For a lot of you, August typically means back to school time! Whether your child is going to be in a classroom full time, doing a hybrid situation, or learning from home- it is important that they are being fueled with healthy and nourishing foods! The ideas I am going to give you are simple, nutritious, and 100% kid (and adult) friendly. Of course, these are just my ideas and there are a million more out there but I hope this post can help as you and your kiddos get back into a school year routine!
1. Chickpea Cookie Dough/Dip
This is a delicious play on regular cookie dough, and you would never guess it was made with a can of chickpeas!! I think it is great served with apple slices, but it would also be yummy with graham crackers! This is a snack you could make at the start of the week, and easily divide up single portions into reusable containers. Chickpeas are full of protein and fiber which will help keep your child full and ready to focus.
There are tons of different recipes for this protein packed dip, but this is the recipe I followed and I would say it was pretty dang tasty! Some notes I would make about this recipe is that A. you don't have to go out and buy oat flour. If you have rolled oats on hand then just blend them up in a food processor until they are flour consistency! B. Choose whatever chocolate chips you want, they don't have to be DF unless that is what you prefer!
2. Banana Bread Cookies
These cookies are so good, and the best part is they only have 3 ingredients! If you are anything like me, you buy bananas and they start getting too spotty before you have time to eat them all. While I love banana bread, these cookies are just so easy to whip up and they are the perfect little sweet snack to throw in your child's lunch box. You could even have these as a breakfast cookie thanks to the oats! Bananas are good for vision, growing strong bones, and brain power.
All you need is: 2 ripe bananas, 1 cup of rolled oats, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. You can also add things like crushed walnuts, chia seeds, raisins, etc if you choose! Simply mash the bananas into a liquid consistency, add your oats, add your mix in's, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
3. Hummus with veggies or pretzels/veggie straws
It's no secret that kids love dipping! Hummus is a healthy and satisfying dip for kids of all ages. These little snack packs are super convenient and easy to pack up for snack time, but you can also buy hummus is bigger containers and provide your child's dipping agent of choice along with it! Hummus is another protein filled snack choice, which will keep those little tummies free from rumbles, so that they can better focus on whatever task they are working on. Even if your kids aren't huge vegetable fans, having hummus to dip them in could be a game changer, but pretzels or pita chips are a good dipping alternative.
4. GoMacro Kids Bars
If you follow me on social media then you know how much I LOVE Go Macro Bars. I was so excited when I heard they launched kids bars! They come in flavors like chocolate chip cookie dough, double chocolate brownie, oatmeal chocolate chip, and peanut butter cup. These bars are great because they have protein, and they are low in sugar. All bars are also gluten free, organic, and vegan. If you order from their website they usually offer 15% off to first time customers! These are so easy to just throw in a lunch box or backpack, and they will give your little scholar the energy they need to power through the day.
5. Fruit
Fruit is nature's candy, which means it is the perfect sweet but healthy snack for your kiddos. There are so many amazing health benefits of fruit- if you want to know more, I would encourage you to check out my last
blog post which goes into more detail on why fruit should be consumed daily! Apple slices, unsweetened apple sauce, grapes, strawberries, and bananas are all easy to eat in a school setting. If you choose to buy fruit cups, beware of added sugar! Eating whole/unprocessed fruits is always the healthiest decision. Eating the rainbow will help keep those immune systems going strong!
6. Trail Mix
Trail mix is a wonderful snack choice! There are so many variations depending on your child's preferences, and it is a snack that will fuel the body and the brain. A great option for trail mix is creating your own using the bulk section of your local grocery store, or by buying individual bagged ingredients. By creating your own mix, you are 100% aware of what is going into your child's body and there are no secret added ingredients. Here are some ingredients you could add to your trail mix: almonds, cashews, walnuts, dried cranberries, raisins, dried mango, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, granola clusters. Get creative! Nuts are full of omega 3 fatty acids which are good for brain health, and dried fruits will give your kids the energy they need while they are adjusting to starting a new school year.
7. Whole Grain Tortilla with Peanut Butter
This is honestly one of my favorite snacks even at 29 years old, so it is kid friendly and adult friendly! Whole grains contain fiber, iron, zinc, they help keep you feeling full, and they are good for digestion, and energy! While peanut butter is a healthy fat, and a good source of protein, which makes this combo great for a morning or afternoon pick me up! You can add granola to this wrap, like shown in the picture above, add banana slices, or just keep it simple with peanut butter. I can promise this duo will energize your kids, and get them in the zone and ready to focus throughout the school day.
I hope this post helps kick start your "back to school" mindset and you can easily transition back into a school day routine, whether your kids are in the classroom or learning at home! I picked these snacks because they are all loaded with nutrients that are good for the brain, energizing, will keep your kids feeling fuller for longer, and avoid any sugar rushes that inevitably lead to a sugar crash. Prepackaged snacks are convenient, but I promise these are too if you plan ahead! Try meal prepping these snacks on a Sunday and make enough chickpea cookie dough, banana bread cookies, or trail mix to last the whole week. You can also portion out the other snacks (fruit, dipping agents, PB roll ups) into reusable containers or baggies, so you can easily grab them and throw them into a lunch box! Do whatever works best for you!
What other snacks do your kids love? Let me know!
Wishing you all the BEST as a new school year starts! Stay strong and stay healthy.
No matter what your situation is, you can do it!! 👊
Cover Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash
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