 part nuts, 1 part dried fruit, ½ part seeds, ½ part “other” (dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, cacao nibs, small candies, pretzels, popcorn, rice puffs, granola, crackers, etc.). And don’t forget to season your trail mix with herbs and spices like cayenne pepper, garlic/onion powder, curry powder, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, etc.
• Banana rounds with nut butter
  • Kids can use a butter knife or plastic knife to slice bananas into rounds and then top with a dollop of their nut butter of choice and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Snack/breakfast bars.Although these recipes do not require baking, they call for the use of a food processor so will require adult supervision.Making these over the weekend can be a great family project that everyone can enjoy tasting throughout the week!
  • Try these no-bake date and nut based snack bars from Super Healthy Kids.com.
  • If a bite-sized portion is more to your liking, try these “cherry pie” date balls from Super Healthy Kids.com.
  • For blueberry muffin lovers, this easy recipe from Bless This Mess.com is a delicious and healthy option to try.
  • If you don’t like dates, this recipe for chocolate orange energy bites from Super Healthy Kids.com is a tasty option your family will be sure to love.
• Gummy fruit snacks
  • Gummy fruit snacks are often packed with sugar, artificial colors and flavors, with minimal real fruit. Fortunately,parents can make a healthier version at home. Use your child’s favorite frozen fruit to make healthy gelatin fruit snacks with this recipe.
• Apple dippers
  • Prepare apple slices in advance, and kids can dip them in nut butter,then roll them in sliced or chopped nuts, coconut shreds, or granola.
• Frozen yogurt
  • Fill silicone molds with your child’s favorite yogurt and then freeze until solid for a healthier cold treat!
  • This recipe for peanut butter, banana,yogurt popsicles from Super Healthy Kids.com provides protein (from the nut butter and yogurt) along with sweet banana for a healthier popsicle alternative.
• Fruit and cheese skewers
  • Weekend fruit and cheese preparation can allow kids to skewer their own favorite flavor combinations.
• PB&J
  • When all else fails, having the ingredients on hand for a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich can give kids a not-so-bad-for-them, easy-to-make, go-to snack.

With a little planning and preparation, we can avoid the dreaded “what is there to eat?” and keep kids’ snacking healthy all summer long. These snack ideas can also provide children with an opportunity to grow their food preparation skills and encourage age appropriate independence in the kitchen.

What are your favorite summertime snacks? Are there any healthy treats your kids love to make themselves? Share your ideas for creating a healthy summer break in the comments section below.

P.S. There are a lot of prepackaged “snack foods” available in the grocery store that can help when time or energy are running low. Just be sure to read the labels for added sugar, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and unhealthy fats. And to make things even easier, when you shop at Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage you won’t find any artificial colors, flavors,or preservatives, or partially hydrogenated fats in any product we sell.