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30 Healthful Snack Ideas for Tweens and Teens

March 29, 2015 by Maria Adams Leave a Comment

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Here are 30 healthful snack ideas for your always hungry, always on the go, growing tweens and teens. 

30 healthful snack ideas for tweens, teens, and the rest of your family from halsanutrition.comPin

Ricotta and Berries on Toast

A snack to bring to school, a snack after school, a snack between activities, a snack before sports, a snack after sports…let’s face it, your child eats a lot of snacks! And while I am all for minimizing mindless snacking, active, growing children and teens really do need substantial snacks to keep them going.

But if you are like many parents, you may feel like your child could use some new, healthful go-to snacks. It’s easy to get in the habit of buying and packing the same snacks, often processed or sugary ones.

Hälsa Snack Guide

A healthful snack should provide complex carbohydrates, a little protein, a little fat, and be minimally processed. Here are 30 healthful snack ideas–hopefully at least some of them will appeal to your family.

Here are 30 healthful snack ideas for your growing tweens and teens and any other hungry family members. Dietitian and kid-approved form halsanutrition.com.Pin

Portable Snack Ideas

  1. No-bake bliss or energy balls, such as these: coconut cashew bliss balls, cocoa coconut bliss balls (nut-free), pumpkin spice balls.
  2. Plain Greek yogurt or with honey and/or granola and/or berries. Mix it up with organic, low-sugar, fruit-flavored yogurts, such as Siggi’s.
  3. String cheese + orange + almonds or other nuts.
  4. Hummus + whole wheat pita chips.
  5. Guacamole + whole grain tortilla chips.
  6. Homemade stove-popped popcorn or air-popped and drizzled with a little butter + a side of fresh strawberries.
  7. Chewy, no-bake granola bars.
  8. Crunchy HÄLSA chocolate chip granola bars. Or buy minimally processed such as Larabar or KIND.
  9. Cinnamon pita chips + yogurt dip + fruit.
  10. Chocolate chia seed pudding. Combine 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk + 2 tablespoons chia seeds + 1 tablespoon cocoa + 1 tablespoon maple syrup in a jar. Cover, shake, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  11. Hard-boiled egg + carrot sticks + rice crackers.
  12. Trail mix (make your own with a variety of wholesome ingredients such as cheerios, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and dark chocolate)
  13. Healthier oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and milk.
  14. Wholesome trailmix cookies.
  15. Yogurt parfait: layer Greek yogurt, berries, and granola in a mason jar with a lid.
  16. Salad in a mason jar. (So trendy now that your kids may eat it!)
  17. Cheese slices and whole grain crackers such as Wasa or Akmak.
  18. Roasted chickpeas. Make yourself or look for them at your grocery store. Biena makes a great line.
  19. Mini banana bread muffins. 
  20. Morning glory muffins.
Here are 30 healthful snack ideas for your growing tweens and teens! Guide also helpful for the rest of your hungry family too! halsanutrition.comPin

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Hungry tweens and teens? Check out these 30 healthful ideas! Click To Tweet

Enjoy At Home Snack Ideas

  1. Almond butter on whole-grain toast with banana slices.
  2. Mini pizzas: whole wheat English muffin + sauce + veggies + mozzarella.
  3. Panini press sandwich (be creative, almost everything tastes good as a warm sandwich!)
  4. Smoothie: make your own berry or green smoothie using this smoothie guide.
  5. Healthful strawberry milkshake: blend together whole milk or coconut milk + frozen strawberries.
  6. Healthful chocolate milkshake: blend together milk (dairy or nondairy) + banana (ideally frozen) + cocoa powder + honey.
  7. Wild blueberry and cream toast.
  8. Ricotta, berry, honey, and chia toast: Spread ricotta cheese onto toast, then top with berries and drizzle with honey and broil until warm and berries start to burst. Sprinkle with chia seeds.
  9. Avocado on toast with sliced tomato and a sprinkle of sea salt. Give it an extra nutrition boost with a sprinkle of hemp seeds.
  10. Make a cheese quesadilla and dip it into salsa. Give it a nutrition boost by using a whole wheat tortilla and/or adding beans.

PLAN AHEAD

Now, the real trick is planning ahead enough so that you have these snacks ready or almost ready when you need them. Here are some tips:

  • Make sure you have plenty of reusable storage containers and lids in a variety of small to medium sizes.
  • Pick a few ideas to try.
  • Shop for the ingredients.
  • Make a plan for when the snacks will be prepared. A lot of these snacks can be prepared in batches and then kept on hand in the freezer or pantry (e.g., granola bars, muffins, hummus). Others can be made or prepped the night before (e.g., salad, fruit salad, cheese, and chia seed pudding). Some will be best when prepared to order — a great way to get your teen involved with cooking (e.g., ricotta on toast, mini pizzas, smoothies, and milkshakes).

Have fun and try getting your kids involved in the snack making if you can. (Otherwise, know that these snacks work well for the whole family, including you, so your effort is worth it!)

Updated March 13, 2017

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Hey there!

I'm Maria, a mom and Registered Dietitian with a love for good food. Let me help you navigate your way to happier, more confident eating and cooking. I take a non-diet, intuitive eating approach and truly believe that all foods can fit! Read More…

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halsanutrition

Maria Adams MS MPH RDN
So I tried to make an impromptu video on how to ma So I tried to make an impromptu video on how to make a chocolate banana smoothie. As you can see it did not go too well. 🤣Seriously, there are several takes like these. My 14-year old was manning the camera and couldn’t keep himself from laughing, which meant that I could not stay serious either. 😂(So then I tried filming myself, but holding your phone with one hand and trying to pour a smoothie into a glass with the other is not so easy.) It might be time to invest in a phone stand. (Or stick to photos!)

In case you are curious about how to make this smoothie, here is the recipe:

Chocolate Banana Smoothie 🍌🍫

1 cup milk
1 banana (frozen for a thicker and colder smoothie) 
1 tablespoon cocoa or cacao powder (we love @flavanaturals which is delicious and extra high in antioxidants )

(Optional add in: 1 tablespoon peanut butter)

Simply combine everything in a blender until smooth. Pour into a glass & enjoy! It’s perfect snack for hungry, growing tweens and teens....and hungry, busy mamas too! It’s especially great for refueling post-exercise. 

#videobloopers #chocolatebanana #chocolatebananasmoothie #snackideas #familynutrition #halsanutrition
Mix up your usual breakfast or snack by adding a v Mix up your usual breakfast or snack by adding a veggie or two. 🌱Sure, eggs on toast are delicious alone, but they really make you pause and slow down when they are presented in as colorful of a way as here.⁠⁠ 💛
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Veggies not only add beauty, but they also add flavor, texture, and, of course, nutrients. ⁠(Microgreens are one of my favorite additions. I also love radishes and need to remember to buy them more often!)⁠⁠
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It's easy to get in a rut with our meals. It's also easy to mindlessly eat while scrolling or typing away on our devices. ⁠⁠
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Put the screen away and carve out a little extra time to make your meal. Add a little extra color to your plate in the form of veggies or fruit and then give your food the full attention it deserves.⁠⁠ 🌈
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Sure, it takes a little more work to wash and slice up some produce, but the effort is well worth it. ⁠⁠💫
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#halfplateveggies #moreveggies #eggsontoast #satisfyingsnack #nourishingsnack #mindfuleating #mindfulsnacking #colorfulplate #halsanutrition #snacktime #familynutrition #momnutrition #spiceupyoursnack #mixupyoursnack #nourishingfood #nondietapproach #intuitiveeating #registereddietitian
Happy Weekend! 💫It’s snowing here again, but Happy Weekend! 💫It’s snowing here again, but it’s winter after all. ❄️ I find it absolutely beautiful but that said, I admit I am also looking forward to warmer days and being outside without my fingers & toes getting cold so easily! (hello #reynauds)

I did get my boys out for a dog walk in the snow this afternoon. Grateful for these moments. ❤️ Also grateful for our dog who gets us out of the house even when it’s cold out. 

Hoping we get enough fresh snow for cross-country skiing this weekend. And perhaps an outdoor fika. ☕️What are your weekend plans? 

#stillwinter #marblehead #weekendmood #getoutside #snowflakes #halsanutrition
More snow is coming ❄️❄️❄️here and to More snow is coming ❄️❄️❄️here and to say that temperatures have been cold throughout most of the US lately would be an understatement! 💨So why not warm up with a hot bowl of soup or stew. 🍲

My latest blog post features a round up of 11 delicious vegetarian soup and stew recipes from some of my favorite food bloggers. Best of all, they can all be made with the help of an instant pot or slow cooker.

Included in the round up is my slow cooker black bean, sweet potato, quinoa chili pictured here. 🌶 

Get the link in my profile. ⤴️ 

What’s your favorite soup or stew?

#slowcookerrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #plantforward #halsanutrition #familyfriendly #instantpotrecipes #familyfuel #souprecipes #stewrecipes #vegetarianchili #foodtographyschool #foodtography #meatlessmonday
Anyone know what these are? They are “semlor” Anyone know what these are? They are “semlor” and they were traditionally eaten in Sweden on Fat Tuesday. (These days they are enjoyed for a longer stretch of time.) 

Semlor are an absolute favorite of mine. The combination of real whipped cream, almond paste, and the sweet cardamom bun is 💯.

There was a time when these would have been on my “shouldn’t eat” or “should restrict” list. I still ate them, but with a side of restraint and overanalyzing.

Thankfully, I was eventually made aware that I was being affected by diet culture. These days I eat semlor with pure joy and satisfaction. 💗

#semlor #semla #fattuesday #fettisdagen #svenskmat #svenskkultur #dietculture #dietculturedropout #intuitiveeating #nondiet #foodtographyschool #foodtography @foodtographyschool #bakersofinstagram #swedishfood #whippedcream #almondpaste #cardamombuns #swedishtradition #replicasurfaces #halsanutrition
Happy Valentine's and Galentine's weekend! ❤️O Happy Valentine's and Galentine's weekend! ❤️One of the simplest ways to celebrate is with chocolate. 🍫I mean, flowers are nice, but chocolate is divine. ⁠⁠
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I recommend getting outside for a nature walk, some skiing, or even just a neighborhood stroll. 🏡Last weekend I got my family out for a walk and we mixed it up by walking down streets that we had never been on before...even though we have lived in this neighborhood for almost 6 years!⁠⁠
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After this "forced family fun" 🤣,as I know some people like to call it, keep the family gathered by serving up a cozy, delicious, chocolatey snack: like this chocolate fondue platter or a cup of homemade hot cocoa with extra whipped cream. Yum.⁠⁠ Recipes for both are on my website. 
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Also, Happy Winter Break if your kids are off. ❄️We will be home all week, so check back here for recipe ideas that your kids can make on their own or with a little help from you. Who knows, maybe I will even have my kids help me post my first Instagram reel. (The ones that are already on here are thanks to my fabulous niece @kateginder ).⁠⁠
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#valentines #galentines #familyfun #chocolatefondue #cocoa #meltedchocolate #familysnack #forcedfamilyfun #recipeontheblog #halsanutrition #winterbreak
Who eats the most citrus in your house? 🍊⁠⁠ Who eats the most citrus in your house? 🍊⁠⁠
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I'm pretty sure I'm the #1 consumer here. However, as may be the case for many of you, I find that when I cut it up and put it out the rest of my family is much more likely to indulge. 💛 (The exception being with clementines, 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 everyone in my house is pretty good at peeling their own.)⁠⁠
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Inspired by my friend @jennyshearawn, I took my sliced up citrus a step further in this picture, drizzling it with a touch of honey and lime and then sprinkling on some mint leaves. 🌱🍊🍯Yum! It was almost too pretty to eat it! If you are in a fruit rut or want to get some more vitamin-C packed citrus into your family I totally recommend this simple citrus plate.⁠⁠
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Ok, time for an afternoon grapefruit break. I grew up eating grapefruit with my breakfast in the winter, but these days I find it hard to take the time to do so in the mornings!⁠ 🤪⁠⁠
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#vitaminC #citrus #oranges #caracaraoranges #dietitiansofinstagram #bostondietitian #marblehead #foodtography #foodtographyschool #eattherainbow #colorfulplate #healthyeats #nourishingeats # eatmorefruit #plantfoods #plantbased #grateful #fruitsalad #citrussalad #wintersalad #citrusplatter #winterfruit #immunesupport #momnutrition #kidsnutrition #thankyoucalifornia #familysnack #familynutrition #halsanutrition ⁠⁠
Happy World Pulses Day!⁠⁠ 🎉 ⁠⁠ What are Happy World Pulses Day!⁠⁠ 🎉
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What are "pulses"? Pulses include chickpeas, beans, dried peas, and lentils. These vegetarian sources of protein pack in a lot of nutrition without a big carbon footprint. ⁠⁠🌱
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This makes them a sustainable choice that we should choose more often. 🌏Another plus is that they are generally inexpensive and easy to store for long periods of time.⁠⁠
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These vegetarian meatballs are a fun way to add more pulses to your repertoire. ☀️Made with nutrient-packed and flavorful ingredients such as sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, and sundried tomatoes, these veggie meatballs also feature cannellini beans.⁠⁠
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Cannellini beans, sometimes called white beans, are a versatile pantry staple. In addition to providing protein, they also offer fiber, folate, iron, and other nutrients. ⁠⁠💪
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Check out my blog to get the recipe. You will also find other great meatless meal ideas such as black bean sliders, veggie chili, lentil salad, and hummus. ⁠⁠😋

PS - To the emoji creators, whoever they are, we need a pulse emoji or two! 
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#pulseemojis #emojicreator #worldpulsesday #pulses #worldpulsesday2021 #internationalpulsesday #nutritioninformation #vegetarian #flexatarian #foodatarian #intuitiveeater #foodawareness #plantbasedprotein #plantbasednutrition #plantbased #eatmoreplants #sustainablefoods #registereddietitian #nutritionist #pantrystaples #cannellinibeans #beans #driedbeans #cannedbeans #veggiemeatballs #vegetarianmeatballs #spaghettisquash #deliciouseats  #recipeontheblog #halsanutrition ⁠⁠
What’s your go-to snack? For me it’s often a h What’s your go-to snack? For me it’s often a handful (or two!) of almonds and a banana, an apple with peanut butter, yogurt and granola, or cheese and cucumbers on rye crispbread. 

But sometimes I get a little fancier and make things like this chia pudding. It really just takes a couple of minutes to stir together. The catch is you have to wait a few hours or even overnight to allow the chia seeds to soak up liquid. Of course, prepping ahead also means you have a nourishing snack waiting for you when needed. 

Chia seeds are part of my weekly diet. Rich in protein, healthy fat, iron, and fiber they are small but mighty. 💪 My kids like them as part of granola, blended into a smoothie, or baked into muffins or cookies. My older son likes chia pudding as well.

Are you a chia fan? How about a chia pudding fan? 

#chiaseeds #chiapudding #snacktime #proteinpacked #cardamomchiapudding #strawberries🍓 #recipecomingsoon #snackideas #nourishingmoms #antidiet #nourishingteens #nourishingkids #nondietapproach #joyfuleating #foodtographyschool #foodtography @foodtographyschool #halsanutrition
Let's talk lunch for a second. 🌯There is no dou Let's talk lunch for a second. 🌯There is no doubt that in our American culture we want it to be quick and easy. Enter the sandwich, it takes just a couple of minutes to throw together and not much longer to eat.⁠⁠
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Sandwiches are the go-to lunch for my kids on most days. At age 12 & 14 they can easily make their own sandwiches as long as I keep some ingredients on hand.⁠⁠🍞🥬🥒🧀
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Of course, eating the same old sandwiches can get boring pretty fast. So how do you keep it interesting? One of my favorite ways is to vary the bread! From bakery-fresh sourdough, to hearty whole grain, to cute little buns, to fresh baguette.⁠⁠ In addition, toasting or Panini pressing bread can do wonders.
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Pictured here is my 12-year old’s favorite sandwich: butter, ham, and greens. But instead of our usual go-to whole grain bread, here it's served on toasted whole wheat Naan bread. Yum. ⁠⁠
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Today he was rather excited for lunch because we had leftover brioche buns from burgers that we had over the weekend. So he made his favorite sandwich on lightly toasted brioche. He said it was so good that I should try one too. I'm not usually a ham sandwich girl, but I took it as a bonding moment and gave it a try. He toasted the bread for me because he said you have to be careful so it doesn't burn. 
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Verdict? It was quite tasty! Even better? The shared lunch experience.⁠⁠ ❤️
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Bottom line: ⁠⁠
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1) Mix up your usual sandwich routine by trying different kinds of breads and buns. ⁠⁠Try toasting & panini-pressing too. 
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2) Let your kids take the lead in creating their sandwiches. And then give one of their sandwiches a try! ⁠⁠
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What is your favorite sandwich? How about your child's?⁠⁠
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#motivationmonday #sandwiches #lunchsandwiches #lunchideas #familylunch #kidslunch #whatsforlunch #teenlunch #halsanutrition⁠⁠ @northcountrysmokehouse #hamsandwich
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TGIF! Get the weekend started with this fun snack TGIF! Get the weekend started with this fun snack or dessert board! ✨It’s guaranteed to get your kids away from their screens and gathered together! 😉It would also be fun to serve up on Super Bowl Sunday.

No major directions needed for this one. Simply melt a chocolate bar or chocolate chips. 🍫I usually do this in a double boiler over the stovetop but a microwave works great too—just be sure to stop and stir every 20-30 seconds. Then pour it into a little bowl, put it on a tray or cutting board, and add an assortment of goodies to go with it. Serious yum. 👌

I like to look for fairly traded dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is a rich source of flavanols, a type of antioxidant that is good for both your heart and brain. ❤️ It’s also high in magnesium and iron. To get the maximum benefit choose chocolate that is 70% dark chocolate or higher. If you prefer the taste of milk chocolate, try mixing half dark chocolate with half milk chocolate. 👍

#tgif #chocolatefondue #fondueparty #chocolateboard #snackboard #dessertboard #superbowlsnacks #darkchocolatelover #flavanols #cocoa #fairtrade #foodtography #heartmonth #familynutrition #halsanutrition
Fun fact: What is the primary driver when it comes Fun fact: What is the primary driver when it comes to our food choices? Taste! Makes sense given that we are born with more than 10,000 taste buds!⁠⁠
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I'm back to teaching @endicottcollege and during the first couple days of class, we spent a good amount of time just discussing what drives our food choices. Turns out, there is 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 to consider. In addition to taste, here are some other factors involved in this decision:⁠⁠
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-food preferences (texture, creaminess, appearance, etc.)⁠⁠
-enjoyment ⁠⁠
-culture ⁠⁠
-environment ⁠⁠
-social life; your peers, social gatherings⁠⁠
-mindfulness vs. multitasking⁠⁠
-food and diet trends⁠⁠
-nutrition knowledge - or rather, one's 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒸𝑒𝓅𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 of foods as "healthy" or "unhealthy"⁠⁠
-current state of health (e.g., medical need for special diet or trying to lose/gain weight)⁠⁠
-food allergies and intolerances⁠⁠
-advertising⁠⁠
-time⁠⁠
-convenience⁠⁠
-accessibility⁠⁠
-cost⁠⁠
-habits⁠⁠
-emotions⁠⁠
-hunger level⁠⁠
-schedule for the day (e.g., eating a big breakfast before a morning of teaching or light breakfast before going for a run)⁠⁠
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Can you think of other ones? ⁠⁠
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Something else that I pointed out to my students is that many of these factors are completely or partially out of our control. This is one of the many reasons why trying to completely change the way you eat (e.g., by going on a restrictive diet) can be difficult.⁠⁠
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Ok, time to whip of some of these blueberry scones so that they will be ready in time for fika! Hop on over to my blog, link in profile, to get the recipe.⁠⁠
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#nutrition101 #nutritioneducation #nutritionknowledge #nutritionfromsciencetoyou @joansalgeblake #fooducation #collegenutrition #registereddietitian #nondietapproach #halsanutrition #blueberryscones #oatmealscones #recipeontheblog #foodtography #foodtographyschool #fikatime ⁠⁠
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Meet Maria!

I'm a Swedish-born, New England-raised dietitian with a love for good food and baking. Follow my blog for nourishing recipes, non-diet nutrition advice, and a touch of Swedish inspiration. Read More…

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