Don’t we always wonder why most healthy food tastes bland and boring! Getting the kids to eat is a task in itself, but add the hurdle of “healthy” and the job gets even tougher. It is a real challenge to keep the food healthy, yet fun for the kids to consume without trouble. The early years of growth can be very crucial for a child’s physical and mental development, and it is important to introduce a balanced diet to their lifestyle.

Every cell in the human body is made up of protein, making this an important nutrient in a child’s development. Found in animal products, as well as plant-based foods, this is one nutrient that you wouldn’t want missing from the food choices made for your kid. Apart from protein, fiber, good fats, calcium, even iron are some important nutrients that make up a healthy diet.

Here are some healthy and yummy snacks which have a good balance of protein, fiber, and fats that your kids will absolutely love, and probably ask for more! Be sure to experiment with your own recipes, and add/edit according to your child’s needs.

Fiber coated bananas

Recipe:
Take some peanut butter and honey in a bowl, mix well together. In another bowl mix some oats, flaxseeds and chia seeds together. Peel and cut the bananas in half. Dip the banana in the wet mix, and then roll it in the other dry bowl with oats, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.

Since kids have a sweet tooth, they would absolutely love the sweetened banana, and the crunchy texture added by the seeds.

A good mix of protein and fat from the peanut butter, and banana, and high fiber from the seeds make it a great evening snack.

Apple and peanut butter

The saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is prevalent even today. Apples continue to be known as the “miracle food”, and are also known to extremely rich in dietary fiber. Peanut butter provides the right amount of protein and fat.

All kids are crazy for peanut butter, so you can introduce them to this easy recipe!

Just slice an apple into small pieces. Cover each piece with some crunchy peanut butter. Voila! Your delicious snack is ready.

Egg muffins

Omelet can get boring after a point, so give your egg recipe a little twist. Egg muffins take just about the same amount of effort and taste just as delicious.

Just make your regular omelet mix, but you can experiment with adding some turkey bacon, spinach, bell peppers, onions in it to fill fiber, protein and fat quota. Animal products are a great source of protein, and vegetables give you the right amount of fiber.

Instead of cooking this mix on a pan, pour this into a muffin tin, and cook it in your oven till its ready.

Pizza

We don’t mean the regular, unhealthy pizza. Have you ever tried making quinoa pizza bites? If you haven’t yet, then you should definitely give it a try! This may sound like a strange suggestion, but these simple bite-sized quinoa pieces taste exactly like pizza. The ingredients that camouflage the not-so-fun quinoa are fresh basil and tomato paste.

Recipe:
Cook some quinoa and some beans in two separate pots. Mash these two together, and add seasoning like salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Make a layer of this, and spread tomato salsa, cheese, and fresh basil over it. That’s it!

Bake it in the oven for 15-20 mins at 400°F (preheat the oven at the same temperature before)

Cottage cheese toast

Convincing your kid to eat this won’t be too difficult! Most kids absolutely love cottage cheese.

Take 2 slices of whole wheat bread and toast it. Add some fresh cottage cheese on top of it. Add some honey, and cinnamon over it for added flavor.

Whole wheat bread has high fiber content, while cottage cheese is rich in proteins. This snack is wholesome and tasty, making it a great snack option for your kids.

These healthy snack ideas are sure to satiate your kid’s hunger pangs as well as taste buds.