Tips for Healthy Grab-and-Go Snacks

Life gets busy, especially for families! With three kids, my family is constantly moving between school, sports, and other activities during the week and on weekends.

Having healthy snacks to grab on the go is essential for staving off hunger! Try putting together a basket of shelf-stable snack items your children can choose from. Keep some of them in your car or near the door for easy, always-ready access. Ideas include:

• Fresh fruit (clementines, apples, bananas)
• Turkey meat sticks 
• Whole grain and low-sodium crackers (my family loves Nut-Thins) 
• Whole grain pita chips 
• Fruit/vegetable applesauce pouches 
• Fruit cups (mandarin oranges, peaches, pears) 
• Freeze-dried or dehydrated fruit (mangoes, apples, strawberries)
• Popcorn 
• Rice cakes 
• Whole grain muffins 
• Trail mix
• Granola bars or granola bites 
• Olives 

You can do the same thing in your fridge and set aside a section for cold grab-and-go snacks. Some favorites in my house include:  

• Individual milk containers 
• Fresh fruit (blueberries, grapes, strawberries)
• Pre-peeled hard-boiled eggs 
• Yogurt or yogurt smoothies 
• Cottage cheese 
• Avocado/guacamole mini cups 
• Hummus cups 
• Cheese sticks 
• Fresh veggies (baby carrots, peppers, cucumbers, snap peas)

If you have time, you can also make some grab-and-go snacks at home. Try these simple cookies or yogurt bites to keep things interesting!

Oatmeal Snack Cookies (Makes 6 to 8)

Ingredients:

2 large, ripe bananas 
1 cup quick oats 
⅓ cup chocolate chips 

Directions:  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Place bananas in a medium bowl and mash. Add oats and chocolate chips and mix thoroughly.
4. Spoon onto a lined baking sheet and mold the cookies with your fingers.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Crunchy Creamy Tasty. 

Frozen Banana Yogurt Bites (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
⅔ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
Handful of dried banana chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Lay out approximately 12 silicone or reusable muffin holders on a small baking sheet or tray. Check that the size will fit in your freezer.
2. Peel the banana and mash it in a bowl with a fork until most of the lumps are gone.
3. Add the yogurt and whisk together.
4. Using a spoon, scoop the banana mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup until it’s all evenly divided. Top with banana chips or fresh banana slices.
5. Place the tray in the freezer and leave to freeze for a couple of hours until it is set.
6. Once frozen, remove from muffin cups and serve, or put them in a resealable bag and store in the freezer to enjoy later.

Whether you’re packing snacks for school, sports, or weekend outings, a little prep can make busy days easier. As a reminder, always consider potential risks such as the shape, size, texture, and temperature of food, and known allergens before serving any of these foods to young children.