After the Game: Good Snacks for Kids
The hustle and bustle of game day can feel like a slow descent into madness. After washing your player’s uniform, filling their water bottle, packing up the car, and triple-checking the schedule to make sure you’re headed to the right field, you suddenly realize it’s your turn to bring the team’s game-day snack. Shit.
Real talk: Kids can be scary. They won’t hesitate to shame you for bringing bland carrot sticks and celery, and the last thing you need to worry about is a group of angry children chasing you off the field. But you also don’t want to tick off their nutrition-minded parents.
Your mind doesn’t need to scramble when it’s your turn to bring the post-game snack. You can tell Karen from the PTO to shove it because we’ve got five good snacks for kids that will also pass the parent vibe check.
Trail Mix
Trail mix is a sweet and savory treat that sometimes gets a bad rap. Not only do you worry about loading a bunch of already-energetic kids up with sugar, but you also need to be careful of potential allergies. These days everyone’s allergic to something and you are NOT about to be the mom who sends someone else’s kid to the ER!
Store-bought trail mixes can be good snacks for kids if you pay attention to the ingredients. Alternatively, you can always make your own with whatever kid-friendly, parent-approved ingredients you have on hand.
Dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, and dates not only add that sweetness the kids are craving for but also have excellent nutritional value. In fact, according to Healthline, dried fruit contains more than three times the fiber of fresh fruit.
As far as nuts go, almonds and pumpkin seeds are flavorful and high in calcium, iron, and protein. But if nuts are out of the question, granola is a great way to add a crunch to the mix.
Whether you choose to purchase or make your own trail mix, this post-game treat ranks as one of our top good snacks for kids!
Orange Slices
When looking for good snacks for kids, don’t overlook the fan-favorite, orange slices. Oranges have a natural sweetness and are full of benefits. They are without a doubt the golden child of the post-game snack lineup.
Not only does one serving contain enough vitamin C to fulfill your daily allowance, but oranges also contain calcium, potassium, and B vitamins, as well as protein, fiber, and virtually no fat. Score!
If you’re in a pinch, oranges are one of the best last-minute good snacks for kids because there’s almost no prep time required. Just cut them up, toss them into a container, and head out the door within minutes.
Hummus & Carrots
Sure, carrots are good snacks for kids and a great source of vitamin A, but they’re also the bland bane of every young child’s existence. Don’t subject your kid’s teammates to the cruel and unusual punishment of having to choke down dry veggie sticks after they’ve just spent the last hour pushing themselves to the limit.
If you’re short on time and absolutely must bring veggies, at least pair them with a variety of flavorful dips. Hummus is a great plant-based option because it contains tons of iron, fiber, and protein and it comes in tons of flavors like red pepper, caramelized onion, and spinach (to name a few).
To make these good snacks for kids more fun — and depending on how easily entertained the team is — you can even cut up different colored carrots and other veggies or serve a mix of dips ranging from typical (like ranch or dill) to unexpected (mustard or relish, anyone?).
Then, let the kids go wild daring each other to try gross combinations… because kids are weird like that.
Smoothie Pops
Did you know that 93% of Americans have kids just so they can eat kid food again? Okay, we made that up, but we DO know that 100% of kids love smoothie pops. And the fact that you can make them in big batches and save a few for yourself makes smoothie pops the ultimate throwback snacks for you and good snacks for kids.
Not only are smoothie pops healthy, but they also require minimal time and ingredients to make. Toss some yogurt, milk, and your choice of frozen fruits (and certain veggies) into a blender, pour the mixture into popsicle molds, pop into the freezer, and spend the next few hours binging your favorite reality show!
Consider a few sweet but also nutrient-dense fruits:
— Apples are high in fiber and antioxidants.
— Blueberries are a great source for bone-supporting vitamin K.
— Cantaloupe is rich in vitamin A and great for supporting eye health.
(And honestly, we wouldn’t blame you for using this as your excuse to get rid of the kale that’s been sitting at the back of your fridge all week because you convinced yourself you’d “eat more greens.”)
Outstanding Foods Snacks
Who doesn’t crave a salty snack every once in a while? Or maybe all the time. Unfortunately, most good snacks for kids are prepackaged chips that contain unhealthy amounts of sodium and fat and very few nutrients. We’re sure the team would love you, but their parents? Not so much.
What if there was a way to keep the kids’ respect but also get on their parents’ good side? Say less-
From Puffs to Cheese Balls to Pig Out Crunchies, Outstanding Foods snacks come in a variety of outstanding flavors like White Chedda, Pizza Partay, and Texas BBQ. Plus, they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals and dairy-, gluten-, and fart-free!
When it’s your turn to bring the game day snack and you want good snacks for kids that everyone will love, Outstanding Foods’ snacks will please the pickiest kid to the most cautious parent! Find all our flavors at a store near you!
