Whether you are a work at home parent, a stay at home parent, or a work outside the home parent, we are all looking for quick snack ideas that are healthy, yet delicious and make our lives easier.  It doesn’t matter if you have to pack the snacks or your kids are home with you, we are all looking for anything to simplify our lives.

Some of my go to snack ideas are healthy, but they are also super quick and easy to make! Here’s 5 of my go to ideas:

1. Pancake Muffins – Make your normal pancake batter (whether from scratch or a box). Grease a mini muffin pan, add a little bit of batter to each tin and then add in some fav toppings. Some of our favorite mix-ins are chocolate chips, blueberries, diced strawberries, chopped up ham and cheddar cheese and more! Pop in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown and done!  Throw in the freezer and heat up as needed!
2. Roast chickpeas – These are one of our go to snacks right now!  Lots of protein and super cheap! Sprinkle some seasoning on a drained can- like cumin and chili powder – and place in single layer on baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Skibbles, our toddler, loves them.
3. Homemade Granola Bars or Energy Bites – Each of these recipes only take about 10 minutes to combine but are amazing to grab and go. Delicious and completely customizable.
4. Blend fruit and/or veggies to make homemade popsicles or sauces for yogurt. This is a great way to know exactly what’s in your kids food and get more fruits and veggies in their diet.
5. Frozen berries in yogurt – One of our favorite things to make together right now.  Take any berries, dip them in greek yogurt, and freeze!  Grab and pop as needed!

So much fun these are!  They are so simple and so easy to make but so healthy!  Pair them all with a Brand New Capri Sun Organic juice drink and bam, snack time is done! As a parent, you will feel like you have given your kids the right balance between what’s good for them and what they want!

But wait!  Let’s make your life as a parent even easier with these simple hacks!

1. Let them pick – This might sound silly, but especially with small children, like toddlers, this is one of my go to tips.  Simply let them pick.  Tell them to choose their snacks and let them explore.  Not only does this teach them independence, but it also helps them explore their taste preferences. Not to mention, it’s much less of a headache for us since they are excited about picking! Letting them choose their own ingredients to say throw in overnight oats is great too.
2. Prep fruits as soon as you bring them home.  Pull grapes off the stems.  Undo bananas from the bunch to be singles. Washes any berries. Chop up celery into sticks. All these things allow for time saving later.
3. Give kids their own shelf in the fridge and the pantry.  These are things that they should be able to grab anytime that they are hungry.  They know these are safe things to have any time that they are hungry.
4. Create a DIY bar.  This is especially fun if they are having friends over. Throw a bunch of random things in different bowls and allow them to create their own things. Trail Mix Bar, Pizza Bar, Sundae Bar are all great ideas.
5. Grab and go snacks. This hack is especially important if you pack lunches.  Whether you use reusable containers or throw away bags, you can put things like pretzels, nuts, peanut butter and crackers in containers in the pantry.  In the fridge, you can do sliced cheese, carrots, sliced oranges, and more.  This allows you to just grab and throw into the bag.  Super helpful after school before practices.

Bonus!  I’ve also started keeping Capri Sun Organic juice drinks in our cabinets now to pair with snacks. They are certified USDA organic, made with 66% fruit juice and have no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, no added sugar, and 100% of the recommended Vitamin C Daily Value.  Available now nationwide for $4.29 per 10 pack of 6-oz pouches.  They come in: Fruit Punch, Tropical Punch, Apple, and Grape.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.