Back-to-School Snacks Kids (and Parents) Will Love

If school bells are ringing, then tummies are rumbling!

Learning is hard work, and as your kids head back to the classroom, they’ll need plenty of brain fuel. New and exciting snack ideas can help start the year off right. From simple, healthy noshes, like Very Vanilla Fruit Salad, to inventive lunches, like Pizza Pinwheels, we’re excited to share some of our favorite snacks for school. Because every new school year deserves new snacks for kids.

PIZZA PINWHEELS

Not all pizza comes in a box! It's easy to pack these Pizza Pinwheels in your child’s lunch so they can enjoy one of their favorite foods during school hours. Made with refrigerated crescent roll dough and topped with pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, and cheese, these pizza-flavored wheels are sure to ace a very important exam: the taste test.

CINNAMON APPLE ROUNDS

Every parent knows how challenging it can be to dream up new and exciting healthy children’s snack ideas. Well, these Cinnamon Apple Rounds check all the right boxes. Simply cut an apple into six rounds and then spread them with peanut butter or soy butter. Top them with your family’s favorite toppings, like dried fruit, sliced nuts, and/or mini chocolate chips. Then, add a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, and voila! This snack will give your kids the energy they need to power through their homework. Pro tip: To prevent the apples from browning, give them a quick soak in lemon water before adding the toppings.  

TACO SNACK MIX

Take your party mix south of the border with this Taco Snack Mix. All you need is a packet of taco seasoning, butter, and a combination of cereal, crackers, and chips for a savory treat your kids can eat by the handful. When it comes to easy children’s snacks, whether it’s in a lunch box, bento box or afterschool snack, this Taco Snack Mix makes the grade!   

CHOCOLATE COVERED COOKIE DOUGH BITES

With these Chocolate Covered Cookie Dough Bites, your brood can indulge in gooey cookie dough after school, even on hectic afternoons, and you don’t even have to break out the mixer—or turn on the oven, for that matter. With crunchy chocolate on the outside and sweet, soft cookie dough on the inside, these snack bombs can stay in the freezer for up to two weeks. That means you can dole them out one or two at a time and tide the kids over until dinner.

VERY VANILLA FRUIT SALAD

With no added sugar, this vanilla-flavored fruit salad ranks at the top of the list of healthy children’s snack ideas. Just mix your favorite fruits — like strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, cantaloupe, and kiwi — with vanilla extract and you’ve got a refreshing treat for the kids to nibble. P.S. Even though this recipe is on a school snacks for kids list, it’s inherently parent-friendly, too!

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

Every school meal should end on a sweet note, and these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies make excellent snacks. Soft, chewy and loaded with raisins and cinnamon, this homemade snack reminds kids you’re rooting for them, even when you’re far away from the classroom.

As the summer ends and school begins, it takes time for everyone to adjust to the new routine. Talk to your kids about their school snack ideas and decide as a family what other fun foods you can add to the mix. Because everything really is better when you have the right snacks!