A tired, hungry child comes running through the door after school, begging for something yummy – and new. Sound familiar? It’s tempting to let kids eat whatever is easiest and fastest, usually something microwavable or chock full of preservatives. But healthy snacks for kids are less difficult than you might imagine. Here are some quick, homemade, healthy snacks for kids that will feed the beast – and check the boxes on the food pyramid.

7 quick and healthy homemade snacks for kids

Granola bars

This recipe whips up into sweet, crunchy, and healthy food for kids, all at the same time; the oats are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and the honey satisfies the sweet tooth. Dried fruits and nuts can up the nutrition and satisfy individual kids’ preferences.

What’s more, kids can help make them. By making your own bars at home, you can actually control the ingredients; store-bought granola bars marketed as “healthy” are frequently full of refined flour and sugar, and are therefore barely more nutritious than a candy bar.

Total prep time: 40 minutes

Fruit smoothies

These breakfast smoothies work just as well in the afternoon and are some of the best quick snacks for kids who treat eating as a chore to get out of the way before they moving on to more interesting activities. The fruit will give your child essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, while the protein in the milk and nuts give them energy.

Total prep time: 10 minutes

Snack mix

There’s a reason this snack is associated with trekking; it’s packed with energy. You really don’t need a recipe. Just mix your kids’ favourite nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts) and dried fruits (apricots, raisins, plums, cranberries, coconut) and you’ve a bunch of homemade healthy snacks. It’s perfect for family movie night, as a good substitute for buttered popcorn.

Total prep time: 5 minutes

Egg crackers

These are protein-rich, crunchy snacks for kids who love their eggs. Grab some crackers, slice a hard-boiled egg, and add a slice of cheese. (Amul singles don’t count, sorry!) If you’re pressed for time, organize an assembly line and let the little ones work for their meal.

Total prep time: 10 minutes (+20 to boil and cool eggs)

Fruit skewers

There aren’t too many humans out there who don’t appreciate food on a stick. And the prettier the better. Pop chunks of your favourite fruits onto wooden skewers for this vitamin-rich fun-food.   If you feel like getting creative, you can cut the fruit into different shapes to turn snack time into a shapes-and-colors tutorial.

Total prep time: 30 minutes

Frozen yogurt popsicles

Need any-time healthy snacks for children who only crave ice cream? Blend some fruit into a syrupy consistency, mix with yogurt, and freeze in a popsicle mould. But skip the sugar —  fruit is sweet enough (and your kids shouldn’t be eating refined sugar, anyway).

But there is a downside to these healthy snacks for kids: They’re not quick. The pops have to set for at least eight hours in order to freeze fully. The upside? Pops can be stored for a long time in the freezer without going bad, so make a big batch and relax.

Total prep time: 15 minutes (+8 hours in the freezer)

Lettuce wraps

Lettuce wraps are a messy snack to make, but the clean-up will be worth the nutritional upside. A lettuce leaf serves as the edible container for a filling of minced pork, or chicken and veggies. Kids will love the taste of these homemade healthy snacks as much as they will enjoy digging in sans cutlery. Want to up the health quotient and save time? Skip the sauce!

Total prep time: 30 minutes

Do snacks for kids seem less daunting now? Share your go-to recipes for healthy homemade snacks for kids in the comments!