9 Really Easy And Healthy Snack Ideas For Busy Families

If you’re looking for some easy and healthy snack ideas, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve scoured my recipe books, my fridge, and the internet to find some great treats that everyone should love: you, your friends, and your family. Let’s dig in!

Easy And Healthy Snack Ideas The Whole Family Will  Love

It's really easy to eat unhealthy, so if you want to avoid binging on greasy, fatty, calorie-laden snacks, it would be a great idea to make some plans.

A few weeks ago, I shared many healthy breakfast ideas, so you might want to look there for some easy breakfast ideas. Start your day right with one of my healthy breakfast recipes for busy mornings:

• asparagus and mushrooms omelet
• spinach and red pepper frittata
• gluten-free oatmeal pancakes
• cheesy grits
• snickerdoodle coffee cake

And now let's look at a few favorite healthy snacks you can eat any time of the day, when the munchies attack. I share a bit of everything: savory snacks, sweet snacks for those with a sweet tooth, gluten-free snacks, high-protein snacks, all healthy snacks made with wholesome ingredients so you have a healthy alternative to the snacks that aren't good for you.

I suggest you take time once a week (weekends work best for most people) to do go grocery shopping and do some healthy meal prep.

• plain Greek yogurt
• sliced cheese
• healthy baked chips: I love kale chips I make with kale from my garden!
• fresh fruit: I love apples, bananas, citrus, and, of course, fresh berries (you can eat these "as is", or use them in smoothies and frozen treats, when you crave ice cream, but you'd rather eat real food
• almond butter
• peanut butter protein balls
• greens, such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, etc. so you can make an occasional green smoothie
• unsweetened almond milk (or any other milk you prefer) to add smoothness to your smoothies
• banana bread (you can slice it and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months
• dark chocolate chips
• fresh veggies, such as bell peppers, baby carrots, and celery sticks
• cream cheese (cottage cheese is good too!)
• granola bars
• hard-boiled eggs
• pumpkin seeds (sunflower seeds are great too!)
• green olives
• trail mix (great salty snack!)
• edamame hummus

1. Beet chips

 

 

When you and your family are home watching TV or relaxing with a good book, sometimes a potato chip craving sneaks up on you like a hungry snake. While store-bought baked chips are healthier than their deep-fried, greasy cousin, I’ve got a better option for you: beet chips.

You can buy Terra Chips at your local grocery or health food store, but sometimes it’s just cheaper to make your own. So here’s my secret recipe that I’ve adapted from the different trials in the kitchen.

Peel 5 to 8 assorted beets (I love mixing golden and red beets) and slice them up thin. Toss them in a splash of extra virgin olive oil and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some seasonings on them: I personally just like regular sea salt, but you can experiment by adding black pepper, cayenne pepper (if you like things spicy), and any other seasonings you particularly like. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Uncover, turn the pan, then bake for another 10 minutes, watching carefully so your ships don't burn.

2. Crackers, cheese, and fruits

When your kids come home from school and they're digging through your cupboards for some chocolate chip cookies, why not offer them some crackers fruits, and maybe a few slices of cheese?

Dried fruit often has some sugar added to them and canned fruit sits in preservatives and/or sugary syrup, so fresh or frozen fruit is often healthier.

3. Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil (YUM!)

If your man (or kids) are chomping at the bit for dinner and dinner isn’t quite ready yet, try this little appetizer. Slice some mozzarella and tomatoes and add a few leaves of basil from your garden. So yummy!

These are a great snack for kids with braces too!

4. ”Fancy” hors d’oeuvres

Want some easy hors d'oeuvres ideas for when the book club comes over? Cut some cherry tomatoes in half, spread on some goat cheese or sprinkle on some feta, and garnish with some fresh parsley on top.

Want something sweeter? Give them an antioxidant boost with some dark chocolate nut clusters. Melt some dark chocolate in the microwave. After it’s melted, toss in some roasted, unsalted nuts. Spread it out on some wax paper and let it cool and harden.

5. Ricotta with strawberries

If your husband is late for work (again) and doesn’t have time to sit for a healthy breakfast, just fix him up a bagel with ricotta and strawberries. Drizzle a little agave nectar on it and you’ve got a delectable breakfast treat that’s easy and quick.

6. Easy low-calorie snacks

If you’re counting calories, try these healthy snack ideas:

• 2 oz Honey and Maple Turkey Breast wrapped in 2 bread-and-butter pickles (80 calories)
• 4 stalks celery with 2 tablespoon Better'n Peanut Butter (124 calories)
• ¼ cup Trader Joe's Chili con Queso, 18 baked tortilla chips (140 calories)
• Half of a 1-oz container of M&M's Minis mixed with ⅓ cup of low-fat granola (145 calories)

I know that some of these snacks are over 100 calories but that’s around the caloric intake that you want for a snack. Remember that most of your calories should come from the food that you eat during a meal.

7. A tall skinny latte while you run your errands

If you need a pick-me-up while you are picking up some groceries or dry-cleaning, why not head over to Starbucks for a tall, skinny latte? It has a shot of calcium and protein without added sugar. Not to mention, the caffeine will give you a refreshing boost.

8. Air-popped popcorn

If you’re looking for a snack to eat with your family after dinner, try some air-popped popcorn. If you buy a bag of kernels (this baby Amish country popcorn is delicious!) instead of a box of microwave popcorn, you won’t get the nasty preservatives and fat content that come in those processed bags.

When you are distracted while you eat (like when you are watching TV or a movie) you are more likely to eat more. So measure out around 3 cups of air-popped popcorn and pour it in a bowl for yourself. If we’re talking “mindless snacking,” this is a lot healthier than a bag of chips.

9. Fruits and veggies

If you want to be even healthier, try a cup of baby carrots, or celery sticks with about 2 tablespoons of hummus.

If you’re craving sweets, melons can be a great snack. Melons are mostly water so you won’t be eating a lot of calories plus you’ll get some extra beta-carotene (from cantaloupe).

Another great fruit mixture is 1 cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt, and 1 teaspoon of honey (for some added sweetness).

These healthy snack ideas are great if you’re on the go. Prepackage the veggies or fruit in portion-sized baggies and place them in your crisper drawer for when your kid-approved after-school snacks or if you’re running out the door for soccer practice.

I hope you now have enough healthy snack ideas to keep you and your family happy until the next meal.