School, extra-classes, sports, hobbies – there are so many things kids have to do. In order to give them the energy necessary to go about their daily routines, it is essential to provide them with the right food. Serving nutritious snacks keeps them energized and provides necessary nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins.
Here a few healthy snack ideas for energetic children that taste good and are super-easy to prepare.
Chocolate and peanut butter energy bars
These homemade energy bars make for the perfect tasty and healthy snack for your energetic children. Kids will love their chewy taste and chocolaty goodness, the bars themselves come packed with protein, minerals, and fiber. They are easily prepared, require no baking, and can be refrigerated up to a week.
Ingredients
- Chopped Medjool dates – ¾ cup
- Natural peanut butter – 1 cup
- Rolled oats – ½ cup
- Salt – ¼ Teaspoon
- Unsalted dry-roasted peanuts – ½ cup
- Bittersweet chocolate chips – ¾ cup
Instructions
- Soak the Medjool dates in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and reserve it for further use.
- Take an 8-inch square baking tray and line it with greased parchment paper so that some extra paper hangs over the sides.
- Chop the dates and blend them with peanut butter, oats, and salt in a food processor until they get finely chopped. If needed, add the reserved date water in small quantities.
- Pour this mixture into a bowl and mix in the chopped peanuts.
- Spread this peanut-date mix into the greased tray, pour the melted chocolate chips on top and refrigerate for about one hour.
- Then, take it out from the baking tray by gently lifting the parchment paper and cut into equal pieces.
- You can also use the gluten-free variety of oats if needed.
Banana energy bites
One of the tastiest healthy snack ideas for energetic children – this recipe keeps your little ones fueled for hours. They are great as an after school snack or a quick bite between meals.
Ingredients
- An overripe banana – 1
- Dry rolled oats – 1 cup
- Salted pumpkin seeds (roasted) – 1 cup
- Dried cranberries – ½ cup
- Natural peanut butter – ½ cup
- Semi-sweet chocolate pieces – ¼ cup
Instructions
- Take the banana in a bowl and mash until smooth.
- Mix in the rest of the ingredients slowly.
- Divide the mixture by tablespoons, shape them into small balls, and flatten slightly.
- Serve after the mixture cools down.
Yogurt with berries and chocolate
Instead of buying packaged flavored yogurt, give it a homemade twist. Your kids will relish this high-energy snack.
Ingredients
- Raspberries – ¼ cup
- Low-fat plain Greek yogurt -⅓ cup
- Honey – ½ teaspoon
- Grated dark chocolate – 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Take two tablespoons of the raspberries and all the yogurt and honey in a bowl and mash them together.
- Place the remaining raspberries in the bowl and garnish with the grated dark chocolate.
Nuts and trail mix
Another simple and healthy snack for children is the trail mix. All you need to do is mix pecans, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, and almonds together.
- Store these in a jar and serve them during the kids’ snack time.
- However, make sure to control the portion size. A serving of ¼ cup is sufficient.
- To make trail mix, serve these nuts with unsweetened, whole-grain cereal and raisins.
- You can also pair them with fruits, yogurt, or oats.