Some weeks I pay for convenience of store bought snacks, others I reach into my pantry and fridge for healthy snacks to make. I love how fast these ideas are and how it helps me save money on groceries!
Healthy Snacks to Make
I am all about feeding my kids in ways that allow me to maintain my sanity, which means picking and choosing the amount I want to cook and bake based on the rest of my life during any given week. And when I have the time to make homemade snacks—I usually do one recipe a week—this is the list I turn to.
Here you’ll find energy bites, bars, smoothies, shakes, muffins, and more to fuel the family and kids between meals.
There is storage information in each specific recipe, so simply click through below for that information. Most of these last for days in the fridge and weeks in the freezer, so they are almost as versatile as store-bought snacks!
(You may also like my 5-Minute After School Snacks and our go-to Preschool Snacks.)
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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls
Make a batch of these no-bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls to have on hand for hungry kiddos during the week—or to feed yourself a naturally sweet snack whenever you need one! They taste so good and are filled with nutritious ingredients.
These no-bake bites taste like a cross between oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookie dough. I use natural creamy peanut butter (like the kind from Smuckers), and it works really well.
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Easy No-Bake Energy Bites
The beauty of this recipe is that the finished snack stores so well. And each one is sweet enough to taste like a treat—without any added sweetener—while also providing a nice dose of energy.
With just 3 simple and nutritious ingredients, these No-Bake Energy Bites are super easy to make and eat. They store so well in the fridge for weeks and are a perfect snack to share with the kids (and eat yourself).
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Bliss Balls
Combine just a few simple ingredients to make the yummiest fruit-flavored Bliss Balls. These are a satisfying after school snack or bedtime snack to share.
These no-bake Bliss Balls have bright berry flavor, are packed with protein and beneficial fats, have only 5 ingredients, and store ridiculously well in the fridge for weeks. They are a satisfying snack to share with the kids.
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Banana Oatmeal Bars
These are easy to take on the go, you can cut them into sticks or squares, and they can be eaten chilled out of the fridge or warmed up slightly.
With just five ingredients and a texture and flavor that’s similar to a soft oatmeal cookie, these Banana Oatmeal Bars are a nutritious (and yummy!) make-ahead breakfast or snack.
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Fruit and Nut Bars (Copycat Larabar)
Larabars have forever been one of my go-to toddler snacks, but since they stopped making the mini ones that were a perfect size for kids (and because they can be expensive), I started making this recipe.
With just 5 simple and nutritious ingredients and no baking, these Fruit and Nut Bars taste like store-bought Larabars but for less cost. You can customize the flavors and store them in the fridge or freezer for weeks.
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Easy Homemade Granola Bars
Homemade Granola Bars are one of my go-to healthy snacks for kids. They’re super easy to make, require minimal added sweeteners, have a texture that even babies and younger toddlers can chew, and store SO well. And you can make them allergy-friendly as needed too!
We like to have these granola bars as a snack or toddler breakfast with milk or a smoothie—and they’re an excellent lunch box component too. You can make them plain or choose a flavor to add!
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No-Bake Chocolate Granola Bars
With just a handful of flavorful ingredients (including chocolate and peanut butter), these crispy no-bake Chocolate Granola Bars are delish as a snack or dessert. They take about 10 minutes to make and you can store them in the fridge or freezer for weeks.
With about 10 minutes of prep time, you can make the most delicious homemade granola bars to last for many snack times to come. These bars are easiest to slice after chilling a bit, so plan to let them firm up in the fridge before you cut them.
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Blueberry Date Bars
Wow, this recipe for Date Bars is so good. It’s super moist and easy for little ones to chew, and it’s made with a handful of wholesome ingredients that taste seriously good, too. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and stores amazingly well.
These Date Bars are super moist and easy for little ones to chew—and are made with a handful of wholesome ingredients that taste seriously good, too. It’s ready quickly and stores amazingly well.
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Healthy Pumpkin Bars Recipe
You can quickly stir together this Healthy Pumpkin Bars recipe (with oatmeal and low added sugar) for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert. The method is so quick and easy and the result is moist and full of pumpkin goodness. Win, win!
These bars are tender when warm out of the oven, so do be sure to let them cool completely before slicing.
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Protein Banana Muffins
This recipe gets its sweetness from ripe bananas and protein from eggs, yogurt, and peanut butter (though there are lots of allergy swaps!), so it’s both delicious and so satisfying.
Make quick work of breakfast or snack time with this satisfying (and so yummy) Protein Banana Muffins recipe. It’s a delicious mix of nutrients and perfect to make ahead and share with the kids.
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Yogurt Muffins
With a tender base and just enough sweetness, this yogurt muffin recipe can be made with whichever fruit your family likes—or even carrots and raisins or chocolate chips.
This is an epic of a basic muffin recipe that you can then add flavor to in all sorts of ways—from fruit to veggies to chocolate chips. The batter is packed with protein too, so the muffins are great for breakfast or snack. (The allergy-friendly substitutions are listed in the Notes section at the bottom.)
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Healthy Zucchini Muffins
My kids love these vegan Zucchini Muffins. My favorite part about them is that you don’t have to grate the zucchini and squeeze it dry like you usually do for zucchini bread usually. The method is much easier than you might expect!
With an easy method (no squeezing the zucchini required!) and super moist results, these healthy Zucchini Muffins are a yummy breakfast or snack (that you’ll enjoy too!). They happen to be vegan and they store well for days.
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Favorite Bran Muffins
With a nutty flavor and texture, the versatility to add any fruit you like, and perfect results when serving straight out of the fridge of freezer, this is the very best Bran Muffin recipe I’ve ever made.
With loads of whole grains and fiber and the option to make them in any fruit flavor or chocolate chip, these are the very best kid-friendly Bran Muffins! (These are best served slightly warm.)
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Mini Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
With just a handful of nutritious ingredients, these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins are a treat that we love to make and enjoy each fall for breakfast, snack time, or as a simple side dish for dinner. And it’s easy to adjust for allergies as needed!
Use a gluten-free flour blend or whole wheat depending on what works best for your family. This recipe has very little flour—that is not a mistake. They bake up wonderfully, so have faith! Adapted from Against All Grain.
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Healthy Strawberry Muffins
Mix up these healthy Strawberry Muffins in just about 30 minutes and serve up a delicious breakfast or snack packed with whole grains, fiber, vitamins. They have a fresh burst of lemon flavor and they store well in the fridge or freezer if you want to make them ahead.
With fresh berries and a burst of lemon, these healthy Strawberry Muffins are a delicious and nutritious breakfast or snack to share with the kids.
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Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
These whole grain Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with nutritious ingredients (including whole grains and less sugar) and have the BEST flavor. They’re a great breakfast or snack option to have on hand during busy weeks…or just as a way to use up overripe bananas!
These muffins are best with very ripe bananas (they should have a lot of brown spots, which indicate sweetness). Then, simply stir everything together in one bowl and bake up a batch of delicious Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins to share with the kids.
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Sweet Spinach Muffins with Banana
These Spinach Muffins with Banana are a super healthy and yummy toddler or big kid breakfast or snack. Each bite is packed with nutrients from greens and fruit—and the interior is so moist that even babies can enjoy these easy blender muffins!
These healthy muffins taste like a delicious banana muffin, but with the added nutrition of a big handful of spinach. These store well, so you can make them ahead of time and pull them out of the fridge or freezer to serve.
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Easy Strawberry Smoothie (with Veggies)
With simple ingredients, six flavor variations, and one easy method, this Strawberry Smoothie recipe is here for you! Change it up based on what you have and what the kids like—in perfectly creamy smoothie texture, every time.
Make the simple base recipe or try one of the variations with a veggie and more nutrient-dense add-ins. All are delicious! Freeze the banana ahead of time.
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Easy Chocolate Smoothie (with Veggies!)
Blend up a delicious Chocolate Smoothie packed with protein, fiber, and veggies—with all of the delicious flavors and creamy texture everyone wants in a smoothie!
Be sure to blend this super smooth for the best texture. Use any or none of the optional ingredients. See the Notes for how to make this with regular milk.
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Favorite Yogurt Drinks
Combine simple ingredients into delicious Yogurt Drinks in any flavor your kids prefer.
Learn how to make homemade Yogurt Drinks to save money, customize them just for your kids, and make a nutritious breakfast or snack to share with the kids in under 5 minutes. See the Notes at the end for flavor options.
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Simple Green Smoothie Recipe
Start the day (or snack time!) with a simple Green Smoothie that’s designed to taste good and be easy to make—so it’s not too thick, includes accessible ingredients, and is sweet enough to help kids enjoy every sip.
Frozen bananas give the smoothie a creamy, naturally sweet base, though you can make this with a fresh banana as long as the other fruit is frozen. It’s easy to add whatever berries or fruit you have on hand, so customize it for your kiddo.
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Banana Smoothie with Yogurt
We love serving smoothies regularly as an easy kids drink option, and this simple banana smoothie is a forever favorite. Made with just a few nutritious ingredients, this has pure banana flavor and the creamiest texture.
With the creamiest texture and the simplest ingredient list, this classic Banana Smoothie with Yogurt is a delicious (and nutritious) breakfast or snack.
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Quick Chocolate Protein Shake
I love it as a less expensive option to the store-bought protein shakes (from brands like Orgain) and because I can make it using ingredients I usually have on hand. It has the texture of a thick chocolate milk and can sit in the fridge for up to 3 days. Which means you can make a big batch and serve it up for a few days in a row.
With an easy method and nutritious ingredient list, this Chocolate Shake is a great on-the-go breakfast or snack for any age—toddler on up to us adults. It stores in the fridge for up to 3 days, too.
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Applesauce Pouches
This fast recipe for applesauce allows you to make a batch of pouches in less than 30 minutes for an easy, yummy kids snack option.
Learn the easiest way to make a batch of Applesauce Pouches, with six flavor options, in less than 30 minutes. This is easy, delicious, and versatile—and a perfect way to batch-prep a snack or meal component.
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Easy Cheese Crackers Recipe
The dough is easy to make. My girls love to roll it out and cut shapes … and then eat the batch for snack time.
Mix up this easy-to-work-with cracker dough, then let the kids help roll and cut their way to the yummiest homemade cheese crackers recipe. These crackers have whole grains and a delightfully crisp texture. So good!
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Easiest Animal Crackers Recipe
With just a few simple ingredients and a crazy easy method, this Animal Crackers recipe is a favorite kids snack to make and share. You can make them big or mini in whichever shapes you prefer!
If you use larger cookie cutters, you may need to bake on the longer end of the baking time—and mini cookie cutters on the shorter end. This makes a relatively small batch, so double it if you want extras to last all week!
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