Find easy school snacks for kids, including easy homemade options as well as affordable store-bought ones. There are nut-free and lower-sugar choices, too.
I love to incorporate homemade snacks in with store-bought options when packing preschool snacks, peanut-free snacks for school, and general snacks for school to keep my food budget in check. And this list will make it easier to know which snacks for kids hold up best—and will fuel the kids until their next meal or snack.
Below you’ll find my top school snacks for kids, both toddlers and older kids, so you have plenty to choose from. Each of these is lower in added sugars, contains a mix of nutrients such as protein, whole grains, and fiber, and is designed to be easy to prepare and store.
Most can be packed in a snack cup or small container without an ice pack, but you can always add an ice pack and send in an insulated bag as needed to keep cool.
(You may also like my Baby Snacks, Healthy Kids Lunch Ideas, and After School Snack ideas.)
Table of Contents
- Easy School Snacks to Buy
- Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (Little Bites Copycat)
- Mini Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- Easy Homemade Granola Bars
- Fruit and Nut Bars (Copycat Larabar)
- Crunchy Granola Bars
- Yogurt Tubes
- Yogurt Drinks
- Homemade Graham Crackers
- Favorite Mango Smoothie Recipe
- Favorite Bliss Balls
- Banana Yogurt Muffins
- ABC Muffins
- Chocolate Protein Shake
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Best Tips for Success
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Easy School Snacks to Buy
Some of our top snacks to buy at the store and send for school include:
- Made Good minis or bars
- Kind Kids Bars
- Larabars (if tree nuts are okay in the classroom)
- Yogurt tubes or pouches
- Cheese sticks
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Drinkable yogurt
- Chomps Mini meat sticks
- Crackers
- Pretzels
- Pita and hummus
- Fruit leather
TIP: Find my full list of top healthy snacks for kids to buy.
Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (Little Bites Copycat)
With the inclusion of yogurt and a little less sugar, and a super simple method, these are exactly the kind of homemade snack that makes me excited. (Especially since I love to snack on these, too!)
Mini Blueberry Muffins
Fluffy, easy, and so yummy, these are such a great snack for kids.
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
This recipe is as low in added sugar as I could make it while still delivering on flavor. Plus, the bars can be stored in the fridge for weeks.
Easy Homemade Granola Bars
They’re super easy to make, require minimal added sweeteners, have a texture that even babies and younger toddlers can chew, and store SO well.
Fruit and Nut Bars (Copycat Larabar)
These fruit and nut bars are a great preschool snack (there’s a nut-free option if needed), a great after school snack, and are also wonderful as a pregnancy snack. My whole family enjoys them!
Crunchy Granola Bars
Like Nature’s Valley granola bars only less expensive, this is a go-to snack for older kids and us adults.
Yogurt Tubes
Save money and make the yummiest yogurt tubes with this easy method.
Yogurt Drinks
Blend yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit to make nutritious and inexpensive yogurt drinks for home or to pack for school or daycare.
Homemade Graham Crackers
With just enough sweetness, a pleasant crunch (that’s not too firm or crisp for younger toddlers), and a wonderful flavor, these homemade crackers are an excellent snack to share with the kids.
Favorite Mango Smoothie Recipe
This is a great toddler smoothie recipe for kids who can’t have banana, for when you want a seriously refreshing smoothie, or when you want to serve up a drink that’s packed with vitamin C and probiotics.
Favorite Bliss Balls
The berry flavor in these is seriously the best—it kind of reminds me of the intense berry flavor of a strawberry milkshake. They are also easy to customize with different nuts, seeds, or fruit, so you can make them exactly the way your family prefers. (Use sunflower seeds to make these nut-free.)
No-Bake Chocolate Balls
Easy, naturally sweet, and a balanced source of energy make these brownie-batter-like energy bites a favorite snack to share.
Banana Yogurt Muffins
These have a base made from very ripe bananas for ultimate flavor and tenderness, an easy one-bowl method, and sweetness that comes from just the fruit itself.
ABC Muffins
Packed with apples, bananas carrots, whole grains, and protein, these muffins are a toddler favorite.
Chocolate Protein Shake
Use super ripe banana for natural sweetness and creaminess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some easy snack options include whole-grain crackers, whole-grain cereals (dry), dried fruit, fresh fruit like bananas, or homemade snacks like the ones shown here.
Add to a snack cup or snack container and pack in a small insulated bag, adding an ice pack if needed to keep the food cold.
Add beneficial fats to snacks such as nut butter, full-fat yogurt or cream cheese, cottage cheese, avocado, hard-cooked eggs, fully cooked chicken, or cheese to help satisfy.
Best Tips for Success
- Pack any perishable foods in a container with an ice pack in an insulated bag.
- Add fruit to make the snack more filling. Easy options include banana, berries such as blueberries or strawberries, sliced apples (learn how to store apples or apple slices without browning), clementines, applesauce pouches, or fruit cups.
- Add veggies like cucumbers with ranch, carrots with hummus, or other raw vegetables your kids enjoy.
- Check in regularly with your child to make sure you are sending enough food.
- Avoid peanut butter, peanuts, nut butter, and tree nuts as needed according to your school’s policy.
- Avoid popcorn for kids under age 4 as it is considered to be a choking hazard.
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