When it comes to sneaking nutrients into our kids' snacks, there are a number of ways to "hide" fiber-rich and protein-packed fruits and veggies.
This is especially important nowadays, where brightly packaged snack foods are filled with refined carbohydrates, corn syrups and synthetic colors. These might be tasty and easy to grab, but do they have any real nutritional value? Not really.
Healthy eating doesn't have to be all green colors and earthy flavors. Simply adding a creative spin can make a world of difference for young, picky eaters.
The old adage "don't play with your food" doesn't apply here. We listed a handful of eats that are savory, sweet and downright cute for your little one to try at home or on the go.
Butternut Squash Cheese Straws
The best place to start sneaking in nutrients is with the ingredients you know your kids already love. Few things are more popular with kids than bread and cheese! Take grilled cheese, quesadillas and mac-n-cheese for example—this recipe has a little twist by adding butternut squash to these fan-favorite ingredients. Your kids will find them hard to resist, and you'll rest easy knowing they're getting their nutrients, too! Click here for more.
Carrot Star Bites
This snack is complete with four simple, savory and nutrient-rich ingredients: carrots, eggs, oat flour and cheese. Once prepared, they can be easily stored in the freezer for a quick, easy-prep, anytime treat. You might even find it hard to resist this savory little "cookie" of a snack yourself. Click here to learn how to prepare this grab-and-go favorite.
Peanut Butter Honey Yogurt Dip
Easy to make and even easier to eat, this recipe calls for three simple ingredients: peanut butter, honey and yogurt. This protein-packed dip with a light sweetness is the perfect pairing for fruits, veggies, or even whole-grain snacks. Click here for the simple "how-to" on preparing a dish of this kid-friendly dip.
Banana Ice Cream
What's the secret to this recipe? Don't throw away those old, spotted bananas! With only one ingredient, this "ice cream" creates the perfect desert substitute or afternoon snack, and better yet, there's no added sugar. You'll love having this on hand to help curb your child's sweet tooth while making sure they're getting nutrients with every bite. Click here for this easy recipe.
Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Yes, you read that correctly: avocados in pudding! Avocados are vitamin rich and full of good fats and fibers. Sneaking some avocado into your child's snacks can be a challenge though, given that they're green. That's where the chocolate comes in—it masks what some kids might detect as a bitter flavor and resolves the green color issue entirely. Even better: This pudding's texture comes from Greek yogurt (full of protein), and it's lightly sweetened with an unrefined sugar (maple syrup). Click here to learn how to prepare this flavorful treat.
Owl Rice Cakes
From the whole grain and fruit fibers, to the nutrient-rich toppings including blueberry antioxidants and potassium-rich bananas, these fancy rice cakes are sure to please. They're tasty, healthy and oh-so-cute! Allow your creativity to flow and have your kids help you put them together for some fun family moments in the kitchen. Click here to learn more about how to prepare this snack.
Critter Crudites
We've all lined our celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, but what you'll find here by Good Housekeeping blows that old recipe out of the water—tasty snails and caterpillars for the win! Held together with protein-rich peanut butter or cream cheese, these fresh ingredients are not just colorful, they're yummy! Click here for more.
Carrot Cucumber Coins
Your little one might snub the plain carrot or celery slices on their plate, but what if they're irresistible to pick up? This recipe calls for no more than a few small cookie cutters to turn your everyday vegetable slices into a point of intrigue on your child's plate. Once they have the veggies in their hands, it's a matter of time before they're won over on the taste. Click here to learn how to make this healthy, fun-filled morsel.
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