Yogurt is an excellent snack for kids because it’s a good source of protein and calcium. Calcium is especially important for kids’ developing bones (1).

Some yogurts also contain live bacteria, which benefit the digestive system (2, 3).

Most yogurts marketed to kids are high in sugar. Instead, choose plain, full-fat yogurt and sweeten it with fresh fruit or a drizzle of honey.

Still, make sure not to give honey to infants under 12 months old, as they’re at a greater risk of a serious infection called botulism (4).

You may consider popcorn a junk food, but it’s really a nutritious whole grain.

As long as you don’t drown it in unhealthy toppings, popcorn can be a healthy snack for kids. Air-pop your own popcorn, drizzle it with a little butter, and sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

However, use caution when offering popcorn to younger children, as it can be a choking hazard.

Celery with peanut butter and raisins, sometimes called “ants on a log,” is a fun way to get your child to eat a vegetable.

Cut a stalk of celery into three or four pieces, spread peanut butter inside the celery, and arrange a few raisins on top of the peanut butter.

These three foods combined provide a good balance of carbs, protein, and fat.

Just be sure to buy peanut butter without added sugar or vegetable oils.

Nuts are high in healthy fats, along with fiber and antioxidants. Dietary fat is important for supporting growth in children (5, 6).

Doctors used to recommend withholding nuts from children due to the risk of an allergic reaction, but more recent evidence suggests that introducing nuts at an early age lowers this risk (7, 8, 9).

Nevertheless, nuts can be a choking hazard, so make sure your child is able to handle the texture before giving nuts as a snack.

As long as your child is not allergic to nuts, trail mix is a healthy snack for kids to eat on the go.

Most commercial trail mixes contain chocolate candies, which are high in sugar, but you can easily make your own at home.

For a healthier version, mix nuts, dried fruit, and a whole-grain cereal.

Pears are a sweet treat and easy for a little one to eat when they’re cut into slices. Pears are high in fiber and beneficial plant compounds (10, 11).

Spread each slice with ricotta cheese to add a yummy source of protein and calcium to your child’s snack.

Cottage cheese is a fresh and creamy cheese that’s soft enough for even infants to eat.

It’s rich in protein and a good source of selenium, vitamin B12, and calcium. Vitamin B12 is important for proper growth and brain development in children (12).

You can serve cottage cheese by itself, top it with fresh or dried fruit, or use it as a creamy spread on whole-wheat toast.

Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast for kids but also makes a great snack.

Oats are high in soluble fiber, which increases the number of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract, along with other health benefits (13).

Skip flavored packets, which are high in sugar, and make your oatmeal with whole, rolled oats. Add about 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and some diced apples for sweetness.

If you make the oatmeal with milk instead of water, it will add some additional protein and calcium.

Cheese is mostly made up of protein and fat and is a good source of calcium.

Studies show that eating cheese and other dairy products is linked to better overall diet quality.

Full-fat dairy foods significantly contribute to a child’s nutritional requirements for calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A and D (14, 15, 16, 17).

Cheese provides children with high-quality protein, which is needed for proper growth. Protein will also help them feel full between meals (18, 19).

What’s more, some studies note that children who eat cheese are less likely to get cavities (20, 21).

Some parents think it’s hard to get their kids to eat vegetables. But if you make it fun for them, they’re more likely to try the veggies.

Spread some hummus in a whole-wheat pita pocket and slice up raw veggies, such as carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, and bell peppers. Let your child pick a few veggies and fill the pita.

Veggies are loaded with important vitamins and minerals, and many kids don’t eat enough of them (22).

A fruit smoothie is a good way to pack a lot of nutrients into a small snack.

You can also add veggies to a smoothie. With the sweetness of the fruit, your kid may not even realize they’re in there.

Use whole, fresh ingredients and avoid fruit juice, which is high in sugar.

There are countless combinations you can try, but here is one smoothie recipe to get you started:

Berry smoothie

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 cups (60 grams) of fresh spinach
• 2 cups (300 grams) of frozen berries
• 1 cup (240 ml) of plain yogurt
• 1 cup (240 ml) of whole milk or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon (20 grams) of honey

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Keep hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for a quick, high-protein treat.

Eggs are highly nutritious and an excellent snack for kids. They provide high-quality protein and several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, riboflavin, and selenium (23, 24).

They also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that are beneficial for eye health (25).

Furthermore, they’re one of the best food sources of choline, a vitamin that’s necessary for proper brain development (26, 27).

Homemade banana cookies are a healthy snack for kids that tastes like a treat.

These cookies get their sweetness from mashed bananas rather than refined sugar.

Refined sugars are associated with health problems in children, such as an increased risk of heart disease, childhood obesity, and type 2 diabetes (28, 29, 30).

Banana oat cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) of coconut oil
• 2 cups (160 grams) of rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (80–90 grams) of mini chocolate chips or dried fruit
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Place spoonfuls of the cookie mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes at 350°F (175°C).

Raisins are dried grapes. They have nearly all of the nutrients found in fresh grapes — but in a smaller package.

Raisins contain a decent amount of iron, a nutrient that many children don’t get enough of, and which is needed to transport oxygen throughout your body (31, 32).

Moreover, raisins pack plant compounds, including oleanolic acid, which may protect your child’s teeth from cavities by preventing bacteria from adhering to them (33, 34).

Raisin snack packs are an easy grab-and-go snack that’s much healthier than most convenience foods.

A turkey and avocado roll-up is an easy-to-eat, healthy snack.

Turkey is a good source of protein, which is responsible for building and repairing tissues in your body. It’s also very filling, which can help kids feel satisfied between meals (19).

Avocados are full of heart-healthy fats, along with fiber, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, several antioxidants, and vitamins C and K (35).

To make a turkey and avocado roll-up, first peel and slice an avocado. Gently toss the slices in lime juice to prevent browning. Wrap one piece of turkey around each avocado slice.

Sweet potatoes are one of the richest sources of beta-carotene, a nutrient that can be converted into vitamin A by your body. It contributes to healthy eyes and skin (36).

Homemade, baked sweet potato fries are a nutritious alternative to french fries.

Sweet potato fries

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh sweet potato
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of olive oil
• Sea salt

Peel and slice the sweet potato. Toss the potato in olive oil and sprinkle it with sea salt. Bake on a cookie sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes.

Pickles are cucumbers that have been fermented in salt and water.

They’re a good source of vitamin K, and some products also contain probiotic bacteria, which are good for the digestive system (2, 3, 37).

Pickles that contain vinegar don’t contain probiotics, so look in the refrigerated section of the grocery store for pickles with live cultures.

Avoid sweet pickles, which are high in added sugars.

Kale is considered a superfood, as it’s packed with nutrients but low in calories. In fact, children can get all the vitamin A, C, and K they need in a day in just 1 cup (65 grams) of kale (38).

Though most kids won’t jump at the chance to eat this leafy green raw, kale chips are a tasty snack that might change your child’s mind.

Kale chips

Ingredients:

• 1 small bunch of kale
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Tear the kale into pieces, then wash and thoroughly dry it. Toss it in the olive oil and seasonings. Spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake it at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes. Watch the oven carefully, as the kale can quickly burn.

Most kids love dip, and providing them with a healthy dip is a great way to get them to eat their veggies.

Hummus is one option. It’s a thick, creamy spread made from chickpeas, which contain fiber, folate, and plenty of antioxidants.

Hummus tastes yummy with carrot sticks or other raw vegetables.

Energy balls taste like cookie dough but are made with nutritious whole ingredients.

You can make these snacks with either ground flax or whole chia seeds — both source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants.

They’re a healthier alternative to commercial granola bars, which are usually high in sugar and artificial ingredients.

Energy balls

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (80 grams) of oats
• 1/3 cup (115 grams) of unfiltered honey
• 1/2 cup (125 grams) of almond butter
• 1/2 cup of ground flax seeds (55 grams) or whole chia seeds (110 grams)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla
• 1/2 cup (80 grams) of dried fruit

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Roll the mixture into small balls and refrigerate. For a treat, replace the dried fruit with chopped dark chocolate chips.

Bell peppers are naturally sweet and highly nutritious. They provide a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and carotenoids (39).

Carotenoids are plant compounds with multiple health benefits, including supporting eye health (25).

Bell peppers taste delicious dipped in guacamole, a creamy spread made from mashed avocados.

You can make your own sandwich crackers by spreading a little nut butter, such as almond butter, on whole-grain crackers. This snack has a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat.

However, choose crackers for your kids carefully. Many crackers are full of refined flour, hydrogenated oils, and even sugar.

Instead, choose crackers made with 100% whole grains and seeds.

A piece of fruit is a convenient and healthy snack for kids.

Most fruits contain fiber and important nutrients like potassium and vitamins A and C (40).

Bananas, apples, pears, grapes, peaches, and plums are examples of fruits that can be used for grab-and-go snacks.

Cut fruits like pineapple, cantaloupe, and mango into bite-size pieces and store in small containers for convenient snacks.

A quesadilla made with peanut butter and banana is healthy and tasty.

Peanut butter is a great way to give your child a source of healthy fats and some protein.

Bananas are a good source of potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber (41).

This simple recipe combines peanut butter and bananas in a yummy snack.

Peanut butter and banana quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 1 whole-wheat tortilla
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of peanut butter
• 1/2 of a banana
• 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon

Spread the peanut butter over the entire tortilla. Slice the banana and arrange the slices on half of the tortilla. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the bananas and fold the tortilla in half. Slice it into triangles before serving.

Olives are rich in healthy fats and packed with powerful antioxidants that protect your body from damaging molecules called free radicals (42).

Olives are soft and easy for kids to eat. Make sure you purchase pitted ones for kids or remove the pit before serving them.

Different varieties have their own flavor. If you have never offered olives to your child before, start with mild-flavored black olives.

Apple slices and peanut butter are a delicious combination.

The skin of an apple contains pectin, a soluble fiber that feeds friendly gut bacteria and improves digestive health (43, 44).

Peanut butter has a thick consistency, which may be difficult for kids to use as a dip.

Mix a little bit of plain, full-fat yogurt into two tablespoons (30 grams) of peanut butter to make a smooth, creamy dip for apple slices.

Frozen fruit popsicles are a yummy treat for kids and really quite healthy.

Most store-bought popsicles are full of artificial flavors and refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

But you can easily make your own, and your kids may enjoy helping.

Purée frozen fruit or berries and a small amount of fruit juice in a blender. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds or small plastic cups. Cover with foil and insert a popsicle stick into the popsicles through the foil. Freeze overnight.

Sandwiches don’t have to be just for mealtime. Half a sandwich can also make a healthy snack for kids.

To build a healthy sandwich, start with whole-wheat bread, pick a source of protein, and include a fruit or veggie, if possible.

Here are some examples of healthy sandwich combinations:

• cheddar cheese and thinly sliced apples
• mozzarella cheese and tomato slices
• peanut butter and banana slices
• turkey, Swiss cheese, and pickles
• ricotta cheese mixed with finely chopped veggies
• hard-boiled egg, avocado, and tomato
• cream cheese and cucumber slices

Many kids get hungry between meals.

A healthy snack can provide your kids with energy and help them get the nutrients they need on a daily basis.

Offer your kids whole, unprocessed foods at snack time instead of prepackaged snack foods.

1.Calling sugar by a different name

Sugar is the general name given to the short-chain carbs that give your food a sweet taste. However, sugar has many different forms and names.

You may recognize some of these names, such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Others are harder to identify.

Because food companies often use sugars with unusual names, this ingredient can be difficult to spot on labels.

Dry sugar

To stop yourself from accidentally eating too much sugar, look out for these added sugars on food labels:

• Barley malt
• Beet sugar
• Brown sugar
• Buttered sugar
• Cane juice crystals
• Cane sugar
• Caster sugar
• Coconut sugar
• Corn sweetener
• Crystalline fructose
• Date sugar
• Dextran, malt powder
• Ethyl maltol
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Golden sugar
• Invert sugar
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Muscovado sugar
• Panela
• Palm sugar
• Organic raw sugar
• Rapadura sugar
• Evaporated cane juice
• Confectioner’s (powdered) sugar

Syrups

Sugar is also added to foods in the form of syrups. Syrups are usually thick liquids made from large quantities of sugar dissolved in water.

They are found in a wide variety of foods but most often in cold drinks or other liquids.

Common syrups to look out for on food labels include:

• Agave nectar
• Carob syrup
• Golden syrup
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Malt syrup
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Oat syrup
• Rice bran syrup
• Rice syrup

SUMMARYSugar has many different names and forms, which can make it difficult to spot on food labels. Watch out for syrups as well.

2. Using many different types of sugar

Ingredients are listed by weight on packaged foods, with the main ingredients listed first. The more of one item, the higher up on the list it appears.

Food manufacturers often take advantage of this. To make their products appear healthier, some use smaller amounts of three or four types of sugar in a single product.

These sugars then appear further down on the ingredients list, making a product look low in sugar — when sugar is one of its main ingredients.

For example, some protein bars — while considered healthy — are very high in added sugar. There may be as much as 7.5 teaspoons (30 grams) of added sugar in a single bar.

When you read food labels, look out for multiple types of sugar.

SUMMARYFood companies may use three or four different types of sugar in a single product, making it appear lower in sugar than it is.

3. Adding sugar to foods you would least expect

It’s common sense that a piece of cake or a candy bar probably harbors a lot of sugar.

Still, some food manufacturers pour sugar into foods that aren’t always considered sweet. Examples include breakfast cereals, spaghetti sauce, and yogurt.

Some yogurt cups can contain as many as 6 teaspoons (29 grams) of sugar.

Even whole-grain breakfast bars, which may seem like a healthy choice, can pack up to 4 teaspoons (16 grams) of sugar.

As many people don’t realize that these foods have added sugar, they’re unaware of how much they’re consuming.

If you’re buying packaged or processed foods, make sure you read the label and check the sugar content — even if you think the food is healthy.

SUMMARYSugar is hidden in many foods — even ones that don’t taste sweet. Make sure to check the labels of packaged or processed foods.

4. Using ‘healthy’ sugars instead of sucrose

Food companies also make some of their products appear benign by swapping sugar for an alternative sweetener that’s considered healthy.

These unrefined sweeteners are usually made from the sap, fruit, flowers, or seeds of plants. Agave nectar is one example.

Products with these sweeteners often feature labels like “contains no refined sugar” or “refined sugar-free.” This simply means that they don’t contain white sugar.

These sugars can appear healthier, since some may have a slightly lower glycemic index (GI) score than regular sugar and provide a few nutrients.

However, the amount of nutrients these sugars provide is usually very low. What’s more, unrefined sugar is still added sugar.

Currently, no evidence suggests that it’s beneficial to swap one form of sugar for another, particularly if you’re still eating too much overall.

Common high-sugar sweeteners that are often labeled healthy include:

• Agave syrup
• Birch syrup
• Coconut sugar
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Raw sugar
• Cane sugar
• Sugar beet syrup

If you see these sweeteners on a food label, remember that they’re still sugar and should be eaten sparingly.

SUMMARYFood manufacturers sometimes replace white table sugar with unrefined products. While this can make the product appear healthier, unrefined sugar is still sugar.

5. Combining added sugars with natural sugars on the ingredients list

Certain foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, contain naturally occurring sugars. Unlike added sugar, these usually aren’t a health concern.

This is because naturally occurring sugars are generally difficult to eat in large amounts.

Although some fruits contain high amounts of naturally occurring sugar, their fiber and antioxidant contents mitigate the rise in blood sugar. Fiber in fruits and vegetables is also quite filling, making these foods harder to overeat.

Additionally, whole foods provide many beneficial nutrients that can reduce your risk of disease.

For example, one cup (240 ml) of milk contains 3 teaspoons (13 grams) of sugar. Yet, you also get 8 grams of protein and around 25% of your daily requirements for calcium and vitamin D (11).

The same size serving of Coke contains nearly twice the amount of sugar and no other nutrients (12).

Keep in mind that food labels don’t distinguish between natural and added sugars. Instead, they list all of the sugars as a single amount.

This makes it tricky to identify how much sugar is found naturally in your food and how much is added.

However, if you’re eating mostly whole, unprocessed foods — as opposed to packaged or processed items — most of the sugars you’ll consume will be natural.

SUMMARYFood labels often lump added and naturally occurring sugar together into one total amount. Thus, it can be hard to determine how much sugar is added to certain products.

6. Adding a health claim to products

It’s not always easy to tell which products on the shelf are healthy and which aren’t.

Manufacturers often plaster their packaging with health claims, making some items seem healthy when they’re really full of added sugar.

The most common examples include labels like “natural,” “healthy,” “low-fat,” “diet,” and “light.” While these products may be low in fat and calories, they’re often packed with added sugar.

Do your best to ignore these claims and carefully read the label instead.

SUMMARYProducts with health claims, such as “diet,” “natural,” or “low-fat,” may still be loaded with sugar.

7. Lowering the portion size

The food industry regularly makes the listed portion size small in order to distort your sense of how much sugar you’re consuming.

In other words, a single product, such as a mini pizza or bottle of soda, may be composed of several servings.

While the amount of sugar in each of these servings might be low, you would typically eat two or three times that amount in one sitting.

To avoid this trap, carefully examine the number of servings per container.

If a small food item has multiple servings, you might end up eating more sugar than you intended.

SUMMARYFood companies often reduce the portion size to make products appear lower in sugar.

8. Making sweet versions of a low-sugar brand

You might know that some of your favorite brands of food are low in sugar.

However, manufacturers sometimes piggyback on an established brand by releasing a new version that packs far more sugar.

This practice is quite common with breakfast cereals. For example, a whole-grain cereal that’s low in sugar may appear in newfangled packaging with added flavors or different ingredients.

This can confuse people who assume that the new version is just as healthy as their usual choice.

If you’ve noticed different packaging for some of your frequent purchases, be sure to check the labels.

SUMMARYLow-sugar brands may still spin out high-sugar products, potentially attracting loyal customers who may not realize the new version isn’t as healthy as the original.

The bottom line

Added sugar can be difficult to spot.

The easiest way to avoid added sugar is to avoid highly processed goods, selecting unprocessed, whole foods instead.

If you do buy packaged items, make sure you learn how to spot added sugar on food labels.