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Ah, summer. That magical time when the kids are home, constantly asking for snacks, and you start wondering if you should install a revolving door on the pantry.
If you’re looking for healthy summer snacks for kids that keep them happy and offer at least some nutritional value, I’ve got you covered with real-life, dietitian mom-tested ideas that don’t require turning on the oven or spending hours in the kitchen.
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What’s Considered a “Healthy” snack?
While snack foods often get a bad reputation, I say you should leverage their popularity. View their high demand as an opportunity to provide balance, or what I like to call a “mini meal.”
Instead of just tossing them a granola bar, a bag of chips, or some fruit snacks. offer them nutrient-dense options such as fruits and veggies, along with some of their favorite packaged snacks.
And if you’d like to minimize the value your kids put on their favorite packaged carbohydrate-rich snack foods, take them out of the package! This helps take away the excitement and novelty, although a little novelty is okay too!
When it comes to offering healthy summer snacks for kids, try not to overthink it and feel free to include their favorites. However, if there’s anything you can prioritize, I’d recommend emphasizing protein, fiber, and even fluids. There’s no doubt that sometimes all they are hungry for or all you can manage at the time are a few crackers, but aim for protein and fiber with most snacks, when you can. See quick and easy examples below.
Building Healthy Summer Snacks for Kids
Protein: helps keep them fuller longer. Quick and easy snack proteins might be hard-boiled eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt, edamame, milk, nuts, nut butters, seeds, beef jerky, etc.
Fiber: helps support their digestive system and keeps things moving. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans.
Fluids: helps keep them hydrated. Prioritize water or milk, and occasionally offer 100% juice. And don’t forget to lean on fruits, veggies, and dairy products for hydration too. Learn more about hydration for kids here. Try to minimize beverages with added sugar, but know that the occasional soda or juice drink isn’t the end of the world.
My Favorite Healthy Summer Snack Ideas
These healthy summer snacks for kids are not only hydrating and fun, but they’re also easy to whip up quickly.
Fruit Kabobs
Pop some diced fruit onto a skewer or food pick to make these easy fruit kabobs. Feel free to turn this into a educational lesson letting your kids make patterns with different types and colors of fruit – or vegetables too!
If you want to take these fruit kabobs to another level, stick them in the freezer for a few hours and you have a frozen fruit popsicle!
Homemade Freeze Pops
Whether your kids love or despise smoothies, try freezing them into popsicle molds for a tasty and cool healthy summer snack for kids.
Check out all my recipes and supplies to make homemade freeze pops here.
Avocado Fudgsicles
If your kids enjoy fudgesicles, or anything chocolate for that matter, try making your own fudgsicles and throw in some avocado! Sounds strange, but the avocado not only helps add to the creaminess of the fudgesicle, it provides some great healthy fats and fiber too! Check out the recipe here.
Homemade Uncrustables
It’s always great to have a quick and easy option on hand, and homemade uncrustables are just the thing! Sure, you can buy them yourself, but next time you whip up a pb & j, try making a few extra and freezing them. You don’t even have to cut the crusts off – freeze them as is. I love adding ground flaxseed to the jelly for extra fiber!
If you’re making homemade uncrustables and you’re not sure what to do with the crusts, try dicing them up and making French toast bites.
Fruit Fries
One of my favorite ways to cut fruit is with a crinkle cutter. Not only is it a fun way to present food, it turns nearly anything into a “fry.” Plus, fruit fries are perfect for dipping into yogurt or nut butter!
Protein Balls
We always have protein balls in the freezer for a quick and easy, nutrient-dense are snack. They are packed with oats for whole grains and fiber, peanut butter for protein and fat, ground flaxseed for more fiber, and honey to hold everything together – plus add a little sweetness too.
Our favorites are Monster Cookie Protein Balls, S’mores Protein Balls, PB & J Energy Bites, and No Bake Walnut Energy Balls
Apple “Donuts”
Slice an apple horizontally, use a mini cookie cutter or corer to cut out the core from each apple slice (or core the apple entirely before slicing it), spread with peanut butter, yogurt, or even frosting, and let the kids decorate with sprinkles, sun flower seeds, ground nuts, or granola.
Frozen Yogurt Tubes
Make yogurt tubes yourself with disposable or reusable ice pop mold, or buy yogurt tubes from the store and freeze them for a delicious and creamy, cool healthy summer snack for kids. Try folding the yogurt tubes in half for younger kids or a smaller portion.
Snack Trays
Snack trays are a great option for busy, or even chill summer nights. Heck, they’re great for any time of the year, but especially when you want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outside.
Load a bunch of random foods you have in your pantry and fridge on to a tray and snack away. The best part about snack trays is that they help you use up all the half eaten bags of crackers or the fruits and veggies that are about to turn for the worse.
Even better, is that you’ll be amazed at the variety your kids will eat when you serve them a snack tray (you can even serve this as a meal too because there are no rules).
When it comes to what to put on your snack tray, don’t overthink it, but make sure to include variety – fruits, veggies, and proteins – not, just the carbohydrate-rich snacks we know our kids love.
Cheerio Cereal Bars
These no-bake Cheerio cereal bars are easy to make and can be whipped up in just a few minutes using simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry.
Cheerios, honey, peanut butter, and a few mini chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy and want to convince your kids to actually eat them.
Grab the recipe here!
Yogurt Waffle Bowls
Sometimes changing the vessel makes the biggest difference. Every once and a while, swap your regular bowls for a waffle bowl when serving yogurt. Your kids will think it’s the coolest thing ever.
Find waffle bowls in the ice cream section by the other ice cream cones.
Shaved Frozen Fruit Ice
Shaved fruit ice might just be the best way to enjoy fruit durring the hot summer months. All you need is a cheese grater or zester and frozen fruit. Grate your frozen fruit over a bowl and enjoy!
You can also add frozen fruit to a shaved ice machine for a healthy summer snack for kids too!
I find that frozen watermelon, strawberries, mango, and even honeydew and cantaloup are the best for shaved frozen fruit ice.
Smoothies
Smoothies are such a great way to load up on valuable nutrients. Half of my fruit and vegetable intake is all thanks to the convenience of smoothies. I generally aim for milk, frozen fruit (so I don’t have to add ice cubes), Greek yogurt, occasionally a handful of spinach or riced cauliflower, and a sprinkle of ground flaxseed.
Feel free to get your kids involved and let them help chop up fruit to put in their smoothie, pour the milk, or sprinkle in ground flaxseed. Getting your kids in the kitchen to help them engage with food, even if they don’t eat it, is so important. Plus, you’d be surprised with how many new foods they’ll try this way!
Apple Nachos
Apple nachos are a great option as a healthy summer snack for kids. Simply cut apples into slices, drizzle with melted nut butter (microwave for 30-ish seconds until it’s thin enough to pour), and sprinkle with any combination of mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, honey, or ground nuts.
Frozen Banana Pops
If you’re looking for a healthy summer snack for kids that will also cool them down, try frozen banana pops. Check out the full recipe here.
Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberries
Another easy and healthy summer snack for kids is frozen yogurt covered blueberries. You can dip blueberries individually in yogurt or skewer them, spreading the yogurt with a rubber spatula. Place the yogurt-covered blueberries on a lined baking sheet and freeze for a few hours or overnight.
Frozen Grapes
Freezing grapes makes for a great healthy summer snack option for kids, but you can level up the fun by tossing them in Jell-O mix or sugar beforehand. It’s basically like fruit candy! Sure this adds some added sugar, but the key to being healthy isn’t complete restriction, it’s finding smart ways to enjoy more nutrient dense foods – like fruits and veggies.
After washing your grapes, add them to a freezer bag with Jell-O mix or sugar. Make sure the grapes are slightly wet – this helps the sugar stick better. Shake the bag to evenly coat the grapes, then add to a lined baking sheet and freeze for a few hours or overnight.
If serving to kids under four, quarter the grapes first to minimize the risk of choking.
Snacklaces
Snacklaces are a great snack-tivity option for a healthy summer snack for kids. Not only does it help kids work on fine motor skills, but it keeps them busy, and it also covers a snack that they can have on the go.
Snacklaces are best for kids over four to minimize the risk of choking.
Use items that are easy to string like pretzels (I like the Itty Bitty Minis), Cheerios, Honey Comb cereal, Froot Loops, and Harvest Snaps Crunchy Loops.
If you’re using a kid-safe, plastic needle, you can also add dried fruit that’s easy to push a needle through.
Packaged Snacks to Keep in the Fridge
Let’s normalize the beauty of convenience. Packaged doesn’t mean “bad.” It means you’re keeping snack time manageable. Add in homemade snacks when and where you can, but don’t beat yourself up if you lean on the convenience of packaged snacks also.
- Yogurt tubes or cups (freeze them for fun too)
- Cheese sticks or mini cheese wheels
- Hummus or guacamole snack packs
- Deli turkey or rotisserie chicken slices
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cottage cheese cups
- Edamame
- Frozen yogurt tubes and smoothie pouches
Packaged Snacks to Keep in the Pantry
Shelf-stable and sanity-saving. Great for park days, road trips, or just “Mom, I’m hungry!” on repeat.
- Snack bars with whole grains and some protein
- Whole grain crackers
- Applesauce or fruit puree pouches
- Freeze-dried or dried fruit
- Nut butter packets
- Popcorn
- Trail mix or dried fruit
- Cereal
- Rice cakes
Don’t Forget to Hydrate
Snack time isn’t just about food – hydration matters too, especially on hot days when kids may not recognize thirst. Learn more about hydration for kids here.
Hydration for Kids:
- Water (plain or with sliced fruit)
- Milk or fortified plant-based milk
- Smoothies
- Homemade fruit-based freezies
- Sparkling water
- 100% fruit juice in moderation
- Fruit-flavored water boxes
Summer snacks don’t need to be complicated or perfect. They’re an opportunity to keep our kids energized, cool, and satisfied, without pressure or guilt. Whether it’s a colorful snack tray, a frozen banana pop, or a yogurt pouch pulled from the fridge as you head outside, it all counts.
