Healthy Snacks for Kids at School

When kids are hungry, there’s no time to waste. Here are a few tips for healthy snacks for kids to bring to school or simply grab and go when needed. These fun and healthy snacks for kids are super easy to make and can be made in a hurry.

Here are a few tips for healthy, kid-friendly snacks:

• Power with protein: Protein is a nutrient that will help kids keep hunger at bay—gram for gram it is more satisfying than carbohydrates or fat. And dairy is a great way to pump up the protein content of snacks. Lean meat (such as deli turkey roll ups), eggs, and nuts are all also smart snack ideas for kids. Kids love muffins and you can easily make your own egg based! For an added boost of protein try these kid-friendly Cheddar and Ham Savory Muffins. And make your own trail mix with some nuts and seeds for protein! 
• A Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie is packed for good-for-them nutrients (think: protein, potassium, calcium, and more!) yet it also tastes decadent and like a special treat thanks to creamy peanut butter and chocolate syrup. You’ll satisfy their cravings and feel good feeding them, too.
• Put healthy snacks at eye level. You’ve heard it before, but the thing is, it works: keep healthy snack choices ready to go and as visible as possible. This way your kids are more likely to grab them versus something else that’s less healthy, but easier to eat. Sometimes this means washing, cutting, and storing fresh veggies and fruits at eye level in the fridge. It can also look like making a healthy quick bread or muffins and storing them on the counter. Or, prepare and package a snack like cheese and meat sticks in advance and keep it at the ready so that your kids can easily help themselves. Try setting up this "Snacklebox" to have ready to go at snack time.
• Make a large batch: Cook a batch of these Chewy Granola Bars and pre-portion them into snack bags. Then simply throw one in their bag each morning.
• Customize to their liking: Everyone enjoys snacks that include all of their favorite things. When you meal plan, take time to get your kids involved in planning their healthy snacks. Or, take them with you to the grocery store and plan healthy snacks with them right there at the store. These Greek Yogurt Chewy Breakfast Cookies are easy to customize with their favorite mix-ins. Don’t let the name fool you - they’d make a great snack for school!
• Get creative: If they’re going straight to practice after school, you probably don’t have time to make them a fresh smoothie. Instead, whip up one of these Blueberry Cheesecake Smoothies the night before and stick it in the freezer. In the morning, pop it in a lunchbox and it will be thawed out and drinkable by the end of the day!

These healthy and fun snack ideas are super easy to make and take on the go! 

Get the kids involved in the snack prep. Giving them choices and having them help with school snacks is a recipe for success for healthy eating. Try these Cabot's recipe suggestions that kids can enjoy at school.

Strawberry Vanilla Oat Smoothie

Cabot Snack Sticks

Apple, Cheddar, Almond Snack Mix

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the kids' buy lives (particularly during the school week), it’s especially important to try to keep healthy habits like getting enough sleep, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and eating well. This handy Apple, Cheddar, Almond Snack Mix can be made ahead and popped in the backpack for a grab and go snack for kids.  For another healthy on the go snack for kids our popular bento box snack..

We've yet to meet a child that doesn’t at least somewhat enjoy ranch. Pair our Ranch Sour Cream Dip with a wide variety of items—from kettle-cooked potato chips and cheese pizza slices cut into dippable strips to fresh cucumber spears and sliced orange and yellow bell peppers (those two colors are a little sweeter so kids tend to prefer them). 

Lemon Berry Muffins with Greek Yogurt 

Healthy Snacks for School

Explore some of Cabot's ideas for healthy snacks for school

Cabot Snack Bars or Sticks

Packed with healthy nutrients like protein, calcium and vitamins, Cabot's Snack Bars or Stick cheeses make the perfect on-the-go school snack. Whether your kids love the bite of a sharp cheddar or a milder Colby Jack or Gouda, Cabot's got you covered with our 3/4 ounce snack bars and sticks. Room temperature cheese has more flavor, so a couple hours out of the fridge works fine.

Healthy Banana Bread with Yogurt

If your kids  love banana bread, but you've been looking for a healthier version, this Healthy Banana Bread with Yogurt recipe is a must-try. It’s lighter and healthier than traditional banana bread, thanks to Cabot's Reduced Fat Plain Greek Yogurt. This is a great make-ahead school snack. Keep some slices in the freezer, pack them up, and they will be perfect by snack time.

Protein Cereal Bars

Protein Cereal Bars make a convenient grab-and-go snack for school, but many store-bought ones contain preservatives and other not-so-healthy ingredients. When you make your own, you’ll have peace of mind knowing exactly what’s in them and this is the perfect recipe for you to try! These protein cereal bars, made with peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, crispy rice cereal and whey protein powder for an extra boost of protein, boast great flavor and a lovely texture.

Chocolate Chia Protein Balls

These Chocolate Chia Protein Balls make the perfect healthy and portable school snack. Made with pitted dates, chia seeds, peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa, and rice krispies, they are delicious while packing a nutritional punch that will give the kids a boost at any time of day. They also have whey protein, a high-quality source of protein that may provide several benefits, such as helping to minimize hunger and keep kids focused.

Carrot Quinoa Breakfast Bread

Carrot Quinoa Breakfast Bread is the perfect way to pack a punch for a school snack. Quinoa is a “superfood”—extremely high in nutrients and protein and low in fat— and is a gluten-free grain that has a ton of nutritional value to help the kids feel energized and ready to learn. Just slice, wrap and pack. Keep some slices in the freezer so they're ready to go.

Apple Cheddar Muffins

Anything goes for healthy snacks for school or play! For more healthy kids snack recipe inspiration, check out our collection of Protein Snacks to Beat After School Hunger.