5 Healthy Homemade Snacks for On the Go

Published on March 22, 2021 - Updated on April 01, 2021

Feeding kids on the go is hard. Feeding kids nourishing food when you’re out and about is even more difficult.

I’m all for goldfish, animal crackers and applesauce pouches when you’re short on time or you just need to bribe your toddler to run boring errands, but sometimes you want to offer snacks that are homemade and pack more of a nutritional punch.

I love to cook and I’m always testing out new snack recipes to find ones approved by my three- and one-year-olds. Here are some of our tried-and-true favorites.

Soft Baked Homemade Granola Bars by Yummy Toddler Food

I’ve made these healthy granola bars dozens of times. They are a huge hit with my oldest son and I just started introducing them to my one-year-old. We have a peanut allergy in the house so I substitute almond butter. These also pack well in school lunches and you can use SunButter if your school is nut-free.

No-Bake Energy Bites by Gimme Some Oven

Another fan favorite in our house: energy balls. My husband and I eat one of these after our early morning workouts before we get breakfast on the table. My toddler gobbles them up as snacks, and I love that he’s getting energy-sustaining oats, chia seeds and almond butter in one small package.

Sweet Spinach Mini Muffins by Super Healthy Kids

You will be amazed at the amount of spinach you stuff into the blender to make these super green muffins. There’s a whopping six ounces of spinach in one batch of muffins, but you don’t taste it at all thanks to the banana and honey. Both of my kids love these and we do, too.

Homemade Broccoli Tots by Yummy Toddler Food

I almost always have a batch of homemade broccoli tots in my freezer for packing lunches, quick snacks or to whip out at dinner when I’m short on time. These broccoli tots are great because they don’t crumble in tiny hands. I like adding a little more seasoning than the recipe calls for, including some garlic powder and extra Italian seasoning.

Chickpea Protein Muffins by Epicurious

These blondie muffins are gluten- and dairy-free and each serving has a good dose of protein and fiber thanks to the chickpeas and almond butter. Both of my boys wolf them down and I feel good about filling their tummies with something nutritious. I usually make them into full-sized muffins and bake for 25 minutes.

For more meal and snack inspiration, check out our meal planning series! Check out some ideas for this month in our March Weeknight Meals blog. Show us your family favorites from this month's list by tagging us on Instagram @gethappyly.

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Thoughtfully captured by:

Lizzy Alfs

Lizzy is a Michigan transplant living in the always bustling Nashville, Tenn. After graduating from the University of Michigan, she spent a decade working as a business journalist in Ann Arbor, Mich. and then Music City. She recently transitioned her journalism career to freelance writing so she could stay home with her two little boys, Milo and Jude. Lizzy grew up in the summers on a lake in beautiful Northern Michigan and she spent the winters making the most of the state's endless snow and slush. She lives by the motto "There's no such thing as bad weather" and you'll find her outside rain or shine. These days, Lizzy and the boys like to adventure around Nashville, looking for toddler-friendly hikes, parks and swimming holes.