The 20 Best Snacks for Kids

When it comes to kids, I think they are precious but I don't have any at this time in my life (because I like to give them back to their parents lol ) but that's okay because I'm sure a lot of my readers do and I want to make sure that their little cherubs, devils, or heathens are taken care of health wise too!! So with that being said, I found this little article in Parents Magazine and thought it could be helpful to some of you who are struggling with picky eaters or for those of you who just need some inspiration or creativity in some snack foods for your kids.

Fruity Salsa

Your kids will love this fruity combination of tomatoes, cantaloupe, apples, and a hint of lime. If you want to tone down the heat, use just one seeded jalapeno or none at all. Packed with lycopene from the tomato, vitamins A and C from the melon, and fiber from the apple, this healthy and delicious snack is a big winner.  

After School Dip

Raisins have a lot of good things going for them such as fiber, potassium, and vitamins. Even if your picky eaters aren't going for a handful of raisins out of the box, here is a super yummy raisin snack they won't be able to pass up. Kids will love to dip and swirl apple wedges or carrot sticks for a healthy and delicious scoop of creamy covered raisins.

Ham and Cheese Crepes

 These little breakfast wonders will have your kids lining up at the stove for more!! Make a bunch and freeze them for the week! 

Nutty Fruit and Popcorn Mix

There is no end to the possibilities and options with this great mix. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 package (6 to 7 cup yield) plain microwave popcorn (I have an air popper so I use that with butter flavored cooking spray instead of real butter or oils) 
• Nonstick cooking spray 
• 2 - 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (or you can use the popcorn seasoning like white cheddar which only has 2 calories per 1/4 teaspoon) it comes in a bazillion different flavors. 
• 2 cups potato sticks (optional) 1 1/2 cups peanuts or almonds (or roasted Edamame - find it in the health food section) 
• 1 cup mixed dried fruit 

Directions:   Pop popcorn according to package directions. Pour popcorn into a very large bowl; coat lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle popcorn with Parmesan cheese; toss gently to coat. Stir in potato sticks, peanuts, and dried fruit.

source: Parents

Confetti Yogurt Pops

These are sooo pretty!!  You can use whatever kind of fruit that you want and for a little extra health kick, use a whole wheat pretzel stick instead of the white flour ones.  Make sure you give this to your child with a bowl and spoon too because if they lick it to hard, the pretzel might break and we don't want any body crying cuz their popsicle is on the floor! 

All you need are 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt ( or you can use toddler yogurt - less sugar) 1 cup assorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries) 5 pretzel rods, halved, or 10 baked snack stick crackers .  To Make It,  gently stir together the yogurt and fruit in a large bowl. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. (Dixie cups would be great!)  Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold or cup before serving. These will keep in the freezer for up to a month. Makes 6 pops.

Source: Parents 

Peanut Butter and Raspberry Pops

This sweet treat has plenty of protein and fiber

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 
• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt 
• 1 cup reduced-fat milk 
• 2 - 4 tablespoons honey, divided 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries 
• 2 cups raspberry juice or raspberry juice blend 
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional) 

To make these yummy frozen delights:

1. Combine peanut butter, yogurt, milk, 2 tablespoons honey, and vanilla in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Pour peanut-butter mixture into eight 6- to 7-ounce paper cups or pop molds until they're one-third full. Cover and freeze for 1 hour. Cover and chill remaining peanut-butter mixture until needed.
3. Stir together raspberries and juice, divide among the cups or molds, and insert sticks. Cover and freeze for an hour. Then fill with remaining peanut-butter mixture and freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm.
4. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes before unmolding. If you want, spoon honey around the rims and sprinkle on sesame seeds.

Recipe adapted from Parents Magazine Online  Photo by Emily Brooke Sandor. 

Rueben Potato Skins

okay..okay... I know...I know...this is SUPPOSED to be a blog about HEALTHY foods BUT....I saw these fabulous looking little things sitting on a web page and they looked so lonely and I thought I just HAD to share it with you guys! Besides....ONE little tater skin never killed anyone right?? 

(yes, that's my excuse to eat one!) 

Homemade Fruit Popsicles

 HOMEMADE FRUIT POPSICLES!! YUM YUM YUM! 

These easy peasy popsicles are bursting with fruity yumminess - All you have to do is pour some Capri Sun (whatever flavor you like best) into a popsicle mold, then add your favorite cut up fresh fruit then freeze! These would be great for the kids and a great conversation treat for that summer BBQ! 

BBQ Ranch Salad

This High in protein and low in fat BBQ Ranch Salad will have your

 family actually WANTING salad for lunch! 

Healthy Boardwalk Chili Corndogs

Rachel Ray's Healthy Boardwalk Chili Corndogs

This is a great video from Food Network's Rachael Ray.  Like she says in the video, what else could make a corndog any yummier than a Chili Corndog!! 

Interesting Italian BLT's

The brilliant method of toasting BLTs in a coating of crispy bread crumbs takes these sandwiches from satisfying to spectacular. Joyce Moul - York Haven, PA

I titled this post as Interesting Italian BLT's because I would have NEVER thought to use Italian dressing   (instead of butter) or bread crumbs to make it crispy!! YUMMO! 

Open Faced Meatball Sandwich

YES.......THIS IS UNDER 300 CALORIES!! WHOOO HOOOOO!! GO MEAT! 

Portobello Pockets

Oh Lord!! This is Heaven in a Pita!! I absolutely LOVE Portobello mushrooms! They are so meaty and rich, you don't even miss the "meat" in these!  After 30 minutes of prep time and marinating these overnight, Tomorrow's lunch will be fantastic! And to make it even better.... You can have TWO of these bad boys for only 272 calories!

Quinoa Wilted Spinach Salad Recipe

Get all the nutritious benefits of quinoa, spinach and cranberries paired with the crunchy texture of nuts in this easy and scrumptious salad. A light, flavorful dressing splashed with citrus tops everything off! 

Sharon Ricci - Mendon, New York. 

Quinoa - To Eat or Not to Eat. That is the question!

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)

Like the blog title states, To eat or Not to eat???  In my hunt for healthy recipes for this blog, I keep hearing Quinoa, Quinoa, Quinoa and kept thinking  - what in  the world is it and what do you do with it? So I did a little research and wanted to explain a little bit what this mysterious ingredient is for those of you that don't know either (which was me right before I posted this). To be honest, I have not tried it before so I'm eager to cook with it - I would love to hear your opinions about it too!! But, from what I read,  Quinoa is usually considered to be a whole grain, it is actually a seed from a plant that is similar to spinach, beets and swiss chard, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barley.  They say that you can use it instead of rice, so it might be pretty good for a veggie stir-fry. 

I've read that #1, it takes less time to cook than other whole grains. #2 it supposedly tastes great on it's own, or you can add a little bit of olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice and that's supposed to be real good! And finally #3, of all the whole grains, quinoa has the highest protein content, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans.  

Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free, and it's kosher for Passover, and is almost always organic. To cook quinoa: Prepare quinoa as you would prepare rice. Cover it with water or vegetable broth and boil until soft, about 15 minutes. Or, place 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water in your rice cooker. 

Nutritional content of quinoa: According to CalorieCount, 1/3 cup of cooked quinoa has 160 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. You can find it in the bulk bins or the baking aisle of natural foods stores, or find it online.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF QUINOA 

• High In Protein: Quinoa is equipped with all 8 amino acids making it a complete protein. That makes Quinoa a great addition to a vegetarian diet but is also a low-fat protein for meat lovers. 

• Gluten Free: Because it is not a grain and not related to wheat, Quinoa is a fantastic grain alternative for those with gluten sensitivities or allergies. It can be used as a flour in baked goods or in its seed form. Its nutty flavor is a fantastic addition to a morning muffin or banana bread. 

• Reduces Blood Pressure: Quinoa is a rich source of magnesium which is a vasodilator and helps to lower blood pressure. 

• Reduces Migraines: The same vasodilator effect that lowers blood pressure also decreases and treats migraine headaches. 

• Great Source Of Fiber: One of Quinoa’s most redeeming qualities is its fiber content. This nutritional grain alternative has 3 grams of fiber per cup. Fiber lowers cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar, squashes hunger and improves colon health.