With the summer holidays upon us, that means more time with hungry kids in the house requesting snacks! So in this blog, I wanted to share 10 easy snack recipes to keep your kids satisfied and nourished this Summer!
Of course, shop bought snacks can be a really convenient option too, but I’m often asked about easy snacks that can be made at home, as parents may be looking to cut back on processed foods a little more. So in this blog, I’ve included some of my recipes for homemade alternatives to some popular shop-bought snacks!
For more on what the recommendations for snacks for babies and young children are, check out this blog.
Peanut butter and Banana Muffins
These muffins are a great, nutrient-rich snack option that are ideal for making in bulk to stock up your freezer.
Get the recipe for these baby and toddler friendly peanut butter and banana muffins here. For another sweet muffin recipe, try these baby friendly oatie blueberry muffins.
Blueberry Baked Oats
These were originally written as a breakfast recipe, but they make a perfect snack as well. They can be prepared in advance, freeze well and then they’re ready for a quick snack at home or on the go!
Serve them with a dollop of yoghurt, some nut butter and some milled seeds
Get the recipe for these blueberry baked oats here.
Banana Bread
This no added sugar banana bread is a perfect for making ahead and freezing. The kids love it, and it’s easy to add extra nutrients too – e.g. sprinkle some ground nuts or milled seeds into the batter and serve alongside some yoghurt and nut butter, or a glass of milk for a balanced snack.
Fritters
Fritters have always been a favourite go-to snack in our household. I love experimenting with different flavour combinations, and they’re a perfect way to use up veg that you’re not sure what to do with! They’re also a perfect snack that work well for babies, toddlers and older kids too!
Try these easy fritter recipes – courgette fritters, spinach fritters and carrot and sweetcorn fritters.
Energy Balls
These no-bake, no-added sugar energy balls are a super nutrient-dense snack, that are really easy to prepare and are ideal for a quick, nourishing snack for hungry kids!
You can easily experiment with the ingredients to use up what you have or to use flavour combinations you prefer.
Oatcakes
Oatcakes have always been one of my favourite snacks for the kids, but I do find shop-bought versions to be a little high in salt. This homemade oatcake recipe is ideal for everyone, from babies to adults.
They make a great base for toppings such as cream cheese, avocado, tinned fish or to dip into hummus, yoghurt or any of your other favourite dips.
Veggie Muffins
Savoury muffins can be a great way to add a little extra veg into your kids’ meals, and to use up any leftover veg you have. They can also make a perfectly balanced snack all in one and are great for freezing and getting out in a rush!
These veggie breakfast muffins work well as a breakfast and as a snack.
Leftover porridge muffins
This is one of my favourite ways to use up leftover porridge! My kids love porridge, and whenever I have some leftover, I make these super simple porridge fingers or muffins to whip them out as a snack another time!
To make them, I simply mix a little milk into the leftover porridge (sometimes I add an egg or some mashed banana if it needs thickening up) to loosen the mixture a little, spoon into muffin cases and bake for around 15-20 minutes at 180℃.
For ideas for mixing up your porridge, try my top porridge picks.
Homemade chips and dip
Tortilla chips and dip are a really simple, crowd-pleasing snack, and they can be so easy to make at home as well.
In this blog I share an easy recipe for homemade guacamole and tortilla chips. You can switch up the dips for whatever you prefer – we love a tomato salsa, or yoghurt with a little cucumber and lemon works well too!
Toast and toppings
And finally, a really simple snack that doesn’t require a recipe! This is always my back-up when I really can’t think of anything or don’t have anything else. I do love to experiment with different toppings, and always add a side of fruit or veg to make a more balanced snack.
Try these 10 easy and healthy sandwich fillings for a quick and easy snack that is perfect for taking on teh go as well!
I hope you’ve found these snack ideas helpful to get you through the hectic Summer! For plenty more snack ideas, check out my no-cook snacks for kids, 7 days of snacks for babies and children as well as my blog on adding extra nutrients to kids’ snacks.