6 Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids at School

Over these past couple months, parents have been spending more quality time with their children, due to coronaviruses stay at home order. Working parents have been able to catch up on some much-needed bonding time, whether playing board games, watching TV, or cooking a nice meal together. Since restaurants were operating at a minimum, parents have had more control over what their kids were eating. Home cooked meals, healthy snacks and less junk may have been the scenario at home. 

In a couple weeks children will be heading back to school with Covid-19 safety measures in place. During this time, parents want to ensure that their children’s immune systems continue to stay strong by incorporating healthy school lunches and safe social distancing practices. 

Even though we cannot always have total control over what our children eat when they are outside of the home, we can ensure we do our part as parents and provide healthy snacks for school. A child spends a good chunk of their day at school where they are required to stay alert, focus and perform physically. All of this requires healthy eating habits in order to maintain concentration and have sustained energy throughout the day when needed. In this article we will be discussing healthy snack options for school aged children. 

Fresh Fruits

Fruits are sweet, tasty, cost effective and a great way to ensure our children are getting a healthy dose of antioxidants. Apples, Pineapples, Banana, Orange slices and Melons are great options to cut up and put in a reusable container for your child’s snacking pleasure. Its nutrient content will help keep the kids full and energetic. 

Hummus w/Fresh Vegetables

Hummus is a Mediterranean chick pea spread and is an excellent protein and carbohydrate source as well as a great tasting dip for fresh vegetables. I personally enjoy it with baby carrots but they are also quite tasty with celery, raw broccoli and even whole grain crackers with a little cheese on top. 

Coconut Chips

Coconut chips are a great and tasty alternative to regular potato chips. They are crunchy, sweet and most importantly, are high in healthy fats and protein, which assists with balanced energy throughout the school day. Most brands have no artificial flavor and come in a variety of naturally flavored options, like cocoa and honey. 

Protein Bar for the Picky Eater

This may seem out of the ordinary for some but I’m sure we’ve all had that one picky child that just doesn’t like to eat. Giving them a clean ingredient protein bar is a great way to keep their energy levels up and their stomachs full. Look for a bar that contains staple ingredients like oats, greens and some form fiber. Look for bars that contain dates or honey as a sweetener vs pure sugar. Protein Bars are great alternatives to sugary snacks and soft drinks because you’re still getting a sweet treat, minus the empty nutrients. 

Popcorn

Believe it or not, popcorn is a whole grain and is actually a healthy snack option for children. You can pop it fresh in the morning and it will stay fluffy and tasty until snack time at school.  Get a lightly buttered option and refrain from putting extra salt or butter on it as it takes away from its nutritional value. Always be cautious with popcorn and very young school aged children, as it can pose a choking hazard. 

Supplements for Kids

When our children are out of sight and at school, we don’t know who they’re trading snacks with or what they’re throwing in the garbage. Giving our children vitamins on a daily basis is a great way to ensure they are topping up on nutrients and performing their best at school.

Our children’s multi gummies and children’s chewable tablets are tasty multivitamins in two different forms that offer the same great benefits. Both are formulated to meet children’s daily recommended intake of key nutrients. Noor’s Omega 3 Immunity Gummies helps to heighten focus and attention span so children are able to perform well throughout their academic year. Omega 3 deficiency has been linked to children with ADHD, its supplementation has had profound effects on cognitive function. You can read more about it here. 

All in all, we can’t always control what our children eat, but we can do our best to add nutritional value to their snacks while at school. The key is to balance healthy school lunches with vitamins for kids and wholesome foods at home. As we begin to prep for our children to go back to school, let us as parents do our part and remind them of safe social distancing practices while providing healthy snacks to keep their immune systems strong.