Five Easy Snacks for Kids in Home Daycare

1 Comments
Join the Conversation

Agave Sweetened Cookies Make a Good Snack for Kids - patricia mcfadden

Preschoolers have small stomachs that need to be filled up often with healthy meals and snacks. The old standby of graham crackers and apple juice is both boring and nutritionally inadequate. Here are several suggestions for easy snacks kids can help make. As an added bonus, using measuring cups and spoons is not only good small motor skill practice but introduces children to the concept of fractions.

Healthy Snack – Nut Butter Popcorn

Give and old favorite a protein punch.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of popped popcorn per child. Use air popped or plain (unbuttered) microwave popcorn.
• 2 teaspoons of peanut, almond or other nut butter per child
• 1 teaspoon of regular butter per child

Directions:

1. Have each child measure a cup of popcorn into a large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan or microwavable bowl, measure out enough nut butter and regular butter for all the cups of popcorn.and heat on stove or in microwave just until the butters have melted and are easy to pour.
3. Drizzle butters over popcorn and have children take turns stirring until the popcorn is well coated.
4. Divide into individual servings.

Makes one cup of popcorn per child.

Easy Kid Snack – Garden Celery Boats

This is a good way to get a few extra veggies into the menu.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized carrot
• 1/2 small red bell pepper (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 12 pieces of celery stalk, each 3 inches long

Directions:

1. Lightly steam peas and set aside to cool.
2. In a food processor or on cutting board, finely chop carrot and bell pepper.
3. Combine chopped vegetables, cottage or ricotta cheese and dill weed.
4. Let each child spoon some of the cheese mixture into a celery stalk.
5. Invite children to add peas for the "boatmen."

Makes twelve boats.

Tasty Summer Snack – Banana Creamsicles

Keep some peeled and frozen bananas on hand. For the simplest popsicle, cut bananas in half and insert a wooden stick in the end before freezing. For a creamier treat, freeze the bananas in slices and use in the following recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup orange or apple juice
• 1 cup frozen banana slices
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries or other fruit
• 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk or vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until creamy.
2. Pour into small paper cups or reusable popsicle molds.
3. If using paper cups, cover each cup with a piece of foil and poke a wooden stick through the foil.
4. Makes four to six creamsicles depending on size of molds.

Sugar Free Kid Snack – Agave Oatmeal Cookies

Agave nectar is a natural sweetener with a low glycemic index so it doesn't give little ones a "sugar buzz." Use it to make these yummy oatmeal cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

1. In large bowl combine nectar, oil, vanilla and egg and mix well.
2. Add flour, baking powder, salt and cinammon and mix again.
3. Stir in oats and raisins or dates.
4. Drop by tablespoon fulls onto cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
5. Bake 10 minutes.

Fun Snack for Preschoolers – Pizzadillas

This recipe is good for those cold winter days when something warm and cheesy really hits the spot. Children love to grate the cheese. Let them take turns with the grater.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat tortilla per child
• 1 tablespoon spaghetti sauce per tortilla
• 1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese per tortilla
• 1 tablespoon grated mozzarella cheese per tortilla
• pepperoni, mushroom and/or black olive slices (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Give each child a tortilla and a spoon or butter knife.
3. Put a spoonful of sauce on each tortilla and invite children to spread it around.
4. Give each child a tablespoon of each cheese and whatever fillings they choose.
5. Fold pizzadillas in half, place on cookie sheets and bake 3 to 5 minutes until warmed through and cheese is melted.
6. Cool for a few minutes and serve.

Pizzadillas can also be microwaved for 30 to 45 seconds, but oven baked ones taste better.

Snacks for Daycare Can be Healthy, Too

Nutritious, delicious daycare snacks don't have to be complicated. Nut butter popcorn, garden celery boats, banana creamsicles, agave oatmeal cookies and pizzadillas are all quick to whip up and packed with goodness. And, best of all, preschoolers will wolf them down and beg for more!

For other snack ideas see: Quick Healthy Snacks for Children

Patricia McFadden - Patricia McFadden, who also writes as Grian McFadden, is a former pre-school teacher and children’s librarian. She has an MFA in ...

Comments

• Healthy Cooking
• Low Fat
• Heart Healthy Cooking
• Low Carb
• Diet Food Trends
• More