My biggest advice about snacks and kids

One of my main pieces of advice around snacks and picky eaters is to center most snacks around “meal foods”. Those are the kinds of healthy foods that kids see at meals: Mostly whole foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and protein-rich foods like beans and nuts.

Don’t get me wrong: Packaged snack foods like chips and snack cakes are fine sometimes. We like them too! But when most snacks look like “meal foods”, kids are more likely to accept those same foods at the dinner table too.

How to use this list

Print out this list and post it on your fridge or have your kids circle the snacks that sound good to them, then put the items on your grocery list. Tap here for a list you can easily print.

Even better, older kids especially can make these easy snacks themselves, so they’re ideal for after school snacks (or evening snacks when you’ve cleaned up from dinner and declare yourself officially off-duty in the kitchen!). Many of these healthy snack ideas are also rich in nutrients that may be lacking in a typical child’s diet, such as fiber, potassium, and iron.

20 Cheap Healthy Snacks For Kids

Baked Potato: This is a perfect snack if your kid needs more filling between-meal fare. Older kids can easily microwave a potato (scrub the potato, pokes several holes in it with a fork, place on a paper towel and cook for about 8 minutes on HIGH). Or bake a few on Sunday to reheat during the week. Slice and top with shredded cheese, canned beans, salsa, steamed broccoli, butter, or sour cream. (And don’t worry if they don’t eat the skin–more than half of the potato’s fiber is actually in the flesh.)

Apples + Peanut Butter: Apples are one of the most inexpensive fresh fruit, especially if you’re flexible on variety and shop sales. They’re also high in fiber, so they’re filling. Slice and serve with a dish of peanut butter for dipping. Add a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips for fun.

Yogurt + Frozen Fruit: Opt for a large tub over small cups or tubes to save money and stir in defrosted frozen fruit. Or make Fro-Yo Bark: Spread vanilla yogurt on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Press sliced fresh or dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips into the yogurt. Freeze until firm and then break up into pieces to eat. Store leftovers in a container in the freezer.

Bowl of Whole-Grain Cereal: Need a cheap, ultra-fast afternoon snack? A bowl of cereal with milk costs, on average, 50 cents per serving, and it supplies nutrients kids need like iron and B vitamins. Look for cereals made with whole grains, since most kids don’t get enough. See what else I look for when reading nutrition labels on cereal.

Hard-Boiled Eggs: Even if you buy organic, they’re an affordable source of high-quality protein. One large egg has six grams of protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. (And remember, there are no significant nutritional differences between brown and white eggs.) Here’s how to make hard-boiled eggs in your Instant Pot.

Oatmeal or Oat-Based Snacks: Beyond breakfast, a bowl of oatmeal can be a nutritious snack too. Or use oats as the base for your own homemade energy bites and bar. Some healthy options: Here’s a recipe for Homemade Chocolate Granola Bars that are healthier versions of the boxed kind and a recipe for (banana-free!) Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars. All varieties of oats (including instant) are 100 percent whole grain and high in fiber.

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips + Guacamole: Make your own chips from corn tortillas, a little bit of olive oil, and seasonings. It’s also a healthier alternative to store-bought chips. Here’s how to make your own crispy corn tortilla chips and here’s my recipe for No-Fuss Guacamole that finally got my kids eating avocados.

Fruit Smoothie with Banana, Canned Pineapple + Spinach: Yes, you can use canned fruit in a smoothie! It’s economical and because it’s canned, it’s easy to always have on hand. Use the 100% fruit juice it’s packed in to sweeten the smoothie. Here’s my recipe for a Starter Green Smoothie For Kids.

Shredded Carrot Salad: Buying a large bag of whole carrots is often cheaper than baby carrots. They’re also better for making carrot salad–which is simply shredded carrots tossed with your kid’s favorite dressing. You can also dot it with dried cranberries or raisins for extra sweetness (or sunflower seeds for crunch). Carrots are a rich source of vitamin A, a nutrient important for the immune system.

Toast with Seed Butter + Strawberries: Fancy toast is trendy! Just toast a slice of whole grain bread, spread with nut or seed butter, and top with sliced strawberries or bananas. For a sweeter version, dot a slice of peanut butter toast with a spoonful of mini chocolate chips.

Frozen grapes: They’re a perfect one-ingredient frozen treat: Rinse, de-stem, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and lay them flat in your freezer. They taste like little bites of sorbet! Throwing a few into a smoothie is also a great way to add a burst of sweetness. (Note: Whole grapes are a choking hazard for children under the age of 4. Cut grapes into halves or quarters for young kids before freezing, then defrost them a bit so they soften before serving.)

Popcorn: This is one of my kids’ favorite snacks, and a bag of popcorn kernels is affordable (and makes a ton!). Popcorn is also a natural whole grain food, and it’s rich in fiber. In one study, kids and grown-ups who regularly ate popcorn consumed 250 percent more whole grains and about a quarter more fiber than those who didn’t snack on it. Here’s my fool-proof recipe for stovetop popcorn. Sprinkle on salt and parmesan cheese. (Note: Popcorn is a choking hazard for kids under the age of 4.)

Homemade Hummus with Veggies: A can of chickpeas, some olive oil (a healthy fat), and seasonings are all you need to make your own batch of fresh hummus. Serve with raw veggies or wedges of pita bread for dunking. Get my simple hummus recipe.