Children are very active and always need food throughout the day to keep up their energy levels.  When it is meal time, children often are in a rush to eat so that they can get back to their play time.  Sometimes, they don't end up eating enough at a meal so it is important that they get some healthy snacks throughout the day.

Habits start early in life.  Teach a child to eat junk food early and chances are they they will crave junk food throughout their entire life.  Conversely, teach a child to eat healthy food and they will thank you for this later in life!

5 Quick and Easy Healthy Snack Recipes for your Children

Smoothies

To create two glasses of a delicious smoothie, squeeze two oranges to make fresh orange juice and add half a cup of apple juice.  Then add one small banana, peeled and three to four strawberries.  Blend all of these ingredients together with a few ice cubes and voila! - you have two refreshing and tasty glasses of smoothie for your kids.

Pasta Salad with Shrimp

Use: 120 grams of pasta - any shape, 120 grams of cooked shrimp - any size, half avocado peeled and chopped, 4-5 cherry tomatoes, quartered, half of a head lettuce shredded.  

Cooke pasta, and drain.  Put shrimp, avocado, tomatoes and lettuce together into bowl with pasta.  Mix with 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp ketchup and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Baked Apples with Ice Cream

Ingredients include: One apple - cored, 2 tbsp. raisins, half light vanilla ice cream, a pinch of cinamon

Directions: Take a cored apple and cut it in half, sprinkle raisins over the apple.  Put ingredients on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Add a pinch of cinnamon to each apple half.  Place a scoop of ice cream over apples.

Frozen Grapes

Use: One to two bunches of washed and drained grapes - any color, snack baggies, and one large baggie.

Preparation:  Dry the grapes with a paper towel. Put a serving of grapes in each baggie. Place baggies in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Take a baggie out of the freezer at any time your child needs a snack.  This is especially refreshing in the summer.  Use only this snack for older kids as younger kids could choke on the grapes.

Healthy Yogurt

Use 4-5 tablespoons of Fage brand yogurt.  Add 5 raspberries, 10 blueberries, 2 sliced strawberries.  Then dig in and enjoy!