Peanut allergies are a serious health issue. If your kids have peanut allergies, pick snacks that are entirely peanut-free and safe for kids with peanut allergies. Confusing nutritional labels have made finding healthy peanut-free snacks for kids challenging. Fortunately for you, there are many easy-to-make healthy and nutritious snacks. We’ll share some of these with you in this post.
Seven Healthy Peanut-Free Snacks for Kids
Here are some healthy peanut-free snacks for kids that are not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients that kids require:
1. Healthy Air-Popped Popcorn
Which kid doesn’t like popcorn? If you are looking for a healthy peanut-free snack for your kid, go for popcorn. If you want to make popcorn healthy, air-pop them yourself on a stove instead of going for buttery or caramelized popcorn. Use minimal extra virgin oil during the process to make the popcorn as healthy as possible. Healthy popcorn makes for the perfect low-fat, fiber-rich snack that your kids will love. A single cup serving will fill your child’s stomach more than an unhealthy prepackaged packet of chips.
Don’t go for microwave popcorn as they may contain peanut oil or be processed on equipment or machinery that processes peanuts/peanut oil.
2. Fruits and Yogurt
Fresh fruits and yogurt are the perfect combinations of healthy ingredients that you can use to make a healthy and nutritious snack for your kids. Kids have sugary cravings just like adults. The natural sugar in fruits can help satisfy their sweet tooth and distract them from the thought of having candies or chocolates.
Yogurt is rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin D. It is best to use natural and organic yogurt for this snack to avoid any added preservatives in your child’s diet. However, if you purchase yogurt from the market, avoid non-dairy, plant-based, and frozen yogurts.
So, read the labels carefully. Also, avoid yogurts that come with add-ins like cereal or cookies, which may contain peanuts or tree nuts.
You can add any fruit you like to this snack, such as strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mangoes, etc. Simply mix the fruits in yogurt. You can even grind them and then add them to whipped yogurt. Place this mixture in the refrigerator to chill. It would be the perfect dessert – an irresistible healthy treat for your kid.
3. Celery with Cream Cheese
Children often love munching on celery as it is hard to ignore its crunch. This snack is super-easy to prepare. Simple cut some fresh celery and spread some low-fat cream cheese on each one. You can even join two celery sticks together to make mini celery sandwiches. Use dried parsley for garnish. Refrigerate until it is ready to serve.
This delicious snack provides a rich supply of protein, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, vitamin B-6, and folate. You kids will love it!
4. Baked Apple Chips
Are you looking for a way to get your kids to stop munching on unhealthy and processed potato chips? Introduce them to apple chips. The best part is that no sugar needs to be added to this recipe, as apples are naturally sweet. If your child prefers some added sweetness, you can sprinkle some brown sugar to make for a healthy and delicious indulgent snack.
This snack is really simple to make. Start by cutting the apples as thinly as possible. You can use a vegetable slicer for thin and evenly chopped chips. The thinner you slice them, the crispier they will be. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F, and gently spread the thinly sliced apples on the baking sheet. Spread the apple slices evenly, keeping some distance between them to avoid the slices sticking together.
Let the apples gradually drive the moisture away without letting them burn. Be patient; this may take up to half an hour. Bake the apples until they are dried up and have curled edges. They will come out nice and crispy. Lastly, mix some brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the crispy baked apples. Enjoy this healthy and irresistible treat with your kid while watching a movie!
5. Cheddar and Apple Sandwich
A crispy toasted cheddar and apple sandwich is healthy as well as nutritious. This easy-to-make snack is excellent for serving kids after school. To make apple cheddar sandwiches, you need the following ingredients:
- Two medium-sized apples
- Whole wheat bread
- Healthy low-fat cheddar cheese slices
- A tablespoon of honey
- A pinch of cinnamon powder
Simply peel and thinly slice the apples, and add them to a slice of whole-wheat bread. Add cheddar cheese slices, drizzle some honey, and a dash of cinnamon powder, and you are all set. You can repeat these layers if you want to make a triple-decker sandwich. Enjoy this indulgent treat with your kids!
6. Grilled Chicken Salad
Chicken happens to be loved by most adults and kids. So, treat your kids with a delicious and healthy grilled chicken salad that contains all the essential protein-rich vegetables that kids otherwise avoid eating separately.
To make this healthy salad, start by marinating your chicken in salt, pepper, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and half a tablespoon of oil. Place the marinated chicken in the refrigerator for about 20 to thirty minutes. Grill the chicken on a grill pan using only a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil.
Slide the chicken and add it to a bowl of chopped vegetables. You can use carrots, capsicum, cabbage, cucumber, broccoli, etc. Squeeze half a lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper for taste. Enjoy!
7. Roasted Chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are rich in protein and fiber, making them an excellent healthy peanut-free snack for kids. We have the perfect recipe to prepare roasted chickpeas at home to add nutrition to your child’s diet.
Start by rinsing the beans (canned or cooked) to remove excess salt. Drain and dry the beans well. Add salt, pepper, and oil to the beans and mix line. Spread the beans on a baking sheet and bake until crispy.
Our Concluding Thoughts
We hope this guide helped inform you about some delicious and healthy peanut-free snacks for kids that are easy to make at home!
Happy munching!