Snack Boxes: Easy Snacks Kids Can Make

Having easy snacks kids can make themselves is a huge time and sanity saver. Kids love fixing their favorite foods, and moms love not doing all the work!

“I’m hungry.”

“Can I have something to eat?”

“I need a snack.”

Or, my personal favorite: “I’m starving to death!!!!”

If you have children at home – whether they’re preschoolers, homeschoolers, or students out on break – you’ve likely heard some version of those phrases a thousand times…just today!

It usually starts right about the time the last of the breakfast dishes are being cleaned up. All those dirty plates and bowls are proof we actually fed them, but they swear they’re starving. To death.

The food our kids just consumed 4.362759 minutes ago is a distant memory, and they want more….and more….and more to eat, please. In their minds, snack time is all the time.

It’s enough to drive a mama mad!

Back when our kiddos were younger, I finally reached the end of my rope with the constant cycle of food prep and clean-up. It made me dizzy. And crazy.

And then I got a great idea: I needed snacks the kids could fix for themselves.

Well, duh!

With that one bright idea (yes, I only had one), the kitchen sink actually stayed empty most of the day, while my kids’ bellies stayed full. It was a beautiful thing.

How to Get Organized for Snacks Kids Make Themselves

To start things off, I bought some cheapo divided plastic containers like these (but these ones might work even better), and each morning I had the kids fill their boxes with whatever snacks they wanted that day.

They had to choose at least two healthy snacks, so I could feel good about it. They also got to choose one “treat,” so they felt pretty good about it, too.

When the children were hungry, they just grabbed their snack boxes and munched on whatever they wanted. No more asking for food throughout the day. No more interrupting their schoolwork. No more driving mama crazy (well, not about food anyway).

They were happy. I was happy. My kitchen was happy.

Since my kids were old enough to read a list of food choices and pack their own boxes, I hung a list of snack ideas on the side of the fridge. For younger kiddos, you could use pictures to help them pick. You also could simply group all the snack foods together in the pantry and refrigerator, so the kids can easily grab whatever they want for their snack boxes.

Healthy (-ish) Snack Ideas for Kids:

• Carrots
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Peppers
• Apple
• Grapes
• Orange
• Raisins
• Cheese
• Lunchmeat
• Nuts
• Pretzels
• Healthy cereal
• Peanut Butter (for dipping pretzels, apples, etc.)
• Muffin
• Crackers
• Yogurt

Non-Healthy Foods

• Sugar cereal
• Cookie
• Chips
• Granola bar
• Fruit snacks
• Marshmallows
• Candy

It’s a fact: Kids like making their own choices. It’s also a fact that they like eating food. A lot.

By providing easy snacks kids can make themselves, you’re teaching them healthy eating habits, and are making life just a little easier on yourself (yes, please!).

What snacks would you include in a snack box?  Share your ideas in the comments!