45+ Easy Healthy School Snack Ideas For Back to School
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Whether you have a picky eater or limited time to meal prep, you and your kids will love these easy healthy school snack ideas!
The best part? The recipes below contain no boxed or artificial ingredients — so you know your child is eating something nutritious! (Updated 2024)
We found the absolute best snacks for after school and put them all in one place! Whether you have a kindergartener or older kids, we know you’ll find some great ideas in this roundup of recipes!
Pack Your Snacks in Style!
We love these grab-and-go options to packing your snacks! They’re super convenient and reusable!
- Collapsable Silicone Containers
- LunchBots Thermos
- Stasher Bags (like a resealable ziplock)
- Everest Cooler Lunchbox
- Ice Pack
Healthy School Snack Ideas
While you can make some really delicious snacks from scratch, there are several great options you can grab at the grocery store!
Below are our favorite healthy school snacks for kids that don’t require a lot of time, prep work, or ingredients.
- Apple with sunflower seed butter
- fruit salad
- carrot sticks with almond butter
- fruit cups
- cheese sticks
- celery sticks with almond butter
- cherry tomatoes
- fruit salad
- sunflower seeds
- cereal bar
- vanilla yogurt
- cut bell peppers with hummus
- greek yogurt with honey
- trail mix packs
- deli meat on a whole grain bread
- fruit leather
- string cheese
- dried fruit
- drinkable yogurt
We've found the best snacks for school that your kids will love! It's safe to say, you will also love taking these quick and easy snacks to work with you! The best part? Most are considered healthy back to school snack options! Avoiding grains and dairy? Make these Paleo Blueberry Muffins for breakfast or snacks! These muffins are naturally sweetened and made without almond flour, and are completely dairy free as well. 10 Minute Prep; 20 Minute Cook Time Enjoy some delicious glazed chocolate donuts without breaking your diet! Our chocolate protein donuts only look sinful, they’re made with healthy ingredients, are high in protein, and are dairy free, gluten free, and soy free! 10 Minute Prep; 15 Minute Cook Time We love these homemade No-Bake Energy Bites with whole grain oats! Unlike store-bought energy bars they contain no extra sugars or preservatives! Plus they're super convenient, portable and even low calorie! 15 Minute Prep Fruit salad is a great way to add in variety and get your kiddo to try new foods! Prep time: 20 Minutes If you child loves salty snacks, these grain-free granola bars are perfect! They have raisins, chocolate chip, almond meal, honey and peanut butter in them, and they are delicious! Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes If your child has a sweet tooth, these gluten free chocolate chip oatmeal bars are a great school treat! Prep time: 15 Minutes Cook time: 15 Minutes This recipe is a great copycat peanut butter chocolate chip protein bar! We love that it's dairy and egg-free, too, because that means more kids can enjoy them! Prep Time: 10 Minutes These Homemade Pineapple Energy balls are gluten free, vegan, and paleo friendly. Plus, they make the perfect on the go healthy snack! 5 Minute Prep These nut-free, no-bake apple oat energy bites taste like apple pie but are loaded with nutrients and contain no added sugar! Make up a batch ahead of time for a quick and easy snack on the go! {nut-free, gluten-free & vegan} 15 Minute Prep This citrus smoothie packs a ton of vitamin C with oranges, strawberries, peaches, and pineapple! It tastes great too! 5 Minute Prep These chocolate peanut butter protein bars are the perfect mix of salty and sweet. The best part? They only take 5 minutes to make! Prep time: 5 Minutes This single serving recipe is perfect if you or your kids are craving a sweet treat! It's super quick to make, and you can even double or triple the recipe if needed. 10 Minute Prep The best chocolate chip banana bread recipe that is ready in just 10 minutes! You'll love how moist and sweet this bread is! 10 Minute Prep These No Bake Granola Bars are jam packed with goodness and couldn't be easier to make. There's a date base which keeps it all together and wholesome ingredients like chia seeds, almonds, and oats. There's no need to buy store bought bars again once you make these. Totally portable, they make for a busy morning breakfast or afternoon snack. You're going to love these! They are also vegan and gluten-free! 5 Minute Prep We're obsessed with these mini chicken quesadillas, and your kids will be too! They're the perfect size and clean up is super easy! 10 Minute Prep Mix up a batch of these Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars in minutes! Made with oat flour and sweetened with honey (plus some chocolate chips for texture and a little sweetness!). This snack is great for a mid-afternoon treat that is guilt free. 10 Minute Prep These pizza pinwheels are an absolute hit as an after school snack. They’re easy to prepare and simple to customize with your favorite ingredients. They also freeze beautifully, so you can make ahead. 10 Minute Prep This tasty peanut butter and chocolate snack takes just five minutes to make and are so filling, you can even eat them for lunch! 10 Minute Prep Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins are made with old fashioned oats, overripe bananas, fresh strawberries, cinnamon, and basic baking ingredients. 15 Minute Prep Do you like DORITOS but want a healthier option? Try this Dorito Popcorn Recipe to get the flavor of Doritos, but without the chemical topping! 5 Minute Prep These tasty, protein-packed brownie bites are a perfect after-school snack! They’re easy and fast to make and will keep the Littles out of the kitchen until dinner time. 15 Minute Prep These Chocolate Cherry Granola Cups are the perfect bite for when you want something sweet. Smooth dark chocolate and creamy white chocolate cups are topped with crunchy granola and dried cherries. With no oven needed and ready in minutes, these cups make a delicious dessert or snack! 25 Minute Prep These easy, no-bake homemade granola bars will have you and your kids absolutely delighted. They taste so much better than the store-bought kind, and they are made with simple ingredients. 10 Minute Prep These baked Cinnamon Apple Chips will hit the spot. They’re sweet, crunchy, and totally guilt-free. 10 Minute Prep Tortilla Rollups w/ dairy free cream cheese and fresh raw vegetables make the perfect appetizer, snack or light lunch. Perfect finger food for kids too! 15 Minute Prep Healthy, versatile, and totally adaptable, nothing curbs a crunch craving quite like a healthy trail mix recipe. You’ll love this sweet and salty version! 10 Minute Prep This is like a healthy take on one of our favorite snacks from childhood - Dunk a Roos! 5 Minute Prep We love this parfait for a sweet treat that is healthier than ice cream! 5 Minute Prep We love these sandwiches because they're a fun way to mix up lunch or your after school snacks! 10 Minute Prep We showcase the best store brands to buy, as well as, homemade breakfast bar recipes! Quick & Healthy School Snack Ideas
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If you, your child, or your child’s school requires allergy-friendly snacks, we have a great list of store-bought and homemade ideas as well!
Grab our Favorite Allergy Friendly Snacks
That wraps up a few of our favorite snacks for school!
What’s on your meal plan this week? Also – don’t forget – we have: healthy breakfasts, lunches, quick dinner recipes and desserts all ready for you to try!
You may also like our:
- Healthy Fast Food Guide
- Free Grocery List
- Our Favorite Sugar-Free Desserts
- Simple Steps to Eating Healthier
Love these ideas? Save them to Pinterest!
All of these healthy snacks look SO good! Perfect for the kiddos for back to school, picnics or that mid afternoon snack when the hunger bug strikes :) Thank you very much for including my no bake granola bars…much appreciated!