Skip the potato chips, fruit snacks, graham crackers, and candy. If you’re in a rut here are some quick, great real food any-time or after-school snack ideas for inspiration that kids will love (and adults, too!). Sticking with simple ingredients keeps snack time easy and fun.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Combine some of the suggestions below in creative ways (for example, combine some fruit with yogurt to make a yogurt parfait, or make a fruit salad and drizzle some honey on top)
- Most of the fruits below are also great frozen. Ever blended up frozen bananas to make “ice cream”? Try it!
- If you’re looking for school lunch ideas, any of these would be great in a school lunch box!
- If you have a picky eater, combining several of these snacks onto a plate – tapas style! – could make a well-rounded lunch or easy breakfast
Please leave any additional suggestions in the comments below…
Fruits and Vegetable Snack Ideas
- Apple (good with peanut butter, or almond butter)
- Banana (good with peanut butter, or almond butter)
- Carrots (good with hummus or ranch dip)
- Celery (good with peanut butter and raisins a.k.a. “Ants on a Log”)
- Mango
- Pear
- Grapes
- Strawberries (good with regular or Greek yogurt)
- Blueberries (good with regular or Greek yogurt)
- Raspberries (good with regular or Greek yogurt)
- Oranges
- Peaches (good with regular or Greek yogurt)
- Plums
- Kiwi
- Grapefruit
- Avocado (good with soy sauce and brown rice)
- Pineapple
- Papaya
- Star Fruit
- Figs (good with goat cheese)
- Honeydew Melon
- Cantaloupe
- Watermelon
- Cherries
- Edamame (good with soy sauce, or drizzle with a little olive oil + kosher salt)
- Raw Sugar Snap Peas (good with hummus)
- Cooked Green Beans
- Mashed Sweet Potato (good with butter and cinnamon)
- Raw Sliced Bell Peppers (good with hummus or ranch dip)
- Cucumber Slices (good with ranch dip)
- Jicama
- Cherry Tomatoes (good with ranch dip)
- Cooked Snow Peas
- Frozen Peas (frozen…no cooking necessary!)
- Raw Cauliflower
- Raw Broccoli (good with ranch dip)
- Applesauce
- Unsweetened Raisins
- Fruit Leathers
- Freeze Dried Fruit (like mango, banana, blueberries or strawberries)
- Dried Apple Rings, or pineapple rings
- Canned Fruit like Mandarin Oranges (Native Forest brand does not use sugary syrups in their cans)
- Olives
Whole-Grain Snack Ideas
- Whole Grain Crackers (like Triscuits, Multi-Seed, Ak-Mak, Whole-Wheat Matzos, Brown Rice Crackers/Snaps, Whole-Grain Rye Crackers topped with cheese, peanut butter, almond butter, or a cream cheese and jelly combo)
- Popcorn (make it using “The Popcorn Trick”)
- Oatmeal (served warm in a Thermos if sending to school)
- Shredded Wheat (look for brands that contain 1-ingredient)
- Arrowhead Mills Puffed Whole Grain Cereal (corn, brown rice, wheat or millet variety)
- Brown Rice Cakes
- Whole-Wheat Pretzels
- Whole-Grain Toast
- Small, Cooked Whole-Grain Noodles
Nuts and Seeds Snack Ideas
- Larabars
- Peanuts
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Pine Nuts (they are good lightly toasted)
- Pistachios
- Sesame Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Nut Trail Mix including Dried Fruit
Other Snack Ideas
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Garbanzo Beans
- Cheese (cubes or sticks…with or without crackers)
- Plain Whole Milk or Greek Yogurt (flavored with a little honey or maple syrup and vanilla extract)
- Organic and/or Local Bacon
Homemade Snack Ideas
- Homemade Granola Bars
- Homemade “Larabars”
- Whole-Wheat Toaster Pastries (a.k.a. Pop Tarts!)
- Smoothies or Smoothie Pops
- Whole-Wheat Banana Bread
- Zucchini Chips
- Whole-Wheat Zucchini Bread (made into muffins)
- Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Bread (made into muffins)
- Whole-Grain Cornbread (made into muffins)
- Whole-Wheat Berry Muffins
- Pecan Maple Breakfast Cookies
- Easy Cheesy Crackers
- Kale Chips
- Homemade Powerballs
- Whole-Wheat Biscuits (good with butter and jelly) or Buttermilk Cheese Biscuits
- Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn<
- Whole-Wheat “Baked” Donuts
Share your snack ideas with us in the comments below!
Mara’s Peanut-Thai Pasta and Feta Pasta Salad
Omg I want to try fruit leather
Great ideas but I struggle when I see a pasty…or pork pie…mmm….see am now thinking of them! I’s going to be tough…
Problem I am having is that I am always going for things that are not healthy when I am having a snack.
In other words: I do need more fruit and less coca-cola/biscuits.
These are great tips. Thanks :)
Wonderful ideas! I just went down the list with one of my girls because she is so picky. I was stumped on what to have for a snack for her after school. We did find some tasty solutions. Thanks for sharing!
Scarlett, we’re so happy to hear this! Hope it helps out. – Nicole
We shared these snack ideas this holiday season. My baby loves it! Every bite burst with happiness, it’s like the heaven opened its gates. This is so good, so thumbs up!
I am loving the inclusion of fruits and vegetables. 2019 is the time for a healthier version of you. Thanks for this.
OMG! Thanks for this article. I am now committing myself to eat healthier this 2019. With this, I can stay fit and avoid any sickness for the coming year ahead. Xoxo.
What kind of jelly do you recommend? I was worried about all the sugar.
Hi. Look for an organic all fruit version. I buy Crofters most commonly.
Wonderful ideas! I just went down the list with one of my boys because he is so picky. I was stumped on what have for a snack for him after school. We did find some solutions. Thanks for sharing!
This could also be another idea for parents out there to give to their kids as sort of snacks. With this, we can ensure that we provide them with a healthy snack.
Your ideas are great. Thanks for sharing
I want this Homemade Granola Bars and Whole-Wheat Banana Bread. Thanks for sharing these ideas.
OMG I love the idea of homemade Pop Tarts! I’m always looking for variety in snacks for travel and this is a good inspiration list.
Hello! Do you have a recommendations for whole wheat pretzels? I can’t
seem to find any at our local stories that follow real food rules, and my kids & hubby LOVE pretzels. Any recommendations?
Hi there. My favorite is Unique Sprouted Whole Wheat Pretzels.
Snack idea 44 says Triscuits. While Triscuits are made with only 3 ingredients (whole grain wheat, canola oil, sea salt), I know that canola oil is bad for us: it is a synthetic oil discovered in Canada (hence its name). What do think about this? Thank you.
Canola oil is from rapseed, the variety of plant was bred in Canada, but it is not synthetic. you can check wikipedia or other sources for more information.
Hi Patricia. This was an early post and Lisa really does not use Triscuits anymore precisely because of the conola.
At a young age, we should already introduce our kids to healthy living. We should all start by giving them fruits snack perhaps or vegetables during meal time. Why we promote a healthy lifestyle? So that, while they are still young they would know the importance of being healthy and they can enjoy their lives today.
We offer books to children to teach them a healthy lifestyle. We do seminars and workshop here also! Just visit our website http://www.academyforhealthsuperheroes.com
These days, I love roasted chickpeas for snacking! They satisfy that need for something crunchy, and you can make them savory, spicy, or however you want!
What is the best substitute for whole wheat flour?
Hi. Spelt is a good sub for WW.
We love olives but could someone tell me what kind the “healthy” ones are please?
Great ideas
My daughter has a retainer and cannot eat nuts. I was wondering what other things she might be able to try.
Is there a printer-friendly version of this list? Lisa’s Facebook post suggested printing this and taping it to the pantry door, but when I try to print from my browser, it’s a mess.
Not yet, but we’ll see if we can put that in the works. – Nicole
I LOVE your website! It’s so helpful! My family has switched to your plan, but I’m struggling with one thing… I need crackers that my 18 month old can eat. Any suggestions? We’ve been eating Annie’s organic cheddar bunnies…
Have you given these a try: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-easy-cheesy-crackers/?
Another snack idea – Baby Carrots and Applesauce
These are amazing! Kids might not like them due to the intense lime flavor but everyone I’ve shared them with has been so impressed:
http://paleogrubs.com/lime-energy-bite-recipe
A product I have been purchasing at Costco for many years seams to have been discontinued at some stores including the Woodland Hills village location. The product is Wheat Thins what gives?
It sounds weird, but my favorite real food snack is a whole grain rye cracker topped with a thin layer of cream cheese and natural pepperoni. It’s like a mini pizza, but not super heavy.
Hi. I really like your snack ideas. They sound great. Have you ever tried the ziplock freezer molds for your freezer pops. Or do you just use the reusable for the environment factor. Which is cool if you do, but just curious about the disposable kind too.
Hi there. Lisa uses the reusable kind. :)
Do you have meal plans for single folks?
Hi Stacy. No, not specifically but the plans can be scaled down in size.
Or make the full recipe and freeze the leftovers. It’s the whole “cook once, eat twice” mentality that is great for busy nights.
One of our favorite snacks as a kid was a recipe my mom found: cottage cheese with crushed pineapples, apples, and walnuts. The mix made for a subtle sweetness, crunch, and was very satisfying nutritionally as it has a good balance of carbs, fats, and proteins.
I would also love to see specific brand names if possible. I can’t seem to find anything that meets the criteria at my local grocery store, and would buy from Amazon gladly if I just knew what to buy. Looking for snacky stuff-especially WW pretzels.
Lisa buys whole wheat pretzels from Trader Joes. Unique Sprouted Grain Pretzels is another and this is my favorite: http://shop.marysgonecrackers.com/Sea-Salt-Pretzels/p/MGC-000519&[email protected]. It has a longer ingredient list but they are whole grain ingredients.
I have your granola recipe for a snack also. Would like to see the brands of specific crackers and pretzels that are approved.
Thanks
great advice, thank you
Hi! What brand do you buy for your cheese cubes??
Thanks!
Hi there. Lisa buys a lot of Organic Valley cheese. I do, too, and cut into cubes myself.
Such a great list and love the recommendations of what it tastes better with. These will be added to our snack station. We converted our AWB-360DB dual zone wine and beverage cooler into a snack station, take a look http://bit.ly/1KBbJK1
Jícama is great sprinkled with lime juice (or lemon if that’s all you have) and then some chili powder & salt mixed together. Cut into sticks first. Low carb, CRUNCH and different!
Hi Lisa – I just launched an Artisan Energy Snacks Box as part of Undiscovered Kitchen’s gift collection – specifically to help parents find super tasty but HEALTHY and unique snacks that are easy to pack or send as a cute care package to students (also loaded with nutrients and energy): http://undiscoveredkitchen.com/undiscovered-kitchens-gift-collections/gourmet-healthy-artisan-energy-snacks-gift-box Check it out and let me know what you think! Cheers – Evona :)
My kids like red, yellow and orange peppers to snack on
Love this and a lot of the other helpful lists and things you put together! Would please consider putting together a ‘printable’ that removes all of the photos, etc and concisely gets all the info onto 1 page (if possible). Would be much appreciated!
I love any snacks that I can easily put into baggies and stick in the pantry so my 4-year-old can get them himself. He loves the independence it gives him, and so do I! Plus it makes it easy to add hummus or nut butter or something more nutrient-dense to go along with crackers and such. But there’s a lot of good reasons to have pre-made snacks for kids, besides just independence and convenience. I just blogged about my top 7 reasons. http://bit.ly/1ISmmdL Did I miss any?
I love soaking dried chick peas in lukewarm water for 24 hours. They have just begun to “bud” by this stage. Drain and put in a glass jar in the fridge and use as required. When you take them out of the fridge to use, leave the lid off for a while and allow the jar to warm to room temperature before returning to the fridge. It will allow the chick peas to continue shooting.
Delicious and nutritious.
Rice cakes and almond butter, or whole wheat tortillas with almond butter and fresh fruit (berries, mango or peach slices).
Baked oatmeal “bites”. Great for breakfast and we freeze leftovers to have after school snacks
http://www.emilybites.com/2015/02/strawberry-banana-baked-oatmeal-singles.html
Do you have any recommendations for whole wheat pretzels? Particular brands and/or stores that carry them? I can’t find them anywhere. I thought I heard Trader Joe’s had them, but I went to one and they didn’t. THanks
Hi there. Unique is a brand that has 100% whole grain sprouted pretzels. If you can’t find them at a store, you can order them online.
I am thankful for the idea, but his list would be more helpful in a printable format.
I couldn’t agree more! Love it, but the printed page is distracting….two pages…etc. Thank you for compiling this list! If you have a printable, would be awesome!
Is there an easier printable version of this list? Love it and definitely want to place on my fridge or in my cupboard.
Hi Sarah. There is not but if you just highlight the text and print “selected”, it won’t print all the extraneous stuff. ;)
I am an 18 year old that plays competitive Hockey. I don’t like to eat vegies or fruit (for the most part), however, I want to eat better, by not eating so much “fat” and other processed foods. Is there a simple and good food plan you can recommend?
Thank you,
Les
HI Less. Make your way through the start here page: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/start-here/ and you will see that eating better can be pretty simple. You do need to incorporate fruits and veggies and you might find that the more the try them, the more your taste buds will adjust. Also, keep in mind that healthy fats are essential for your body and your brain. :)
Found this site which was quite interesting
http://healthysnacksfortoddlers.com/
cool beans
In the Nuts and Seeds category I don’t see soynuts. They are so good to snack on! Are they not as healthy as other nuts?
Hi Mary. Whole organic soy is fine. :)
where can I get my hands on the school lunches e-book?
Hi Stephanie. It is not currently available. Sorry about that.
Such a silly question, but where do I find portion sizes for the above snack ideas? My HS daughter and I are trying to pack healthy, filling snack & lunches. For example, how many nuts? I could easily finish off 2 cups in a day. Wouldn’t do my GI system a lot of good. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much Amy!
Hi Julie. This will help: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes.
Picked up some Ak-Mak crackers yesterday at Trader Joe’s. YUM!! For lunch I put a thin slice of sharp cheddar cheese on the cracker and topped it with tuna. :) Two other things I found at Trader Joe’s intrigued me. Giant Peruvian Inca Corn. The ingredients are Corn, Palm Oil, and Salt. The other was Butter Almond thins. These probably are not a great idea to eat because they have sugar in them but the first ingredient is wheat flour then sugar, butter (milk), almonds, salt, and sodium bicarbonate (probably should look up what that REALLY is). Also bought Smucker’s Organic Peanut Butter at Target. The consistency is definitely different than regular peanut butter but the taste is good. We are having the spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight. In the recipe it calls for “red sauce.” What is red sauce?
Hi Mary. It refers to tomato sauce. ;)
Oh :) I’ve just always referred to it as spaghetti sauce, not red sauce. Thank for enlightening me :)
Good to know, thank you.
Hi Mary. The ranch dip you mentioned is a link to Lisa’s own recipe that has 0 bad for you ingredients. Just click on “ranch dip” in the above post to take you there. The peanut butter we choose is organic with only peanuts and maybe a bit of salt on the ingredient list. ~Amy
I’m surprised that you have ranch dip and peanut butter on your list of snacks. Both of these have loads of ingredients and I have never considered them to be a “good for you” food (especially ranch dip). I’m interested to hear what your thoughts are.
Thank you!
Love the ideas! I am always looking for creative and healthy snack ideas too!
Hi there. My daughters adjacent classroom has a nut allergy, which makes the morning snack a challenge.. They have a late lunch, so a filling, high protein snack that’s nut free is a must. Can’t think of anything besides hummus and yogurt…and I doubt she’d take eggs or avacadoes…in her lunch, yes, but snack, no. Thoughts? Thank you!
Hi Ashleigh. This should help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/22/an-elementary-school-snack-list-%E2%80%93-nut-free/. ~Amy
This is a fantastic resource. I am book marking it to return on one of those days when I have NO IDEA what to make! I can even let my 6 year old go through and pick. Perfect!
What is your opinion on Stonyfield Organic Yogurt, Smoothies, Squeezables for kids ??!?!? Thanks :)
Hi Roda. This will answer that: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/01/14/yogurt-substitution-chart/. :)
Why do you recommend Triscuits – they have gmo’s. From Food Babe’s site:
http://tinyurl.com/ne7j4rk
Hi Janine. This post was from a couple years back and Lisa no longer buys Triscuits mainly because of the refined oil. ~Amy
Wondering about dried fruit. Looked at some today and they looked like they had a bunch of junk in them. Do you dry your own fruit. Working mom so I am short on time, but would love a recommendation of quality company to try. Having a hard time getting my girls to eat some of the dried fruits, they don’t seem to love especially apricots.
A few months back you mentioned an Online Bakery where they sell Tortillas made out of Coconut. Do you remember the name of the online bakery? I’ve searched and searched .. with no luck. Help?
I don’t recall mentioning this – are you sure it was me or another blogger?
Check Julian Bakery – they sell them at MOM or Whole Foods or Amazon or direct from them.
I am so happy to have discovered this site. We moved to a very small town back in October and didn’t realize how we were introducing so much processed food into our 5 year old’s diet. Slowly we started seeing a difference in him, shorter attention spans, tantrums, then full out disregard. We know the transition was hard but the food seems to be the main factor. I am so happy to have this site.
Sunflower seeds could be added to the “Nuts and Seeds” section! I like buying them still in their shells so that it’s an activity to crack and open the shell on each one before eating the seed. Sunflower seeds in the shell and popcorn are my two favorite snacks for a baseball game or other sports event — where other “real food” choices are usually very limited.
Tropical Juice Smoothie (¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice)
Apple Chips (dehydrated apples- they are so good!)
Banana (lot of protein And one of the best healthy snack ideas)
I believe you mean banana has a lot of potassium, not protein. There is a small amount of protein, ilke one gram. :)
Our Raleigh day care is always looking for great, all-natural, organic snacks to serve the kids! Thanks so much for sharing this list!
The list is ok ,but we need to know how to combine those for kids to love it . Ofcourse you can make quick snacks by using 2 or 3 at a time from that list .
These are good reminders for when you are stuck in a “snack rut”. :)
My main questions though is where did you get the little wooden dish with individual compartments? so cute!! Thanks!
Hi Cara. I’ve seen similar ones at Target. :) ~Amy
Pretty lame to list individual fruits as snacks. Why not just say “fruit”?
Where do you purchase your raw nuts and seeds? I’m looking for a site online to buy them in bulk at a decent price, since it’s probably more cost effective than buying them in the little packages I find at the grocery store. Thanks!
Try nuts.com
Trader Joes does have a good selection of organic nuts at reasonable prices. Not all are organic. ~Amy
I normally got my raw nuts from Trade Joe, it’s an organic grocery. They are not that expensive either compared to any other store for raw nuts.
This is a great list. I bookmarked it so every I reach for junk food, I can choose something from here as a healthy alternative.
I’ve tried these bars called Delicate Delights, they have a lovely range of Natural Low calorie Rice bars.
Granoji bar delight was my favourite and the Quinoa grain bar with seeds. Great for my little ones and surprisingly my 3 year old and 7 year old loved them.
Hi, I notice you use a lot of frozen peas in lunches and for snacks. I send these all the time in my daughter’s lunch and she loves the frozen peas. And actually I don’t think they’re usually frozen by lunch time because they defrost quickly, especially since I usually pack everything the night before. I just noticed that the bag of peas says to heat properly. Is it safe to send them frozen and raw? I can’t imagine why not since raw vegetables are safe to eat, but just curious if you’ve come across this.
Hello Andrea. I’m not aware of safety issues. I do wash my frozen peas and have eaten them in salads my entire life. I guess I’ll have to check out my frozen pea bag. :) ~Amy
My girls and I are in LOVE with pomegranate seeds! They are now selling them at Coscto. I know they are not the cheapest and might not align with the “budget” but man do they fill your craving for something sweet and they are good for you!
Yes we love pomegranate seeds, they are terrific.
But if you are looking for something that is sweet and will do you good too, is 100% Gluten Free, 100% Organic and incredibly high in Fiber, then you might want to look at Tiger Nuts. They are available in some health stores, but easiest to get from www,tigernutsusa.com
Im wondering if anyone every remembers that its a blog. That means its your opinions. I myself am a blogger, except I blog about products companies send me. I try to choose ones that are good for us and good for the earth. Even doing that, I can not believe how much people bash me for my opinion. Certain things have benefits for people both good and bad. For instance, Peanuts and Peanut butter… Both high in protein and good use for energy relations. Everyone seems to see the bad in everything. I love the items you post about. A few of the products you have posted, I have actually emailed the companies and done reviews on them. My favorite the FunBites. The tool that everyone was complaining about because it was plastic. Id love to laugh at them because the items are made out of recycled plastic. Gotta love people who think they know everything. I dont let it get to me any more.. Everyone has an opinion. This is yours, If they dont like it, then they need to blog about their own opinions and leave people like you and me alone!!!
I love your posts. Keep up the great work!!
How about including Tiger Nuts, what we believe is probably the healthiest ‘single source’ snack food you can buy, as part of 100 Days of Real Food.
If you want gluten free, organic, high fiber, low fat, high energy, nut free, lactose free and taste great, then Tiger Nuts are for you!
I had never heard of Tiger Nuts. After looking at your website, I had to order some to try them out. Looking forward to it!
Do you limit the amount of soy products you feed your girls? My daughter likes edamame, miso, and tofu, but I am unclear about the relationship between soy and cancer. Curious to hear your take on this.
Hi Tracy. There has certainly been a great deal of conflicting information regarding soy and cancer: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/expertvoices/post/2012/08/02/the-bottom-line-on-soy-and-breast-cancer-risk.aspx. My boys eat edamame but I do make sure I buy organic as most soy is GMO. Since we eat “real” as much as possible, we don’t often have tofu or other processed soy. Hope that helps a bit. ~Amy
Believe it or not, raw zucchini spears are really good with peanut butter… I prefer them over celery, actually. They’re also great with hummus or soft cheese, like brie.
Hi Lisa! I love your posts and ideas! But I have a challenge for you. My daughter has oral allergies that mean when she eats most fruits and raw vegetables her mouth and throat itch. Apples and berries are ok, but that’s about it. I also try to limit the amount of wheat based snacks like crackers because she’s not getting a lot of fruits and veggies. She’s a great eater, but we’re getting tired of apples and berries. Ideas?
Hi Kim. This is a subject that you should consult with your child’s allergist on as we certainly do not want to make suggestions that could be detrimental to her. I can relate well as my son also has a pretty severe oral pollen allergy (especially to birch pollens) and we just have to work around his list. I have found that there are things he does tolerate better if they are cooked a little. Cooked is the only way he can tolerate apples and peaches. ~Amy
Can she eat the other veggies cooked? If so maybe try blanching them for a few minutes so they are still a little crispy. Mix some cooked veggies into muffins or mini quiches. Hard boiled eggs are also a great snack.
Some of these things you can buy on line or through a warehouse store such as Costco.
For Tracy: How about individual packages of precut apple slices (you may want to check on the preservatives, but the ones I buy are organic), individual boxes of raisins, individual packages of whole grain crackers and pretzels, single-serving packages of baby carrots, etc. We have the same restriction with nuts, but I’m still trying to get the after-school care to give the kids something besides prepackaged cereal bars that are full of sugar and fat.
Just found out my kindergartener will be having community snacks from an approved list: pretzels, cheese-its, ritz crackers, fruit snacks, fruit roll ups. Ugh! Any advice on how to help change this in a positive and helpful way?
Hi Courtney. Have you soon any posts about the work we are doing at our school? It is slow going but we keep trying: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/10/04/the-healthy-child-and-earth-committee-at-our-school/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/04/19/how-to-talk-kids-about-real-food/. You might first work on having the list expanded to always include a fresh fruit or veggie to choose from and once you have that success, tackle getting rid of all that junk. Best of luck. ~Amy
Love all the snack ideas and happy to try them out on our girls. Problem I have is that our school requires a single serve pre-packaged snack for sharing. Must not contain nuts. Any Ideas would be great. BTW No Whole Foods within a 100 miles :(
What about single serving raisins and cheese sticks?
Lots of stores, even Walmart sell prepackaged apples, carrots, even blueberries.
Hi what about a puff, like a popover with veg and cheese. A creamy cheese works. They can easily be single serve. Best of luck
I think Pirates Booty has individual packages of popcorn. We have found cheese sticks/slices that we send with individual packages of apple slices, and applesauce pouches also are a go-to for us. Good luck! :)
Hi Tracy. Boy, that is a tough one. First off, it is hard to find packaged products that aren’t highly processed and that don’t have an ingredient list full of stuff you don’t want kids to eat. Adding single servings as a requirement has me at a loss. I’m sorry. ~Amy
good list except the peanut and peanut butter. High in Omega 6 and inflammatory to the body.
Sounds great except for the ranch dip :-)
I like this tho totes not helpful
Great post and snack ideas! I’m always looking for easy, healthy, and nutritious snack ideas. Larabars are delicious! I try to blog about great snack ideas from time to time as well. Check out my blog at http://www.fitfadfan.com.
Just so you know, cheese and bacon are processed foods. I’m not anti-dairy, but since these are supposed to be whole-food snack, these items should not be included. Most bacon products include high fructose corn syrup and trans fat…even the those from organic supplier. The biggest problem with snacks are those that include fructose, saturated fats and trans fats. I prefer simple whole food snacks like fresh organic fruits, nuts and veggies that can be dipped in homemade hummus or drizzled with fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
http://www.DineWith9.com
Menu is also good jackfruit chips to accompany the long journey.
Sorry the future of our country depends on that quote NOT coming true. We have to raise awareness and stop it. We have to get Roundup Recalled.
Hi Lisa, Would you watch this video and the one on the preceeding blog and please post how people can avoid these glyphosate contaminated foods? Moms Across America will share it far and wide. The entire future of our country depends on the predicted fact based statistic of “50% of our kids will have Autism by the year 2025 if we keep going at the rate we are going” _ Samsel and Seneff. Glyphosate is the biggest offender of all…
avhttp://www.momsacrossamerica.com/glyphosate_and_autism_asthma_copd_diabetes_and_more
Thank you for all you do!!!!
Hi there! First off, thank you for taking time to educate us in this never ending real food journey, I love reading your posts!
Question 1: what would you recommend to replace the training foods like puffs and yogurt melts for little ones. Even the organic ones are still processed to the hilt! From an oral motor AND from an allergy precautions standpoint, little ones need these “easy to melt” foods to learn how to move their mouths. I vowed to not give my baby these foods, but when it came time to start learning to chew, the typical Cheerios were too hard.
Question 2: what can I substitute for honey in recipes since my little one is under 1 year old?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Hi Jennifer. This a great post on toddler foods:https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/06/17/toddler-bites-from-weelicous/. And, maple syrup is a good substitute for honey. ~Amy
Jicama with ranch is awesome! Trouble is, I have a hard time finding it!!
Thank you so much for this list! I have 3 little ones under 8 that I have been gently nudging (and sometimes dragging) along in this journey to eating healthy real food. They are struggling so much with leaving behind some of their favorite processed foods- and grandparents weekend cheats have been an issue b/c they know their loving grands will spoil them with the junk they love on the weekends. I’m so excited to try some of these ideas, and to pass this list along to them too.
I just love your blog. I am learning so much and our family is getting healthier- my husband & I are even losing some weight! Thanks so much for all the work you guys put into this!
For teens with braces, take bananas, slice in to bite size pieces, freeze. Melt chocolate chips in double boiler. Brush the melted chocolate on the frozen bananas. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on the chocolate while it is still wet.
Thanks, Kitty! My son recently got braces. Simple idea I would not have thought of.
I highly urge you to read The Wheat Belly. It just might change your mind about using wheat products of any kind in your families diets.
Thanks for the list! Need to hang on the frog.
Hang on the fridge … oh spell check… grrr.
Any ideas for drinks? Water and milk…. anything else?
Hi Stephanie. My kids love sparkling water with a splash of 100% fruit juice. It is very refreshing. ~Amy
Just found this list on pinterest…just in time for summer! SOme other ideas my kids love: graham crackers, Special K bars, go-gurt tubes, nacho chips & salsa, fruit “pizza”, turkey or ham wrapped cheese sticks. All perfect for beach and park trips!
Except none of those are really healthy choices. I’m kind of bummed…I was hoping for some new ideas, and this is mostly stuff we already eat, or avoid because it’s processed (most crackers still have way too many ingredients, or are expensive) we don’t do rice right now because of the arsenic concern, and Larabar’s have soy which we avoid. :/ Can’t wait to try that poptart recipe though!
Lara bars do not have soy in them …
Hi Kelly. Try Lisa’s homemade Lara bar recipe: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/07/01/recipe-homemade-larabars-4-ways-including-nut-free/. You can experiment with countless different variations of healthy ingredients. Also, have you tried Ak Mak whole wheat crackers? As far as boxed items go (and we do very few), they have a very short and wholesome ingredient list. And look through our recipe index because it is full of ideas for stocking a healthy kid friendly pantry. :) ~Amy
I meant albeit not all be it. (Autocorrect)
This list is FULL of processed food. Peanut butter, yogurt, ranch dip, canned fruit are all processed unless you’re making it all yourself from raw whole ingredients. Milk is considered a processed food as well. It’s healthy, but processed. For a list of whole raw unprocessed food refer to this website!! I live by it!
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating/
All be it in this list there are some processed food but it’s foods like whole milk.
You should read the “rules” link on her main site. PB = peanuts with maybe salt. Whole milk yogurt, either homemade or Minimal ingredients. Her goal is to make real foods doable for normal people, not go extreme.
Would you recommend the quaker mini rice cakes
Hello CJ. Nope. The product is full of artificial ingredients, refined and hydrogenated oils. Here is the ingredient list for the cheddar ones: rice flour, corn, sunflower oil with natural tocopherols, whey, salt, maltodextrin, cheddar and blue cheese, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil, butter, MSG, lactic acid, disodium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, citric acid. Hope that helps. ~Amy
Eh, you’ve basically listed a bunch of fruits, veg, and nuts… Nothing too groundbreaking here.
Sorry! I Must have JUST missed the above post. Understood. Thank you!
Rookie here: Do Triscuts contain chemicals? Are they considered an approved processed item?
I consistently see Triscuits on this site as a safe snack to eat but then I see the opposite saying that food with BHT added in them are not safe to eat. Triscuits apparently have BHT. So are they safe or not?
Hi Robert. These are Jason’s current thoughts on Triscuits: “Regarding Triscuits, we actually very rarely purchase them anymore, but this is mainly because since our 100 Day Pledge we’ve started avoiding refined oils when possible. While Triscuits are definitely a much better choice than many other processed crackers, I need to go back and update those posts with a suggestion to consider Ak-Mak crackers instead, which is what we buy on a regular basis now.”
Hope that answers your question. ~Amy
As #25, you have edamame listed, which we LOVE. But since soy is a big GMO crop, is safe to eat? We typically buy ours at Trader Joe’s (frozen, in the pod variety). Any information you can provide would be great! Thanks for all you do :)
Hi Heather. If you stick with the Trader Joe’s branded items, they pride themselves on sourcing from non-GMO crops. ~Amy
I appreciate the list, but several of these products (crackers, pretzels, bread, pasta, etc.) are processed foods. They might be made with whole wheat but they are still processed and most contain GMOs unless they are organic or GMO-free verified or you know which ingredients to look out for.
Hi Leeanor. It is the 100% part of the 100% whole grain that is most important. Then you know it does not contain refined grains. ~Amy
I was always told that whole grain bread is the best to buy over whole wheat. Are they two different grains or the same. It gets confusing.
Do you have a brand of chocolate you recommend? I love dark chocolate, but I don’t want any added ingredients!
Hi Kate. This post will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/10/31/food-babe-investigates-death-by-chocolate/. ~Amy
Hi,I noticed papaya in the list and understand that papaya is GMO ,grown in Hawaii…and also to Jennifer,Soy is a big GMO crop
and I would avoid it.I recently found an organic, non-dairy oat milk
made by Pacific.
I am trying to find a non-perishable, nut-free, prepackaged snack to send into my kids’ classrooms for the class snack cabinet- suggestions?
Hi Amber. This should help, too: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/22/an-elementary-school-snack-list-%E2%80%93-nut-free/. ~Amy
Check these out – there are a lot of fun options from Plum! https://www.plumorganics.com/kids-snacks
A few ideas come to mind — raisins, other dried fruits, those ‘freeze dried’ fruits, and organic fruit squeezies (PlumTots makes a bunch of yummy ones our kids love).
Do you have any suggestions for marshmellows, my kids are going to have a hard time giving them up at campouts and in their hot chocolate! Thanks Carrie
Hi Carrie. I think this is just what you are looking for: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/29/real-food-while-camping/. :) ~Amy
The link for the popcorn trick is broken – could you redirect? Thanks!
Hi Emily. Sorry, Try again: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/17/recipe-the-popcorn-trick/. ~Amy
Was wondering what recipe you use for fruit leather? And how do you make it in the dehydrator? I bought the one you have on your site. My family and I are doing the 100 days of real food but instead of hundred days I am doing it for lifetime. I spent all day yesterday cleaning out my pantry getting all the bad stuff out if my house. Waiting for your reply thank you for having this site. Ashley cherry
Hi Ashley. Welcome! This is a link that uses dehydrated fruit to make fruit leather. Hope it helps: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/make-your-own-fruit-leather/. ~Amy
I saw you use a dehydrator – any ideas how to make your own fruit leathers that work. Ive tried so many just to get to the end and they be gross. Love your site. Most of our meals come from your site. Thanks!
Hi Darcy. I have not tried this myself. However, I’ve seen a friend dehydrate fruit and reconstitute it by soaking it in hot water. She then purees it, adds a bit of honey when needed, and then puts it in the oven to dry. Rachel Ray has a similar process: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/make-your-own-fruit-leather/. Hope that helps. ~Amy
My 11 year old son likes it when I slice up a banana and top it a teaspoon or so of Nutella hazelnut spread. And for a little special treat, I add a mini-marshmallow, but only if he’s been good. Thank you for the ideas, I will try them out…..
Carrots are also yummy with peanut butter!
Triscuits contain GMOs
Hi Lisa!! I am brand new to clean eating, and I am concerned about a few key things before I get started.
1.Is it worth it to buy organic fruits and vegetables compared to non-organic?
2.What type of bread is best? Whole wheat, whole grain? Homemade?
3.Butter, margarine, or neither?
4.Peanut Butter – I currently get Simply Jiff – just peanuts and oil but it doesn’t separate.
5.I have 3 boys (ages 6, 4, 1). Are their ‘safe’ snacks to purchase off the shelf at the grocery store that are quick? Eg, Kashi, etc?
Thank you so much! Perhaps a book recommendation… I feel clueless!
Erin, have you thought about making your own peanut butter? It takes maybe 10 minutes, with a food processor of course. The recipe I use is 2 1/2 cups peanuts(roasted, no salt), 4 Tbsp grapeseed oil (or peanut oil, maybe even coconut oil? I’ve read grapeseed isn’t actually that good for you.. anyone else hear that?), and 2 Tbsp. honey. I get my peanuts in bulk at Winco for less than $2/lb. though I can’t be sure of farming practices used on the peanuts :0/
I make my own peanut butter too. It’s so easy. I just put dry roasted peanuts in my high speed blender. That’s all. I’ve thought about getting raw and roasting myself but want to keep it simple.
Hi Erin. Let’s address these one by one.
1. I think it always safest to buy organic, however, if you want to only purchase certain organic produce, then focus on these:http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214.
2. You always want to look for 100% whole grain/wheat. Here is a link to Lisa’s whole wheat bread: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/17/recipe-honey-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-for-bread-machine/
3. Butter!
4. Find a peanut butter with just peanuts and salt as ingredients.
5. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/07/31/85-snacks-for-kids-and-adults/
Best of luck! ~Amy
Hi! Good luck with your diet. I’ve been a vegetarian/healthfood nut for over 10 years, and it’s the best thing I ever could have done. Especially in these times, it’s so important to teach your kids about health and nutrition, so it’s really great you are doing this! Anyway, I noticed you have Larabar pictured on here. FYI they, sadly, have been bought by General Mills :-\ This happens with a lot of great companies. Odwalla is another formerly great company who’s been bought out.
http://naturalsociety.com/organic-food-industry-bought-up-by-corporations-like-coca-cola/
Smoked salmon, for a treat. Yummy! Our kids love it.
What kind of yogurt do you recommend?
Hi Kim. We recommend organic, full fat, plain yogurt. This link should help…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/18/cheese-and-other-dairy-products-are-they-processed/ -Amy
is there a brand of soy sauce that does not have MSG?
I use Bragg Liquid Aminos. It tastes just like soy sauce but only has 2 ingredients. http://bragg.com/products/la.html Our local grocery store carries it, and I live in a pretty small town.
Hi Erin. It is my understanding that all soy sauces contain MSG, as it occurs naturally in the fermentation process. You can find high quality organic soy sauce, however. Hope this helps. -Amy
What about Kind bars?
I’m sure you could put worse things in your mouth, but they are not something I would buy personally. A quick scan of ingredients included soy protein isolate, various forms of added sugar, and soy lecithin (which is derived from soy oil, which is often produced using a chemical process including hexane), etc. I like to buy things containing basic, real ingredients or things I could make at home. I don’t isolate protein.
Is there a printable version of this list?
Hi Erin. No, unfortunately there is no printable version of this list. Jill
My kids adore nori (yes, the seaweed wrappers for sushi), which Asian markets and Trader Joe’s carry it in little packets and they eat it plain, which will seem bizarre, I know. It’s salty, but high in calcium and iron. You cannot beleve how many of their friends have now tried it and like it, too. Give it a shot, just tell them it’s a salty crunchy treat. You can also roll brown rice inside w/ a touch of rice vinegar for little “sushi” rolls, without the fish.
Talk about back to basics. We all try so hard when the answer is actually quite simple. Love the lists/categories. These are good lunch ideas as well.
Shirley,
Open it in your web browser and you should see a print button.:)
Lauren, Disney World is fabulous about food allergies/intolerance. At every restaurant the chef will speak with you about options for meals. My daughter was thrilled to have GF waffles, rice noodles and even coconut ice cream.
Wish there was a print button for this.
What are your thoughts on Monkey Bars? I recently received free samples of these and they claim to be all natural. Here is their website. http://monkey-brains.com/
Hi Steph. A quick look at their site and I saw quite a long ingredient list and some which I wouldn’t put in something I made in my kitchen, so, I would likely avoid these. Jill
I like to make cinnamon toast with home made whole wheat bread, butter, and cinnamon. It makes a fulfilling and healthy snack.
my kids love the carrots if i blanch them first. i make a big pot full and keep the in the refrigerator handy, and they eat them by the handful. They are just 3 and 1 so the softer carrot is much better.
Just want to applaud you for what you are doing. I have pledged to cut out processed foods also and I want to help others as well. I will tell others about you. Much success with your business!
I also enjoy cooking new varieties of snacks for my kids. While surfing online, I came across some simple inventive ideas and a straightforward approach to cook new varieties at home.
I absolutely love your blog!! I just wanted to share that found some Baked Whole Wheat Crackers at a grocery store her in NJ, it is the store brand – Nature’s Promise (organic/natural). The ingredients are Whole Wheat and salt. The crackers are similar to triscuts, but triscuts have soybean oil in addition to the whole what and salt. I think it would be great to have a list of items that we could search or something. Thank for all you do!
I just found this out a while back, so not sure if you realize, but Triscuits contain GMO products. Definitely something we’re not eating anymore. I’m not sure if any of the other crackers contain GMOs or not, but something to look into.
We have figured that out about Triscuits as well and while they are still much better than most of the alternatives we no longer buy them as much as we used to.
Hi Leah. Thanks for letting us know…we had heard that. Jill
Awesome list! I’m trying my best this year to improve my eating habits. Often times I think we simply focus on the three meals, but I love to snack, so want to be consistent throughout the day.
I no longer use wheat flour since I read “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis. I do use “real” wheat (Emmer, Farro, Einkorn) products when I can find them. I use other flours such as rice, almond, coconut, and spelt.
Hi Lori! I have recently cut out all wheat since reading wheat belly! Can you tell me where you have been able to find the “real wheat” products? I have not been able to find any in any of the whole food stores I go to. Any help would be great! Thanks!
Hi Lori! I am also cutting out wheat after reading wheat belly. I have not found any of the “real wheat” in any of the whole food stores I go to. Can you tell me where you have been able to find some of the good wheat? Ay help would be great!! Thanks!
Please also remember to keep crackers/breads to a minimum unless brushing your teeth immediately. They are very bad for the teeth due to the stickyness and will cause cavities very quickly. This is per talking to a dentist on the matter.
I am so glad you are on Pinterest…that is going to make my life a lot easier!!
Hi 100 Days Ladies,
Love the blog, started my “Cleanout” in May and hubby has lost 20 lbs and my tummy issues are so much better! But now we have the first big and longer family vacation in a few months to Disney World. We’re going with 6 adults, 3 kiddos. No one else does clean eating but i know that there are plenty of foods we can order and make that will fit the bill. I am hoping that we can figure out a few homemade treats to pre make and bring in the carry on (cookies, muffins) that don’t need to be refrigerated. And maybe also some basics that would be safe to transport and aren’t liquids. Any ideas?
Thanks for all your help and inspiration!
Hi Lauren. We did Disney last year and were able to stick to things pretty well (much to our surprise). The key was that we never did counter service for meals…we always sat down and ate so we could “customize” our meal so to speak (make reservations now if you are within 6 months of your visit). For snacks, we loaded up on fresh fruit and waters in a backpack. Other great ideas are fruit and nut bars (I like the Kit’s Organic ones), homemade granola, dried fruit, and nuts. If you are staying somewhere with a kitchen it makes it a little easier too. We did breakfast there which saved us one meal (both in terms of having to find something healthy and the money). And, some nights we’d even be back to our place for dinner so I could just quickly put something together. Hope that helps. Hope you have a wonderful trip too. Jill
Wonderful post, thanks for sharing!
Rise bars are also a great snack, I recommend the energy bars which are lot like Larabars but with amaranth, and they’re breakfast bars which are mainly nuts and amaranth with some dried fruit.
A lot of companies are making baby food in to go pouches which can be a great snack too, as long as you check the ingredients.
Could you tell me where you got the wooden snack plate pictured in this post? I’m looking for one for my children. Thanks!!
I’ve actually had that for a while (glad you like it!)…I think it was from World Market. Their products change over time though so not sure if they would have the exact tray anymore.
Where do you get whole wheat pretzels? I have looked all over for them and have not b ee able to find them.
Trader Joes
Hi Joie. Trader Joes has whole wheat pretzels that are pretty good. Jill
I was browsing through the website earlier today and saw this post with a link to an whole wheat pretzel you can order online.
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/21/for-convenience-the-best-store-bought-snacks-ii/
So, I’m all about my little ones eating natural and healthy, but how do I do that when grandma and grandpa are constantly giving them junk every time they have them? It makes them not eat what I give them because its not as sweet or not as salty. IE: Homemade pizza instead of pizzahut. slices of fruit instead of those wierd gummy fruits. And then they tell my daughters “it has tomatoes and cheese and bread in in, so it’s healthy” or “its made from real fruit, so its healthy”. They’ve no clue! Wish I could just ban them from their grandparents, to be honest!
Hi Elizabeth. That’s a tough one and one we hear a lot unfortunately. I’m not sure what your relationship is like with the grandparents, but, can you ask them/explain to them what you are trying to do in feeding your children? Maybe they’ll be more respectful than you think. I do face a similar situation and I try and let them indulge a little when they are with the grandparents, but, mine don’t see theirs that often. Good luck. Jill
THANKS so much for such a great list of healthy snack ideas! Some great options here we’ll be trying soon.
Lisa, what do you think of the fresh mandarin oranges sold in crates in the grocery store? I’ve heard that the food-grade wax they place on them could be toxic. I’ve asked, even at Trader Joe’s, if they have any without the wax, and they don’t. I loved eating them up until a couple of years ago, when I heard they were potentially dangerous. Any information you could provide on this would be helpful!
Thanks!
Hi Tammy. I don’t know anything specifically about the wax, but, the last time I was at whole foods I saw a write up they had about it (but I didn’t read it…sorry). You might try their website or maybe call their store. The other thought is that it’s on the peel only I believe which you are removing. Jill
What an awesome list! My newest favorite snack for my little C are these homemade fruit snacks. Made with whole fruit, gelatin from grass-fed cows, and a touch of raw honey they are packed with protein, vitamins, and free from all the nasty fake stuff.
http://thankyourbody.com/homemade-healthy-fruit-snacks/
Thanks for the list. I am printing it out and giving it to my husband as a survey of things he likes/doesn’t like/hasn’t tried yet! He’s pretty picky and this will be an easy way to keep track of what he will eat to make my shopping easier!
I have to send 30 pre-packaged snacks for my son’s Kindergarten class a few times a year and am not sure what I could possibly send. Any ideas?
Hi Lindsay. If they don’t have to be nut free, Lara bars are a great option. Or, did you check out the “That’s It” fruit bars we featured…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/22/special_offer_lunchbox_notes_mealplans/. Jill
I have to send 30 pre-packaged snacks for my son’s Kindergarten class a few times a year. Any ideas?
Hi! I just thought you might be interested in my son’s favorite real-food after school snack: Honey Goat Cheese Strawberries. You can find the recipe here: http://www.threedietsonedinner.com/2012/03/honey-goat-cheese-strawberries.html
Thanks, you guys. Just took it out from the local library and am going to take a look!
I think the book you’re looking for is Sneaky Chef. Great ideas in there!
@sher… I can’t remember the name of the author, but there is a popular cookbook on how to sneak fruits and veggies into recipes. There also good websites that may help. Good luck! :-)
Thanks for the ideas. I struggle regularly, as my son will eat no fruit. NONE. He’s not into veggies, either, though he will eat them at dinnertime. He won’t eat yogurt. He eats nuts, which is good — until it gets dinged at school because of a child with a nut allergy (which of course I would never want to mess with.) And then, I am stuck. :(
Just ran across this article and I love it! We just started home schooling this year(1st & 3rd) and my kids are use to getting snacks when they were in their old school. I found in the Summer they didn’t need a mid-morning snack but now with school they do. During lunch today I was getting them to tell me ideas so I can plan ahead for the next week. We came up with a few but this list of ideas is going to get printed and posted on the fridge:)Thanks!!
My kids get mainly veggies and fruit for snack after school. On days when I can tell by their mood they need a bit of protein to carry them over to dinner I will make a dip by mixing equal parts peanut butter and soy milk.(we deal with a dairy allergy, I assume dairy milk would also work) It takes a while to get them to mix but eventually they do and my girls love it.
Why do you people feel the need to criticize someone trying to help others with ideas. All of the suggestions are that, suggestions, if you don’t like something than just don’t make or serve it. I am one of the millions of moms out there who have been serving my kids processed junk since they were off baby food, thus ruining the diet completely. If someone out there is trying to help people like me to get their kids on real food, just thank them. So, thank you for the above ideas. There are people who appreciate it, and will not criticize your suggestions. Those who are judging and condescending can move on please.
Well said Leah! I couldn’t agree more.Thank-you Lisa
No joke! I totally agree. There’s always someone who’s doing better and worse than you at everything, so if someone is at least making an attempt to do the right thing.. people just need to stop being so judgmental! Lol! Also, nice name ;)
My kids love frozen berries – no sugar added, not thawed, blended, pureed or served with anything… just frozen whole berries. And it is true… not everything needs to be served with dips & sauces! Not all nuts need to be salted or roasted wither raw unroasted almonds and cashews with some dried fruit is far better then premade trail mix and has many more health benefits and is easier to digest as well!
I really dont know why you need to alter the fruit and veggies with ranch dressings and
Such. We need to teach our babies t to eat fresh and natural foods. My four old great grand daughter loves fresh veggies and fruit. No additavies for her,,,
What’s wrong with a home made yogurt or sour cream ranch? Sometimes it’s about variety as kids get older.
I agree. I never understand the need to add ‘fruit dips’ alongside naturally sweet fruits that kids already like.
Don’t forget, as an alternative to Peanut Butter, cream cheese works well on celery with raisins
I am so very happy to have found this blog and website!!!! I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am!! God created our food to be eaten naturally and I am so happy to see that you have taken the initiative to blog about it. I am happy to take the 10-day challenge and am looking forward to all these wonderful recipe’s and ideas!!! Thanks you! Thank you! Thank you!!! :)
I have a quick question and you are the only place I can think to ask. I have a recipe that calls for 1 small envelope of instant vanilla pudding. It is for a coffee drink mix, so I need dry ingredients. Can you (or anyone else) give me some possible guidelines for vanilla pudding that might work instead of the boxed kind? Thank for any ideas. On the one hand, it is such a small amount of the whole I really don;t worry about it. On the other hand, it is usually much cheaper, certainly healthier and usually not too much work to make such things myself.
Try this out. Her recipes are really great and this diy vanilla pudding mix might make it work.
http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com/2011/02/diy-vanilla-instant-pudding-mix.html
What is the recipe for the coffee drink? That might help us to find a healthy way to create it.
Hi Danielle. Here is the maple mocha recipe…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/03/04/recipe-maple-mocha/. Jill
http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/04/17/diy-homemade-instant-vanilla-pudding-mix/
Looks pretty promising!
Hi Renee. I don’t know what you might substitute for the instant vanilla pudding, but, I’m guessing that the pudding would not fall within the parameters of “real food”. Sorry I couldn’t be more help. Jill
My kiddos also love grapes with goat cheese. Thanks for such an expansive list!!
Random Side Note: Jicama is awesome dipped in ranch dressing/dip!! If you haven’t tried it, you are missing out! YUM!
RAW BROWNIES are the rage around my house right now! My un-“clean” brownie-loving husband says they are the best he’s ever had. He didn’t even know there were nuts in them!
With only a few ingredients, it is the ultimate healthy chocolate craving satisfier:
1 c walnuts (does NOT lend flavor to the brownies)
1 c pitted dates
4 TBSP unsweetened shredded coconut (does NOT lend flavor to the brownies)
1/4 tsp sea salt
5 TBSP cocoa powder
Sweetener to taste (I use honey and stevia)
Process all until crumbles and then some and refrigerate IF you can wait that long! :)
I actually just bought a bunch of Arrowhead Mills Puffed Whole Grain Cereal since they were on sale today. Do you have any ideas/recipes for using them to make your own breakfast cereal (combining them, adding sweetener, etc.)?
This was my first attempt, turned out good:
Melt:
1 T butter
1 T coconut oil (could probably do all butter or all oil, whatever)
3 T honey
Mix with:
2 c puffed kamut
2 c puffed brown rice
1/4 c sliced almonds (may try more next time)
1/4 c oats
Spread on parchment-lined pan, bake 15 min at 325°, cool.
I only did a small batch this time to see how it would turn out. Can do any combination of puffed cereal, any oil, maple syrup, add other stuff, whatever you like. May try adding flax or finely ground nuts next time.
I like the Kashi Go Lean Honey Almond Crunch–reminds me of Honey Smacks from childhood–but will stop buying and just make my own now.
Hi Kelly. I have not tried to do that and don’t have any recipes to share. Sorry. Jill
Great list! Perfect for back to school – I actually just sent out an e-book to my newsletter subscribers that includes a list of back to school snacks – it will be available on my site by next week. After all, this IS that time of year!
I just started the 10 day pledge and looked at the ingredients in my Fig Newtons. I had only a few things out of the pack, but I had to throw it away. I never realized all that junk was in a “healthy” cookie!
Great list, Lisa! I wrote a shorter list … our top 7 favorite snacks, http://fresh-you.blogspot.com/2012/08/seven-super-snacks-our-most-favorites.html — you might enjoy “Chocolatey Goodness”, a combo of plain regular or Greek yogurt, unsweetened cocoa, and mashed banana. Super yummy and nutritious! ( http://fresh-you.blogspot.com/2012/01/3-ingredient-chocolatey-goodness.html ) Frozen fruit for ANYBODY (mangoes, pineapple, cherries, peaches, berries, my mouth is watering!) …as is, or blended into sorbet (without any added sugar!) and more for kids … frozen veggies (corn, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower). SO cool that you make your own “poptarts”! Wahoo for helping SO many people get healthy!!!
Do you have a printer-friendly version of this list? I would love to print it and bring to shopping with me…
Hi Molly. Great question and one I’ve often asked too. You will see conflicting opinions on this. I buy local if I can and if I can ask, like you have, how they treat their food. So, even if they’re not certified organic farmers, many times they follow those rules so I’m fine with it and would prefer local. But, like you said, if they are treating it with pesticides, I’ll usually pick organic over local. Jill
Have you tried Wasa brand crisp bread? It is delicious! Especially the “whole grain” version, which has only whole grain rye flour, water, yeast, and salt. I like it with cream cheese and jam :)
I just got these I hope they taste good. I am trying to change up my son’s lunch this year
Bless you for writing this blog! I do so well for a while feeding my family non-processed foods and then we all get bored with our bland options and fall off the wagon. This blog is exactly what I need because if I feed my children one more ounce of grilled chicken, brown rice or fruit smoothies they have made it known that there will be a major mutiny going on at my house and I am the one they will throw overboard:)
I should mention do you have a Yonanas maker? You take fruit that you can purchase frozen or you can freeze yourself like beginning with bananas, then another fruit then more banana’s its all fruit and is almost like a fruity soft serve. I use bananas we freeze, and fruit leftovers get frozen then I use those and sometimes I take almond milk freeze it in an ice cube tray and use that too. Yu can see the maker at http://www.yonanas.com
I sprinkled cinnamon on a sliced peach for a snack. It marinated all day, so when it was time to eat, it was SO tasty! It was like eating the inside of a peach pie!
Love the list!
What brand of peanut butter do you use? I can’t find a natural one that is low in the bad fats (i.e. saturated and trans fats).
Hi Kimberlee. I just use Earthfare brand organic, unsalted. Jill
Hi Lisa! I have a huge dilemma and I would love your input. My family and I just started our switch to real food this summer. We are super excited and it is going great! A little challenging at times in our culture as u know, but we’re getting the hang of it. I just left the orientation for my sons preschool and because the school is state funded, they mandate you to pay 80.00/month and require you to eat lunch and 2 snacks at school. No outside for is permitted unless your child has a milk allergy. I am very disappointed as I was really looking forward to providing his lunch daily according to the real food rules. I checked out the sample menu and it includes things like pop tarts, refined flour biscuits, ravioli, etc. there are a few healthy additions but overall the food is processed. They do cook in their own kitchen which is a plus but I really feel strongly that I should have a say in what goes into my sons body. :( how do I get around this? Thank u in advance for your response.
Any chance a doctor might write a note and fake the allergy? Just throwing it out there;)
I’ll be damned if a school is going to tell me how to feed my kids. That makes me angry for you! Maybe faking it is morally questionable but you’re the parent, you get to make the rules for your kids.
Just my 2c
Hi April. I saw some other readers gave you some good information. I think the only thing you can try and do is speak to the school and see if they’ll allow you an exception in terms of providing your son’s food. Best of luck. Jill
Federal food rules suck. Having worked as an Admin Assistant for the Food Services Dept in a school district I would see stuff that made my blood boil. We had vegitarians & vegans whose children had to just eat what was served or throw it away because it’s a “lifestyle choice” and not a medical problem. And believe me, just because they have their own kitchen doesn’t make the food choices better. The District I worked in boasted that they cooked their own food…. that meant that they baked the frozen chicken nuggets, warmed up the Chef Boyardi ravioli, and used Uncrustables. The Federal regulations are insane on what is considered “healthy”….. every day the kids have a choice for breakfast of Lucky Charms or Cocoa Puffs… because these meet a calorie/sugar/grain ratio per serving they pass the “healthy for our kids” test. Total BS.
if its a headstart you can’t get around it in CA as far as I know. I teach at a preschool but trained with a headstart and they don’t let you out of the food rules unless its an extreme allergy. You can try to speak with the director and try to see if they will allow you do so. But honestly part of the state run programs is to get what they consider to be good meals into children who may not get them. I personally don’t see them as good either but when the program is free sometimes you may have to follow the school’s rules and then whole real foods at home. Its hard to get around the states rules in a state run program. They can’t change the menu either its kind of created off a list of approved foods that they get from the state. They have to serve so many fruits, veggies, proteins, and dairy a week.
Find a diffretent preschool!
Great list!!! Thanks for posting!! :)
Love these ideas. One I like for when I have a sweet tooth craving is the banana ice-cream you can whip up in mere minutes in the food processor using frozen banana slices and adding in some natural peanut butter and a bit of milk. I live using chocolate coconut milk so that I fill my need for chocolate too.
Where did you find that wood divided snack plate (the one with the cubed cheese, apples and bowl of olives)? I love it. Thanks for posting this list, along with photos of your kids’ beautiful real food lunches.
One of my favorite snacks of all time is fresh figs with goat cheese. We make ants on a log with either cream cheese or goat cheese when my kids’ peanut-allergic friends come to play.
Thank you! I’ve had that serving platter forever, but I am pretty sure I got it at World Market. Unfortunately their stuff changes quite a bit so I doubt they still have the same one.
What are your thoughts on protein shakes for adults and children
Hi Martsi. I’ve never had them personally, so I can’t comment. I would just be certain to check the ingredients very closely. Jill
Per usual, all looks great. Thanks for sharing. I love this site. I first heard about from a cook chick who follows my blog and it’s been AWESOME having you as a resource and inspiration. So pumped to pack my first lunches this year for school with your “help!”
I like to make “yogurt cheese” as a snack. I take homemade yogurt (you could use store-bought plain yogurt too) and strain it to make it thicker (i.e. Greek yogurt). I strain mine by putting a couple of coffee filters in a strainer over a bowl, pouring in the yogurt, covering it, and sticking it in the fridge over night. You could also use cheesecloth. When the yogurt is a little thicker, I chop up some of whatever fresh herbs I have on hand. This summer, it’s been lots of basil and dill. Add a pinch of salt if desired. This is a great dip for veggies or whole grain crackers or pita. I love having it in my lunch with some hummus and fruit.
I also love to make homemade black bean dip. Very easy, very tasty.
I have a friend who likes to dip his carrots in peanut butter. It is his “take to work” snack. Take the whole jar, take whole bag of carrots, toss in refrigerator.
I like to take an avocado, slice in half, take half that doesn’t contain pit, add salt and pepper. Fill cavity where pit was with apple cider vinegar, eat out of shell with spoon. The simplest and best tasting way to eat an avocado IMO.
I notice you say it’s 100 days of real food, as in a diet consisting of unprocessed food, but your “whole grain” section, with the exception of perhaps the oatmeal (if it’s made from whole oats) and maybe the popcorn (if it’s made from corn and oil in a pot yourself), but otherwise, is ALL PROCESSED food and the grain category is the most notorious for us not making it ourselves from real whole food ingredients at home! Supposed “whole grain” products bought pre-made and packaged in the store, ARE NOT real, whole foods! Otherwise I like the concept and a lot of the ideas. It’s important to me for people to realize that in order to have a real, whole food diet, ALL the food must be made ourselves, in other words “processed” ourselves at home. No pre-made noodles or pasta, even if labeled “whole grain” and no crackers, pretzels, cereals and cakes! Grains, until about 100 years ago, were sprouted and fermented before we ate them and modern commercial grain products are not, so many people have problems digesting them and we call it gluten intolerance. For some, it’s chronic and severe.
When it comes to packaged food we define “real food” as having 5 or less whole ingredients. A whole ingredient can be something like 100% whole-wheat. Here are the full list of rules: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-defined-a-k-a-the-rules/
Beth… have you actually read any on her site. I suggest you look at her rules on how she defines “real” food. Her list works for her rules. :shrug:
Also, gluten intolerance and celiac disease is a mostly misunderstood disorder that only a very, very, small percentage of the population have. Due to it being commonly misdiagnosed due to “whole foodies” not knowing the difference, it gained popularity and became a fad. Though the placebo effect does help many that believe they are suffering from everyday ailments of a modern lifestyle, there are very few that actually have celiac (the wheat/barley/rye) or are gluten intolerant (the above, including corn/rice/sorghum). Consuming gluten from “sprouted and fermented” sources does not change the proteins for the intolerant few.
If “whole” or “raw” food was meant, I’m sure it would have been said. You’re putting words in the mouths. What I’m sure is meant by “real food” is avoiding fast food and the other *heavily* processed garbage. I gather this site is about things that you can make at home, for cheap, with the ability to read the box and know what is going through your food hole.
I noticed that as well and was a bit confused, but it’s a start for some to just avoid white flours, so all hope is not lost. No one is perfect and in our society it is almost unrealistic to expect everyone to make everything, so compromises are made.
I love this list, especially the figs and goat cheese – that’s my new favorite snack!
I just tried stuffing a Medjool date with goat cheese. Lovely!
I mean… you said snacks in the title. I assumed you meant snack ideas. Not just naming “grapes” as a snack. Of course it’s a snack. Anything that’s not an entree is a snack. This list is just “stuff to not have as a main course for dinner.”
I think it is a refreshing reminder that whole foods ARE foods and make great snacks without a lot of effort. Why buy “fruit snacks” when you can just eat fruit? :-)
Pip,I agree when I saw snacks for kids I was hoping for something a little more interesting. I have to admit that I am really trying hard to convert my family (who believes its not a lunch without potato chips) to a new way of eating. I am getting a lot of resistance and was hoping for some creative and or fun ways to get my son looking forward to his snack and not trying to trade it off to his friends. I like the reader suggestion of a fruit kabob. Any other suggestions on making it look more interesting/appetizing?
Agreed, Tonia and Pip! When I saw all the individually listed fruits on this list I was like, “Seriously?” I used to check this blog frequently but after this post I took a long break. :/
Hi Pip. I find that sometimes we forget the simple things so it helps to serve as a reminder. And, of course, whole food snacks often take no preparation since they are things we can find in their natural state, so, while this seems simple, that may well be the reason. Hope you enjoy maybe finding a few things on the list you had not thought of before. Jill
Thanks so much. I am excited to add some new ones to our days.
It’s funny you should mention frozen peas. When my kids were small, they loved frozen peas, and wouldn’t eat them cooked.
The same with beans, except the beans were fresh. Raw, not cooked.
most beans are actually very bad for you raw, or were these canned beans? those are actually precooked.
I think IdaBaker was referring to green beans (bush beans, pole beans) – not dried beans (pinto, black, etc).
Thanks for this list! I discovered this blog about a week ago and I have immediately started moving away from highly processed foods, and snacks seem to be difficult for me to come up with ideas for. This will also help me with making side dishes for meals as well.
Thank you for this it helps when working on our snack calendar for myself and for the preschool I work at. I have to do more nut free and in some cases gluten free for school, but this is a great list.
I will say ants on a log can be done savory style. Like celery with a spreadable cheese and raisins, craisins or another small item to use as ants. We also do home made granola since most packaged items have nuts its a great snack item. Jicama sticks is another one. We use cut veggies from our garden as well since we have a garden at the preschool.
Thank you, Thank you for this list. I am always looking for yummy and healthy snack ideas and the best I seem to come up with are sliced apples and peanut butter or celery sticks and ranch dip – all things she likes but that can get boring fast. One day I’m going to get brave and try those homemade poptarts. With a little effort, I can’t believe how easy it is to replace many of the processed foods we eat with a healthier homemade version. Thanks for your site and the recipes.
Thanks for the list, am pinning now! I eat apples and peanut butter just about everyday. Also, peanut butter, honey and sliced bananas on whole wheat tortillas are great! Also a BIG spinach smoothie fan :)
Aren’t we glad peanut butter is a nutritional food we can put on other things! (all in moderation…)
Fantastic list! We do pita and hummus, kale chips, and plain yogurt a lot; have been making our own kefir and flavoring it with a bit of maple syrup and vanilla for a yummy, healthy drinkable yogurt. Just FYI, googled “The Popcorn Trick” and came up with something quite other than what I think you were going for . . . would love to know your version.
Hi Callie. Here is the post on the popcorn trick…https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/17/recipe-the-popcorn-trick/. Jill
Oh no, I’m afraid to Google it . . . :-)
https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/17/recipe-the-popcorn-trick/
What a great list! I forget about the varieties of delicious snacks out there and get stuck in a rut. Thanks for reminding me that there are so many more options.
Great list…but I have one objection. The canned fruit. Yuck! I don’t trust canned ‘anything!’ The process of heating the cans up and the risk of BPA leaching out is simply not worth it to me or my family.
Hi Andrea. I agree with your concern about the BPA cans, but, there are many companies now using BPA free cans (Eden Organic and Native Forest for example). You could always seek out those companies if the fruit is a snack option you enjoy, or, just skip it all together. Jill
I would be hard pressed to eat anything canned too, Andrea! I also wouldn’t eat edamame dipped in soy sauce. Its a double soy whammy!! With all I’ve read about soy, I say no way in my house!
What kind of fruit leathers do you eat? Do you buy them or make your own. I noticed the stretch island brand is made only from concentrate fruits and I believe the the process of making it “concentrate” takes out most of the nutrients? I also notice another brand I found at whole foods has the same type of ingredients.
Hi Kellie. Here is a post Lisa did that shows the fruit leathers. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/07/04/for-convenience-the-best-store-bought-snacks/. You are correct on the ingredients and, as she notes, they are definitely “treats” for her kids. Jill
I think I just figured it out… figs with goat cheese?
Yes. YUM! Jill
The snack tray looks wonderful! What is in the center… between the cheese cubes and the cashews? Looks delish!
Thinly sliced kohlrabi marinated in olive oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Satisfies the salty/crunchy cravings.
Beware of products that just say “Whole grains” That is often a ruse. The ingredients should list each item as ‘whole’ or the label should say “100%”
What about pickles? Are there certain brands better than others?
Hi Jennifer. I know one reader suggested making them. I usually just buy the Earthfare organic brand, but, I’m sure making them might yield ones with less salt. Jill
homemade fermented pickles are really the best for you. They have live cultures in them. Hooray for probiotics. There’s also a fermenting group on Facebook that I’m a part of where you can find recipes and tips. They’re so easy to make, no vinegar needed. :)
This one is for sharing cultures: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290350194354532/
and this one is strictly on fermenation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/63032745368/
I have friends who make pickles at home!
Yes, homemade pickles are the best! I have a refrigerator recipe that cures in 2 days and lasts for 2 weeks (cucumbers, fresh dill, vinegar, garlic and water). Since, I make them myself, I can control the level of salt. We make them in summer when cucumbers and dill are available at the farmer’s market. My daughter knows not to ask for pickles out of season :)
I make these too. I like to add onions, salt, and pepper. You DON’T need to add sugar though.
Will you share your recipe? I haven’t found one without alot of sugar and other ingredients I don’t want. Thank you!!
Amazing list!!!
My kids *love* grated cheese… fruit kabobs…graham creams with cream cheese… homemade fruit puree popsicles… :)
Love the list! We forget that just single items can be food and we don’t always have to make up a full recipe. :)
Mmm! Yummy! Great list. I’m gonna print out for next time the kids ask me “what is there to eat?”
Excellent list!!!! Printing this out, you just made grocery shopping a little easier! ;) end also love home made granola and fruit nut bars homemade! So yummy!!
Do you recommend unsalted nuts or are salted ok?
Btw- i love your site and all the great ideas you have! It’s really inspiring.
I usually eat them raw, but, it’s really your preference. Some people say they mix the raw with some salted for just a little bit of salt. Glad you are enjoying the blog. Jill
Personally, I generally prefer unsalted, raw nuts. Overall those tend to be better for you anyway. However, I do love my sunflower seeds roasted and salted. You should try raw asnd unsalted varietyies, eat the ones you like and go for the salted ones for the others.
I sometimes mix salted nuts with an unsalted one (ie. I really like roasted almond, but cashews I am fine with raw so I’ll mix the two so the saltiness gets spread between the two)
I like raw unsalted walnuts, but for most others, I prefer them roasted and salted. Unless I’m shelling them myself of course. I also like to take raw unsalted Almonds, marinate them in Tamari sauce and them roast them myself.
Trader Joe’s has some good half-salted roasted almonds that I like. A little taste of salty, but not nearly as overkill as many other brands of salted, roasted nuts. You can actually taste and enjoy the flavor of almond.
Wow, awesome list! Makes me hungry for some real food just reading it! ;)
This is a really great list!!! Thank you for putting it together. My kids love to snack on edamame and dried seaweed too.
I found it helpful for people like me who get into a rut. It reminds me to explore beyond apples, grapes, berries, and citrus (despite the kid’s preferences). Sounds like you are already there, good for you! Please keep in mind others need the help.