Is your busy family in need of some healthy snack ideas to get you through the day? You’ve come to the right place! Enjoy these top tips and tricks for snacking healthy with your family.
Popcorn bar
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Set up a popcorn bar right in your kitchen! You might think “make-your-own bars” are just for parties or events, but they’re just as perfect for a family fun night. With a few key ingredients, each family member can create their own delicious variety of tasty popcorn. Check out this old-fashioned popcorn bar for ideas. Or stash these ingredients in an air-tight container so you can pull out a popcorn bar for your family at a moment’s notice:
- Microwave-ready bags of Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop!, Kettle Corn, Cheesy and Spicy Nacho varieties
- Mini marshmallows, peanuts, dried cranberries, raisins and other fun mix-ins
- Sprinkle-on seasonings made just for popcorn by Kernel Seasons – such as apple cinnamon, white cheddar, ranch, chili lime or caramel
Dried fruits
Stretch the family budget by serving up dried fruits, which last longer than fresh, yet are still loaded with healthy fiber. Keep delicious dried mangos, cherries, cranberries and other kid-friendly fruit favorites in an air-tight jar for easy snacking on those busy afternoons between school and soccer. Plus, dried fruits keep well in your car so the whole family is always prepared when the sudden hunger pangs strike on long road trips.
Dried fruits can be high in sugar if you eat more than one serving at a time. To make that single portion more filling, try sprinkling it on low-fat yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, popcorn and trail mix so you can still enjoy the flavor without the high dose of sugar.
Try even more fun ways to make fruit kid-friendly >>
Quick and easy smoothies
Smoothies are a delicious and healthy snack for families whether you’re running out the door for a jam-packed weekend or picking up the kids from afternoon activities. Prepare smoothies ahead of time by placing fruits and mix-ins in plastic bags. You can even blend together a family-size batch with a few more ingredients, which makes smoothies extra family-friendly.
Try mixing kiwis, strawberries and bananas with skim milk or almond milk along with ice for a fruity blend. The natural sweetness found in fruit will satisfy even the biggest sweet tooth! For an extra-healthy boost of fiber, mix in two tablespoons of flax seed.
For more nutritious smoothies, check out these top tips >>
Around the holidays, spice things up with seasonal flavors like a pumpkin smoothie. Keep the treat healthy by swapping whole milk for skim milk or low-fat yogurt. Want a tropical twist? Stir in one teaspoon of coconut extract and one cup of diced pineapple into a plain yogurt smoothie. Love chocolate? Try adding in one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and a ripe banana for a chocoholic’s dream.
More healthy snacking tips
5 Simple snacks for busy families
Preservative-free snacks
On-the-go snack essentials
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