Appetite for Knowledge

Kid Friendly Summer Snacks

The kids are out of school for summer and this means they’ll be spending more time at home. It seems to be inevitable that a few things they’ll be looking for are something to eat and activities to do. A great way for kids to stay active during the summer is by getting them involved in the kitchen. They can even help prep their healthy snacks and meals. For example, make snack time into an activity such as making a fruit necklace out of berries and grapes, or make homemade frozen yogurt pops! When kids help in the kitchen, they also benefit from obtaining math, reading, and life skills. For example, reading and following recipes, measuring ingredients, etc. are all beneficial tasks they can help with.

Take Advantage of the Summer

There are so many fresh fruits and vegetables available in the summertime, so why not use them as an opportunity to increase the intake of these food groups? Kids can even help in the garden by growing their produce, which has been shown to increase acceptance of eating vegetables. Gardening can also provide your kids with a healthy way to stay active during the summer months.

How to Promote Healthy Snacks

When healthy snacks aren’t available, we often turn to more calorie-dense options such as chips and candy. If you have some extra time during the week, plan to prepare your fruits and vegetables for the coming week. You can even make a designated location in the fridge and pantry for healthy snacks, so kids and other family members can easily find and access them. Dips seem to be a popular addition when it comes to eating fresh fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe or some snack inspiration, please see below for a few ideas.

Snack Ideas:

Homemade Popcorn
Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits
Hummus and Vegetables
Frozen Grapes
Fruit and Cheese Kabobs
Guacamole and Whole grain crackers
Fruit Salad
Veggie Cups
Smoothies
Homemade Granola Bars
Energy Bites
Unsweetened Applesauce
Fruit and Veggie Muffins
Homemade Trail Mix
Fruit Leather
Watermelon Wedges
Frozen Yogurt Fruit Bark

Written By: Shelley Balls, University of Wyoming Extension- Nutrition and Food Safety Educator

Sources:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, eatright.org
United States Department of Agriculture, usda.gov

Reviewed: February 15, 2024

Print Recipe

Raspberry Fruit Leather

Course: Snack

Ingredients

4 cups raspberries
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp ascorbic acid crystals or 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions

Thoroughly rinse raspberries under running water.
Place berries in the top of a double boiler. Place water in the bottom of the double boiler and bring it to a boil. Cover and steam the fruit for 15 or 20 minutes or until it is soft and a thermometer placed in the fruit mixture registers 160 F.
Place the cooked fruit in a blender. Add ½ teaspoon of ascorbic acid crystals or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per 2 cups of fruit. If desired, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey.
Drying time will vary depending on the equipment, moisture content of the fruit leather and the humidity in the air.
Spread puree evenly onto the sprayed drying tray, about ¼inch thick. Fruit leather may be dried in an oven or food dehydrator. Be sure the fruit has dried sufficiently or it will become moldy during storage.Properly dried fruit leather will be slightly tacky to the touch, but it should peel easily from the plastic wrap or tray. Test for dryness by touching the leather in several places; no indentations should be evident. Lift the edge of the leather, which will adhere tightly to the surface, and peel it back about an inch. If it peels readily, it is properly dried. If the leather cracks or chips, it has dried too long, but it still is edible.
After loosening the edge of the leather from the plastic wrap or pan, loosely roll the leather in plastic wrap or waxed paper in one piece.Store the roll in one piece or cut it into strips. Place the strips or rolls of leather in a plastic bag, glass container or other container. Store fruit leather in a cool, dry, dark place. It will retain good quality for up to one year in the freezer, several months in the refrigerator or one to two months at room temperature.

Print Recipe

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

Course: Snack

Servings: 8 1/4 cup servings

Author: Cent$ible Nutrition Program

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup peanut butter

Instructions

Mix well in a bowl and enjoy! Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Great with apples, strawberries, celery or bananas.

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