The Least Messy And Most Fun Snacks Your Kids Can Make Themselves!
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Ok! So, I have officially run out of ways to keep my kids engaged during this wild time that is running longer than anybody anticipated. When we started out, we had so many exciting activities lined up-surely enough to last a month or two, but looking into month 5 of the pandemic lockdown, this momma is desperately looking for ways to keep the children busy but happy, and herself, sane. This means teaching them to fix fun snacks BY themselves, while not burning down the house in the process.
Quick Fix Snacks
We see the prepackaged fun snack boxes everywhere that are honestly so easy to manage and hand out. The kids seem to love them too. Wait, does that mean that snacking has to be a low-nutrition and high-sugar affair? Is there a way my kids can make their own healthy and fun snacks?
OK, How Do We Begin?
For starters, consider rearranging your kitchen drawers and refrigerator. Designate the lower ones for storing any child safe equipment that your little ones will need while doing this task.
You will have to do a good bit of prep work before hand for the snacks so that everything is ready to be put together by the kids without you having to get off your chair on weekdays. It's best to take the help of your children here. The older ones can chop up the veggies or the fruits or even just peel them. Show them where you are storing the prepped foods so they can grab them easily. Labels on containers also make the job easy.
You may want to alter the following snacks as per your child’s ability. But also, kids are great at picking up skills with a little bit of practice so, allow them the freedom and space to get better!
Collaborate with your children and let them decide on the fun snack ideas for the week. Brainstorm and give them options and explain what each of them would include.
Guide them with a practice run. This will give them an idea of their serving sizes and the production line that they're supposed to follow to fix their snacks.
Last but not least, show them how you would like the kitchen to be cleaned and the containers sorted once they are done!
Fruit And Nut
You can never go wrong with the fruit and nut combo. Bananas (how long do bananas last?) are known to make you “feel good”. The tryptophan from bananas gets converted to serotonin in our brains, which makes us happy! Walnuts (how long do walnuts last?) are a powerhouse of omega-3 fatty acids which support good brain health. Peeling the banana gives a good gross motor skills workout for the little ones. The sweetness of it balances the slightly bitter taste of the walnut, combining to give a creamy feel in the mouth.
Sweet Tamarind And Pistachios (Peel On)
This is one of my favorites snacking options as well. Crushing the hollow crunchy shell of the tamarind soothes you in a weird way. The sticky sweet tamarind flesh is a rich source of vitamin C and potassium. Opening the shell of the pistachios is a fine motor skills exercise right there. They give young bodies a great source of vitamin E, B6 and thiamine.
Hummus And Carrots
Kids as young as five years old can learn how to peel a carrot safely. Hummus dip made from chickpeas is rich in copper, manganese, and folate. It is an extremely easy way to promote good nerve health & thyroid health in children. Carrots (how long do carrots last?) don’t need any introduction. They are so important in giving that daily dose of healthy fiber along with carotene for good eye health. You can cut the carrots into thin long slices; my kids love eating it the “bunny way”!
Veggie Sticks And Thyme Yogurt
I always prefer yogurt flavored at home, rather than ready to eat flavored ones. You can control the amount of flavoring that goes in, and there are just so many options you can play with. Ginger and garlic powder (how long does garlic powder last?) added to yogurt with a pinch of salt gives it a very umami and satisfying taste. Crushed thyme with yogurt with salt is another favorite in our home. Use this as the perfect cooling dip for a fun snack made of precut veggie sticks like bell peppers, cucumbers, and radishes.
Fruit And Cheese Skewers
Arranging precut fruit cubes on a skewer actually takes some effort from kids and makes the whole process much enjoyable. Go for real cheese (how long does cheese last?) and not the processed. Cheddar, Provolone, Gouda and Parmesan are some sturdier varieties of cheese you can incorporate here. Cut them up into cubes and store them refrigerated in an airtight dry container to keep fresh for long. Strawberries, pineapple, grapes, peaches, the options are really up to you and your little ones. You can either keep each cut fruit in separate containers or mix them up in one. Assembly only requires kids to load the skewers with their favorite components and a healthy snack is ready.
Chicken And Feta Cheese Pita Pocket
I’ll be honest, this one is not only the kid’s favorite fun snack, its mine as well. I only have to prepare the chicken filling beforehand. Very simple. Shred a couple of boiled breasts and season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, chopped cilantro and a dash of organic soy sauce (how long does soy sauce last?). Store refrigerated in an airtight container and you are good to go. Feta can be scooped right out of the tub. If you don’t have pita pockets, tortillas or even bread slices will work just fine! Kids can dress it up with this simple peanut sauce, or any other homemade salsa you have at hand.
Late night cravings are a struggle for many moms, but these healthy snacks will keep you full until morning.
