4 Homemade Snacks Your Kids Will Love

Let’s face it – kids can be a little picky about what they eat. Whether they’re refusing to try new things or just suddenly not interested in an old favorite, making food your kids will actually eat can sometimes be anyone’s game. With all the time and effort that you put into cooking, the last thing you want to do is fight with your kids about eating it. If you have a picky eater – or even an adventurous one – try these four tasty snack recipes. They are quick and easy to make, and your kids are sure to love them.

Very Berry Fruit Smoothie

Smoothies are a great way to keep cool as we move into the hotter summer months. They can also be a healthier alternative to calorie dense ice cream! Remember, if your child doesn’t like some of the ingredients, you can always just substitute them for another fruit.

What you’ll need:

1 cup frozen strawberries
½ cup blueberries (fresh tastes better than frozen for these, but either will work)
½ banana
1 container (5.3oz) Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt is low fat and will make the smoothie thicker, but any yogurt will work)

After washing any fresh fruit that you may be using, just throw all the ingredients into a food processor or blender, puree until smooth, and enjoy! Smoothie leftovers can be stored in the freezer for later.

Plain Jane Hummus

A somewhat surprising kid pleaser – this classic Mediterranean snack is packed with protein to keep the kids full until dinner. Kids love the savory taste, and what’s best is that you can add different ingredients like garlic, onions, or red peppers, to this Plain Jane recipe and easily make your own hummus. A food processor is especially helpful for this one, because they have different blades and settings to let you control the consistency.

What you’ll need:

2 15oz cans of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp tahini (this is a paste of ground sesame seeds- super easy to make but can also be bought)
Water (add slowly as hummus blends until you reach the desired thickness)

Just throw all the ingredients into a blender or food processor, hit puree, and slowly add the water as it blends. Stop adding water when it reaches the consistency of thick batter. Enjoy with veggies or whole wheat pita!

PBJ Apple-wiches

This cute spin on the classic PB&J is a great way to trick your kids into eating more fruit! Any type of apple works, and while the recipe calls for regular peanut butter and jelly you can easily use any spreads your kids like.

What you’ll need:

Apples (1 apple will make approx. 3 apple-wiches)
Peanut butter
Jelly

Turn the apple on its side and cut off the bottom and top where the stem is. Slice it into 6 even slices and carefully cut out the apple core of each slice. Slather with peanut butter and jelly and enjoy!

Side note: For a little extra pizzazz, you can use a small cookie cutter to remove the apple core from each slice!

Sandwich sushi

Improve your kid’s chopstick skills with this fun take on sandwiches! This works with any sandwich and is a good finger food for on the go (or for anyone who is still honing their chopstick skills).

What you’ll need:

Your kids favorite sandwich

Take the sandwich and press it flat. You want it to be as even as possible – you can use a rolling pin for this if you have one, or just flatten it with your hands. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the sandwich into inch wide strips. Roll the strips up, and you’re ready to go! If the sandwich sushi doesn’t want to stay together, you can always stick a toothpick through it until they’re ready to eat.

What types of snacks do your kids enjoy most?