Snacks for kids are an important part of their diet. They help kids to stay focused and give them enough energy to get through the day. However, many parents overlook the importance of healthy snacks and choose the ones loaded with extra sugar. Being busy, they reach for convenience foods which taste good and give an immediate boost to kids’ energy level. Unfortunately, after a while, these snacks make kids crave more and more, by leaving little eaters irritable and unsatisfied.

Here’s a list of creative and healthy snacks for kids filled with fiber, protein, and healthy fats to fuel your busy child. They all are easy to make and don’t require much prep time:

1. Popcorn
The best thing about popcorn is that it is whole grain. A 3-cup serving contains about 4 grams of fiber, by making it a great source of energy. You can diversify it with a variety of toppings, including cinnamon, honey, cheese, or nutritional yeast.

2. Ice pops
There is no doubt that kids will love this snack. We recommend you to make it yourself so you can control exactly what goes in them. Use orange juice and nonfat Greek yogurt as the primary ingredients to fill your ice pops with the vitamin C and calcium.

3. Peanut butter
One of the top high protein snacks for energy is natural peanut butter without any added sugar. If you want to make this simple protein snack more creative, combine it with bananas, apples, whole-grain crackers, toast, or celery.

4. Frozen yogurt blueberries
This easy and delicious summer snack will definitely become one of your kid’s favorites. Simply coat fresh blueberries with nonfat Greek yogurt and freeze them on a cookie sheet. Keep the snack in a freezer for a healthy, quick, and refreshing treat for a hot summer day.

5. Healthy trail mix
Create your own trail mix by combining your family’s favorite unsalted nuts, dried fruits, and seeds. It is a better, more creative and healthier alternative to a store-bought trail mix because you choose your own ingredients and avoid the saltiness.

6. Crunchy, crispy chickpeas
Open and drain a can of chickpeas. Toss them with 1/4 cup of olive oil, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. Spread the chickpeas on a baking sheet and bake them for 45-50 minutes until crunchy and deeply golden. Let them cool down before serving.

7. Oven-baked sweet potato fries
First of all, preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Then, cut a sweet potato into wedges, and toss them with olive oil, black pepper, and a little bit of salt. Spread the wedges on a baking sheet and bake them for about 30 minutes until crispy and tender.

8. Fruit smoothies
Fruit smoothies are a great source of nutrients and natural energy for the kid’s brain. Be creative with your smoothies and use the combination of different fruits and berries, including bananas, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and others. Do not forget to add some Greek yogurt and a splash of milk. It is a perfect healthy snack for summer days.