Healthy Treats for Kids of All Ages

Eating healthy leads to a healthy mama and a healthy baby. It is important to start those healthy routines for the whole family early on so that you can continue to encourage healthy eating habits for your children as they grow up!

Finding nutritious and delicious foods that your little ones will enjoy can often be the challenging part. We all know that sweets are just more fun, and while they can be good in moderation, finding healthy treats that your kids will want to grab over and over again is the goal. A well-balanced diet consists of proteins, healthy fats, dark greens, citrus/Vitamin C, fruits, and vegetables.

Here is a list of some healthy treats to add to your daily routine! 

Yogurt

Yogurt is a great snack for kids because it has a naturally sweet taste and is filled with protein, calcium, and many other important nutrients. Another reason we love yogurt is because of all of the different flavors you can try as well as the things you can add to it. For a well-rounded snack try adding nuts, granola, or fruit to the yogurt!

Smoothie

Let’s be honest, it can be hard to get kids to eat all of their fruits and vegetables. Smoothies can be an excellent alternative for them to still get all of the nutrients. By blending the whole fruit and vegetables into a smoothie, they retain all of the important nutrients we want them to get. We suggest still giving them whole fruits and vegetables while they are learning to eat and develop food preferences, but smoothies are great for on-the-go or added nutrients or even just a sweet, yummy snack! Try sneaking in spinach, kale, bananas, strawberries, peanut butter, celery, and so much more. Here are a few recipes to get you started!

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is rich in protein, vitamin B12, and calcium, which aids in proper growth and brain development! Because of the thick creamy texture, it is great for your baby and your older child to snack on. Cottage cheese is another great mixer food, meaning you can mix in fruits or use it as a spread on crackers or whole wheat bread to get more variety.

Energy Balls

Here is one you may not have tried before, but with a name like energy balls, you know it is going to be filled with some of the best stuff! Energy balls are packed with healthy fibers, fats, and proteins and can be made for kids of all ages. They also typically require zero baking, which makes them quick and easy to prepare. You can use dried fruits, nut butter, seeds, oats, raisins, and so much more. These taste more like a sweet treat than a healthy one, which is always the goal! Here is a tasty peanut butter oatmeal energy ball recipe to give a try!

Encouraging healthy eating habits sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy eating. If you have other questions about when and what types of foods to introduce to your child, reach out to your pediatrician!