My kids snack constantly in the summer, but rather than purchasing snacks from the store, which are often filled with sugar and other non-essential ingredients we prefer to limit, it pays to come up with some clever healthier alternatives to have on hand.
With a little advanced planning, you can have quick and easy snack ideas for at home use or on-the-go alternatives. Here are six fast snack ideas to inspire a healthier snack time this summer:
Apple slices and cheese – It sounds so simple and so basic but it’s always a hit. Add a few whole grain crackers and even some slices of ham and you have a well-rounded and healthy snack idea. Make it fun and use a small cookie cutter to cut the cheese into fun shapes.
Ants on a log – This is an old favorite and can be prepared two ways. The foundation of both preparations is celery sticks cut into two to three-inch lengths. Place natural peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese down the middle. Now top with raisins or chocolate chips – they’re the ants pants!
Gorp – Gorp stands for Good Old Raisins and Peanuts. However, you can give it any twist you like as many children are allergic or don’t like peanuts. Substitute dried fruit chips, whole grain cereal like Cheerios or Chex. Add a few chocolate chips or candies and your children have a high fiber snack they can eat by the handful. It’s also great for road trips and hiking excursions.
Fresh baked chips and salsa. Again there are two approaches to this tasty snack. You can use wonton wrappers or corn tortillas. With the wonton wrappers cut them into triangles. You’ll get two triangles per wrapper. Brush them with a little bit of sesame oil and sprinkle with salt. Place them in the oven at 350 degrees F for ten minutes. Watch them carefully. When they begin to brown at the edges they’re done. Let them rest for a few minutes to get crispy, then serve plain or with a fruit-based salsa or chutney.
If you’re using corn tortillas, cut them into squares, brush with vegetable oil and place in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes. Again, watch the time because they can get too dark very quickly. Serve with salsa.
Hummus. Hummus is a mixture of chickpeas and tahini (sesame paste). It’s generally made to taste. Begin with a can of chickpeas and a tablespoon of tahini. Add garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with vegetables to dip.
Alternatively, you can find many wholesome and organic varieties at your local grocery store. Try a roasted red pepper style, it’s our favorite!
Air-popped popcorn. Keep fresh popcorn on hand. You can buy it in bulk. Try using unsalted seasonings or a little Parmesan cheese as a topping and enjoy. If you don’t have one, you can usually find an air popper for under twenty dollars at your local retailer.
Kids love to snack and eat. With these six quick and easy ideas you can be sure they’re eating healthy too.
What snacks do you like to make at home?
