How to create healthy snacks for kids' school lunch boxes

Making a packed lunch for children can be difficult, especially if you want to include a few healthy snacks, that are also fun. Recipes for several healthy snacks can be found here.

Carrot sticks and dips

Carrot sticks Carrot sticks, served with various dips, is probably the easiest recipe for a quick snack. All you have to do is peel a carrot, chop it into sticks - each about the size of a French fry - and then put them in a re-sealable bag to add to your child's lunch box. The good thing about these snack ideas is that the dips are an excellent way to get your child used to new flavours and you can buy dips pre-prepared from most supermarkets. The most popular to combine with fun snacks like carrot sticks include hummus, salsa and guacamole.

Healthy sweets

Yogurts and salads Most kids have a sweet tooth, and will want to finish their lunch with a little treat. If you don't want to give them anything too sugary such as chocolate, there are many alternatives. Some yoghurts are designed specifically to promote kids' health. While these can be bought in the store, other recipes for snacks include fruit bread or a simple fruit salad. This will count towards their 5-a-day helping in order to make a healthy child.

Alternatives to sandwiches

Options instead of sandwiches Most kids' packed lunches will include a sandwich, but there are many other options to promote good health. Recipes include bagels with smoked salmon and low-fat cream cheese. If you don't want to be quite so fancy, other fillings include turkey, which is lower in fat than chicken, and tuna. Serve with plenty of salad for easy to make snacks.

Making lunch with your child

The child's interest in the preparation One of the easiest ways to get your children to eat any of these healthy snacks for kids is to prepare lunch with them. Most simple recipes for kids don't require any cooking, but it will get them interested in preparing food. They may also give you some ideas about other snacks for children that you hadn't considered for the lunchbox.
For example, there are some pizza recipes for kids that can be very healthy, provided that you use low-fat cheese and choose toppings carefully. Let your child pick half the toppings when cooking it to ensure that they can't wait to taste what they helped create. Hence, healthy cooking for kids has never been easier.