12 Cool, Healthy Snacks for Summer
I’m a firm believer that snacks should be a part of your overall food plan. They should provide nutrition and not just munchies. Occasionally, we have cookies around, but even those will usually have fruits, vegetables, oatmeal or peanut butter in them, making them at least a little more nutritious. As a general rule, our snacks contain fruit, whole grain crackers, peanut butter or milk. During the summer, when the kids are running in and out the screen door, it’s good to have some quick, cool snacks available. Here are a few ideas.
1. Sliced apples with peanut butter — Just slice up an apple (or a half for a smaller child ) and serve it with a dollop of peanut butter for dipping.
2. Fresh veggies with Ranch dressing for dipping — carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber slices, bell pepper strips, whatever you have on hand served alongside a puddle of Ranch dressing for dipping.
3. Graham crackers with peanut butter — spread a thin layer of peanut butter on graham crackers. What could be easier? You can make them into little cracker sandwiches if you like.
4. Frozen fruit pops — when we were kids, my Mom used to freeze Kool-Aid in plastic molds for us in the summer time. We loved it, of course, all cold and dripping off our chins. After I got older and realized that was basically just sugar water, I decided to make healthier frozen pops. You can freeze fruit juices or pureed fruit in the little plastic molds. Or you can mix fruit with yogurt and freeze. Much healthier, and the kids still get something cold that runs down their little faces and drips off their chins. Then they get to rinse off in the garden hose. Ah, summer!
5. Hummus or bean spread on bread, crackers or vegetable sticks — if you have some hummus or bean spread in the frig, spread some on a slice of bread and fold over, or serve a blob on a plate alongside some crackers or vegetable sticks for dipping. Kids seem to love dipping, don’t they?
6. Fruit and cheese kabobs — cut up some cubes of fruit and cheese and let the kids spear them with toothpicks. Or, just pick them up with their fingers for the little guys.
7. Layered gelatin treats — Okay, so this isn’t really all that nutritious, but it’s so cool and refreshing on a hot summer day, I just had to include it. All you have to do is dissolve 1 (3 ounce) package of fruit flavored gelatin (whatever kind you like, we like orange the best.) in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Then blend in 2 cups frozen whipped topping. I usually do this in the blender. I think it blends better and then it’s easy to pour into dishes. Divide among several individual dessert dishes. Cover each with plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator to chill. As it sets up, it divides into layers. A gelatin layer on the bottom and a fluffy layer on the top. Oh, so yummy!
8. Pudding — just keep some individual dishes of pudding covered in the refrigerator and the kids can get it themselves at snack time.
9. Granola bars — you can purchase these or make them yourself. Be sure and get a kind that has plenty of whole grains and fiber in it for the best nutrition.
10. Dish of fruit with whipped topping or a small scoop of frozen yogurt — kind of self-explanatory. We like strawberries and peaches best, but go with whatever you family likes best.
11. GORP — good ol’ raisins and peanuts. Or you can make this into a trail mix by adding granola bits, dried fruit, other nuts, or chocolate chips.
12. Fresh fruit — really, in the summer, my favorite snack is a juicy ripe piece of summer fruit. Sweet strawberries, cantaloupe, plums or peaches. Ah, peaches. Bite into them and the juice runs down your chin just like the kids. Summer bliss!
