Fall can be a super-busy time for families. You’re constantly running from school, to practice, to sporting events, to play dates, and everything else in between. And so it seems, in your “spare time,” the kids need snacks.
If you feel like you live and eat out of your car, you’re not alone. It’s so easy to stop by a drive-through, but often times fast food restaurants don’t offer the freshest and healthiest options. And sometimes making snacks from scratch sounds impossible….
After years of coaching clients with kids, I have some good news for you: fast food can be quick and healthy. Here are eight easy snacks for kids that fit the bill:
1. Sargento Balanced Breaks
This packaged snack combines the ever popular cheese and nuts duo and offers 7 grams of protein and less than 200 calories.
2. Chobani Kids Greek Yogurt
These individual pouches are easy to carry and consume. No mess! You don’t even need a spoon thanks to the helpful twist-off spout. It’s a great source of protein, calcium, and probiotics for gut health.
3. Sabra Hummus and Pretzel Cups
Hummus is made of fiber-rich chickpeas and is super source of protein. These individual cups come with a healthy portion size of pretzels, making this recommendation a complete snack. At a healthy 7 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein you can feel good about feeding this to your wee ones.
4. Justin’s Almond Butter and Pretzel Snack Packs
For the kiddos who need a gluten-friendly option, these almond butter and pretzels packs offer a healthy dose of fat, 5 grams of protein, and just 210 calories. Yummy and delicious, this is a perfect “we’re-in-a-hurry” snack.
5. Granola Bars
Granola bars are one of the easiest and healthiest snacks to carry around. They are non-perishable and require no refrigeration. But which to choose? Be sure to grab a granola bar that has at least 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein to get the most nutritional value. (I recommended: kashi or kind bars; just look for the one with lower sugar.)
6. Babybell Cheese Wheels and Whole Grain Crackers
One babybell cheese wheel offers a healthy 6 grams of protein. When paired with some fiber-rich, whole grain crackers, it makes the perfect quick and easy snack!
7. Trail Mix with Dark Chocolate Chips
You can never go wrong with adding a bit of a chocolate kick to any meal. Dark chocolate is very low in sugar and fat, so it serves as a nice little addition to the typical trail mix of nuts, raisins. Quick idea: portion the trail mix into baggies in advance and always keep 1 or 2 with you to ward off the “hangry” moments.
8. Cabot Cheese and Baby Carrots
The snack pack variety offers 24 individually wrapped cheese slices that offer 5 grams of protein and 80 calories. These are great to grab on the go and pair with a healthy serving of baby carrots on the side. Yum-o!
This is fast food at its healthiest. Happy snacking!
This post originally appeared on Rise.us. Click to learn more about working with Michelle.
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