If you have picky eaters in your house like I do, you know the struggle of getting them to eat something relatively healthy and make them forget about the junk they usually beg for. These simple snacks are healthy(ish) and actually taste like something they want! All of these recipes have been tested by my own picky eater (who insisted she MUST be featured!) and hopefully will pass your picky eater's test too.
1. Apple slice "donuts"
These apple slices only LOOK like they're going to give your kid a cavity. The only "junk" on them are the sprinkles. Plus, they're something you can make with your kiddos as a fun after school activity. The only ingredients you will need are:
Apple slices (I prefer gala but whatever type your family enjoys will work)
Vanilla yogurt
Food coloring
Sprinkles
The instructions are pretty straight forward. Core the apple then slice so you have medium thickness rounds. Then mix the yogurt with the food coloring to make whatever crazy colors your kids want, spread on the slices, then sprinkle away!
**Bonus tip! If you want "chocolate donuts", Nutella spread is an excellent alternative to the yogurt!
This was my little one's favorite, hands down! She loved mixing the colors and doing the sprinkles. The Nutella were a bigger hit than the yogurt, but she's a big chocolate lover!
2. Honey Caramelized Banana Slices
This is another easy peasy way to get kids to eat more fruit! All you'll need for this is:
Peeled and sliced banana
Honey
Cooking spray
Simply coat a pan with the cooking spray, get to medium heat (make sure it doesn't get too hot or the honey will scorch and turn bitter and the bananas will stick), dump the bananas in, drizzle with honey and stir. Heat until you see a caramel color crust start to form on the bananas, then transfer to a plate to cool.
****Side note, if you feel like taking these goodies to an "unhealthy but really delicious treat" level, put them on top of some vanilla ice cream while they're still hot and drizzle with chocolate or more honey. Not that I would do that after my kid goes to bed or anything like that ***
3. Pizza Toast
Do your kids like savory snacks over sweet ones? This is a great after school snack for them that will keep them held over until dinner. All you need for this snack is:
Whole wheat bread (white bread is too soft and will become soggy)
Pizza sauce
Lowfat Mozzarella cheese
Mini pepperonis
Simply place the bread on a cookie sheet (cover the sheet with parchment paper if you want minimal clean up) in an oven on broil for about 3-5 minutes to pre-toast it. Once your bread is crisped up, spread the sauce, sprinkle the cheese and add the pepperonis. Then place back into the oven on broil until the cheese is melty and gooey.
This recipe can also be used to an easy supper component. These little toasts go great with a salad, soup or a side of steamed veggies tossed in olive oil and Parmesan!
4. Frozen Yogurt Fruit Plate
These lovely little treats are a great sweet snack and look like the candy your kids want. They're fairly easy to make and can be customized to suit your little one's tastes. All you will need is:
Grapes (green or red, both are tasty)
Strawberries
Vanilla yogurt
Toothpicks
Parchment paper of silicone baking sheet
Toppings to roll the grapes in (most recipes I found suggest chia seeds, but who are they kidding? Kids won't touch that bird food.) I would suggest Oreo crumbles, graham cracker crumbs, mini chocolate chips or the ever versatile sprinkle. Just a tiny bit of what they love will encourage them to eat it and it's not enough to really matter.
The instructions are simple, it just requires a little forethought. Stab the grapes with the skewers, dip them in the yogurt, roll them in the desired toppings, and place on a cookie sheet (covered with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet if you have one to prevent sticking) and place in the freezer. Same with the strawberries, but they require no skewers. I also added a bit of pink food coloring to our yogurt to make it a little bit more fun. It should take about an for the yogurt to solidify.
5. Banana Sushi Roll
This recipe is as easy as it is cute!! It's full of stuff your kids love, looks delicious and can be used for a snack or a healthy dessert the whole family will devour. To make is all you need is:
Banana, sliced (you'll need multiple if you have more than two munching on it)
Caramel syrup, strawberry syrup or honey
Any kind of healthy toppings your kiddos want to put on it. (examples: mini chocolate chips, Oreo crumbles, diced fruit, graham cracker crumbs, coco or fruity pebbles, rice krispies, etc)
This snack is also a great way for kids to practice with chopsticks! My little one is eager to learn but gets frustrated when we're at a restaurant, so this is a great way to practice at home!
6. Berry "Cheesecake" Crackers
My kid has a real thing for cream cheese. The girl loves it. So, this recipe was a "big duh" as she would put it. There are only three ingredients:
Cream cheese (we use a lowfat Neufchâtel alternative, she can't tell the difference)
You child's favorite fruit jelly or preserves (strawberry)
Some graham crackers
Just mix the jelly with some softened cream cheese in a bowl, spread on the graham crackers and boom, you're done. It almost seems like a healthy snack that kids willingly eat should be more involved, but its not. Which is awesome.
7. Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
This is another great after school snack or lunch box filler! The recipe is a little more involved but once finished, it's a great snack that you can just grab and go. You will need:
Cereal, 3 1/2 cups
Peanut Butter, 1/2 cup
Honey, 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp
In a saucepan, heat up the honey and peanut butter until smooth and a little runny. Remove from heat and add in vanilla
Stir in the cereal and transfer to an 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet
Place in the fridge for at least an hour.
Cut and serve or store in zip lock bags
****Bonus tip- this recipe works well with Nutella, almond butter or any other nut butter your kiddos like.
8. Pickle Roll Ups
This snack is a staple at our house. The only thing my kid loves more than pickles is telling you how much she loves pickles. She even painted a picture of a pickle for her Colonel (her name for my Dad) to hang on his and Gigi's fridge because they both share a love for those crunchy, sour treats. This recipe requires no cooking and only a few chops. You will need:
Dill pickles (she likes the baby dills, but spears work just as well)
Nitrate free ham
Baby bell spreadable cheese
Simply take the ham slice, spread some baby bell cheese on the slice, cut a pickle in half, place it on the ham and roll it up! It's basically a sandwich or wrap with no bread! You can substitute for any kind of lunch meat or spreadable cheese to suit your picky one's tastes.