Some toddlers can be picky sometimes. Okay, a lot of times. So it helps to have variety when it comes to snacks so that things are kept more interesting. But when you’re a busy mom with a million things on your mind, it’s sometimes difficult to think of such an assortment of snacks. And you don’t necessarily always have the time to do anything complicated. So, moms of toddlers, today’s post is here to help you out!

Baked Snacks

1. Kale Chips
   Rip up some kale leaves into bite-size pieces, spread them over a baking sheet, mist with a healthful oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper (you can also sprinkle other spices and herbs if your toddler likes them). Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges begin to crisp and brown but not burn.
2. Homemade Fish Crackers
   Make a batch or two of my Homemade Fish Crackers and store in an airtight container for a munchy grab-and-go kind of snack.
3. Asparagus Spears
   Trim the dried out ends of the asparagus spears, rinse the spears with cold water, pat dry, toss in melted butter, then spread them out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper to taste (and any other seasonings). Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 25 minutes or until tender and the pointy tip is lightly browned. Some kiddos don’t like asparagus, but mine love them when prepared like this.
4. Homemade Granola/Granola Bars
   Try making some yummy granola or granola bars for another easy on-the-go type snack. It can be eaten plain, as cereal with milk, or as bars.
5. Sweet Potato Chips
   Perhaps try making sweet potato chips. They make a great, healthful alternative to store-bought potato chips.
6. Roasted Chickpeas
   Here’s a super easy, tasty, crispy snack idea for roasted chickpeas (this blog has a variety of ways to flavor them even). I haven’t tried them myself (yet), but they sound absolutely delicious!

Frozen Snacks

1. Yo-Dots
   Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Then put some yogurt in a pastry bag or a plastic zip bag with a corner clipped off (I usually use plain homemade yogurt that I sweetened with raw honey and flavored with vanilla extract; occasionally I’ll also color it with all-natural, food-based food dyes). Squeeze the yogurt into dots (which may end up more like discs) on the parchment paper. Pop in the freezer for a couple hours. Remove the frozen Yo-Dots from the parchment paper and store in an airtight container in the freezer.
2. Frozen Grapes
   This is something one of my sisters-in-law introduced me to. Simply put some grapes (if you recently washed them, pat them dry first so they don’t get too stuck to each other) in an airtight container and pop in the freezer. The result is a refreshing, tasty snack.
3. Ice Pops
   These are super easy to make yourself! Simply buy some silicone ice pop makers, fill them up, and freeze. I’ll fill mine with homemade yogurt sweetened with raw honey and flavored with vanilla extract and chunks of fruit; or I’ll fill them with some R.W. Knudsen juice. You could also make some with applesauce, other pureed fruit, or chocolate milk (I make chocolate milk with my homemade cocoa syrup).
4. Banana Ice Cream
   This recipe is especially great with overripe bananas. Pop the unpeeled bananas in the freezer. Once frozen, peel and run them in a food processor until they cream like ice cream and eat up. Some variations you can do is add a couple slices of frozen peach, some frozen blueberries, a few frozen strawberries, and/or a bit (like a half teaspoon or so per banana) of cocoa powder to the food processor as you’re blending it. If it needs a touch more sweetness, add some raw honey or coconut sugar.
5. Smoothie
   Just a simple smoothie does well. Toss about 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen fruit, and 1 or 2 teaspoons raw honey (to taste) in the blender. Blend and serve. To up the nutritive content and possibly change the flavor a bit, try some add-ins like nutritional yeast, coconut oil, or ground flax seed.

Other Snacks

1. Fruit
   An easy go-to. Try a variety like blueberries, blackberries, hulled strawberries, banana slices, apple wedges, and so on. To make it different, serve with yogurt as a dip, some peanut butter dip, or mix it in cottage cheese.
2. Veggies
   Carrot sticks, celery sticks (if your kiddo doesn’t choke on the “strings”), broccoli florets, bell pepper sticks (make sure no seeds are left on them), cucumber slices, and so on make good finger foods. Serve with some Ranch dressing or hummus (you could try my Olive and Sun Dried Tomato Hummus, which I love, but my kiddos don’t) for dipping.
3. Sili Squeeze
   Fill up a Sili Squeeze reusable baby food pouch with applesauce or other pureed fruit or fruit and veggie blends. I have no idea why, but my toddlers LOVE to eat baby food (I personally think it’s rather disgusting, lol).
4. Ants on a Log
   A classic (if your kiddo’s ok at eating celery without choking on the “strings”). Cut some celery “logs,” fill with peanut butter (or a nut butter of choice), and top with ants (er, I mean raisins).
5. Dried Fruit
   Raisins, banana chips, cherries, cranberries, mangoes, and so on. Homemade of course is optimal, but aim for unsweetened if you purchase them (since they tend to sweeten them with white sugar; unsweetened are typically totally sweet enough).
6. Popcorn
   Although bagged popcorn is the easiest, it’s also not the most healthful. I usually pop organic popcorn in a kettle with a lid on the stove top with some coconut oil (3 tablespoons coconut oil, 1/3 cup corn kernels). They do sell a glass microwave popcorn popper which is on my wish list.
7. Meat and Cheese Kabobs
   Roll up some nitrite/nitrate-free lunch meat (my favorite brand is Applegate, though I do also buy Hormel Natural Choice) then cut it into several pieces (so you have like 4 or 5 mini rolls). Next, dice some cheese. Alternate putting them on a toothpick or skewer (kiddo needs to be okay with the pointy ends).
8. Fruit and Cheese Kabobs
   Cube some cheese (mozzarella seems to go the best with these) and alternate fruit (like sliced bananas, blueberries, sliced strawberries, etc.) and cheese on a toothpick or skewer (kiddo needs to be okay with the pointy ends).
9. Cheese and Peanut Butter
   Some kiddos don’t like this combo, but some do. Slice some cheese (such as cheddar) and spread peanut butter on the slice. If you’d like to make it less messy, top with another slice of cheese so it’s a cheese and PB sandwich.
10. Bread, Nut Butter, and Honey
    Yet another classic. Spread some nut butter (my favorite store-bought peanut butter is Adam’s Natural which has no sugar) on a slice of bread (I like homemade sourdough because it’s one of the most healthful types of bread). Drizzle some raw honey then top with a second slice of bread. Cut into fun shapes (if you have some FunBites cutters, they work pretty well for this) and serve.
11. Homemade Gummies
    Use real fruit, R.W. Knudsen juice, or even coconut milk to make homemade gummy candies.
12. Homemade Fruit Leather
    Fruit leather is super easy to make and an inexpensive dehydrator or even your oven will do the trick. Follow these directions to make it (I’d recommend using a healthful sweetener like coconut sugar if necessary instead of regular sugar). Once done, you can make it into fruit roll-ups.
13. Hard Boiled Eggs
    This is one snack my boys love to get involved with. I fill a kettle with cold water and they put the eggs in it (they are both very gentle, so if your toddler likes to hurl the eggs, this might not be a good thing for them to help with, lol). Once I have successfully hard boiled the eggs, I run cold water over them until they are cool enough for my boys to touch. Then I give each of my boys a small bowl and they know just what to do–they crack the shell and peel it off, putting the shell in the bowl.
14. Nuts and Seeds
    Serve your wee one (pending he’s not allergic and does well at not inhaling them) a variety of nuts and seeds like peanuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and so on. I like to buy mine raw, mix them together, roast in the oven, then sprinkle with some Real Salt. Super yummy!

What other toddler snack ideas do you have?

Hey, are you a creative mom who likes to play with food? Then check out my Fun Food Pinterest board!