Great post of healthy food and snack options!!

I found this great blog post about some new and different healthy food and snack options for children and wanted to pass it along to you! 

I always enjoy trying new foods and incorporating new healthy options in our meal planning! I hope you will find something new to try!

Enjoy!! I know we will certainly be adding a lot of these ideas to our eating plans!

Blessings,

Aria:)

From Code Name:Mama--thank you!!

 Find it here!

Vegetables

1. Fresh veggies (our favorites are edamame, carrots, and broccoli, but also think about things like snap peas, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, etc.)
2. Steamed veggies (we love broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans)¹
3. Pico de Gallo or salsa and chips
4. Dehydrated veggie chips
5. Baba ghanoush dip with raw veggies
6. Veggie kabobs (serve them on a skewer!)
7. Veggie pizza: slice tomato or eggplant, top with mushrooms, cheese, cooked/sliced carrots, spinach, and cheese, bake
8. Spinach and artichoke dip with veggies and chips
9. Stuffed mushrooms (stuff with tomatoes, cheese, spinach – whatever strikes your fancy!)

Fruits

1. Dried berries (blueberries, cherries, cranberries)
2. Dried fruit (apricots, prunes, figs)
3. Fruit leather
4. Homemade Larabars
5. Cubed melon (our favorites are watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and Crenshaw)
6. Deciduous fruits (our favorites are apples, pears, and plums)
7. Vine fruits (grapes, kiwi, etc.)
8. Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
9. Citrus fruits (oranges, clementines, grapefruits)
10. Frozen fruits (blueberries, chocolate covered bananas, halved grapes)
11. Whole wheat tortilla with cream cheese or peanut butter, topped with fruit, rolled up and cut into slices
12. Roll bananas in yogurt, then oats; freeze
13. Fruit kabobs (serve them on a skewer!)

Protein

1. Hummus
2. Peanut butter and apples or celery (we use organic/no sugar added PB, it’s delicious! Add raisins for ants on a log.)
3. Almond butter on toast
4. Chickpeas
5. Hard boiled eggs
6. A whole wheat tortilla spread with peanut butter, topped with slices of banana, rolled up & cut into slices
7. Whole wheat tortilla with salsa or cream cheese, topped with slices of ham, turkey, etc., rolled and cut into slices
8. From “Pretend Soup,” mix peanut butter, applesauce, and cinnamon to desired consistency, then use as a dip.
9. Scrambled egg with spinach and mozzarella cheese

Milk

1. Individually wrapped string cheese
2. Block cheese cut up in bites
3. Cold grilled cheese sandwich
4. Yogurt (try plain yogurt mixed with sugar free fruit preserves)
5. Yogurt smoothies
6. Yogurt popsicles
7. Whole wheat tortilla sprinkled with cheese and your choice of toppings (pepperoni, turkey, mushrooms, etc.)
8. Cucumber yogurt (tzatziki) dip with pita squares
9. Cottage cheese with peaches or melon on top

Grains

1. Energy Balls
2. Dry cereal (no sugar/HCFS added)
3. Rice cakes
4. Whole grain muffins (use bananas, applesauce, etc.)
5. Granola with yogurt

Fats

1. Avocado slices
2. Guacamole with pita chips
3. Nuts (cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, mixed nuts)
4. Trail mix: nuts, dried berries, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, etc.
5. Nut Butter Balls: 1 tbsp. almond or peanut butter, 1 tbsp. coconut oil, 1 tbsp. flaxseed meal, 1 tbsp. coconut flakes, 1 tsp. honey, dash salt, and oatmeal added to desired consistency (you can play with this recipe for your desired taste, here’s a good one at Be Present Mama)

Presentation Ideas

To help entice picky eaters, try one of these fun serving suggestions:

1. Use swizzle sticks
2. Let kids practice with chop sticks
3. Try a fun Bento box
4. Serve several snacks in a muffin tin (Muffin Tin Mom has some great ideas for muffin tin snacks, and a weekly link-up where you can share your own ideas every Monday!)
5. Give your toddler lots of little treats in an ice cube tray
6. Let the spin their snacks on a Lazy Susan
7. Try cutting sandwiches, pancakes, or tortilla snacks using cookie cutters
8. Kabob it: serve healthy snacks on a skewer
9. Let them play with it: have kids build sculptures out of their veggies, make mountains out of fruits, etc.
10. Let them help! Kids are more likely to take interest and ownership of something they’ve helped make