Toddler Snack Ideas That Are Surprisingly Easy to Make

These toddler snack ideas will help parents think outside the box when it comes to finding fast and easy (and healthy!) foods for their children.

30 Toddler Snack Ideas That Are Surprisingly Easy to Make

With all the things you have to juggle while raising a toddler, getting creative about meals can sometimes go by the wayside. At times, it’s all you can do to just make sure your child eats something, let alone something healthy or creative. So, it’s understandable that some of the easy snack options like plain bread, cheese and apples are always the go-to items in especially busy periods.

But if you’re feeling like your child might be getting tired of those same foods — or maybe you’re getting tired of not having a lot of options — there is hope. A number of creative food bloggers have created a ton of surprisingly easy and delightfully innovative recipes that most toddlers will enjoy. Here is a list of some of the most simple yet delicious toddler snack ideas for busy parents.

Easy Baby Tacos

There are so many ways to eat tacos. And there are so many ways to customize them based on your child’s specific food requests or what they’re capable of eating depending on their age. The tacos can be as simple as some beans and cheese with a little tortilla on the side.

Or you can add in some spices, tomatoes, red peppers, avocados and a little meat (if it tickles your fancy). If your child is old enough, you can roll them together and cut them up for varied textures. Or they can put it together themselves.

Try Easy Baby Tacos here.

Beet Hummus

Hummus is a great addition to any meal because it easily adds a little veggie spread that can be combined with other foods. And while most kids may not be huge fans of beets on their own, making them into this hummus can be a great way to get some excellent vitamins in your child’s diet.

Adding in a bit of lemon, olive oil and garlic adds some savory elements to an otherwise sweet vegetable. And for parents who are savvy with a food processor, this recipe is a cinch.

Try Beet Hummus here.

Japanese Rice Balls

It’s not always easy to convince a toddler to try out different fish. But rolling it up into a hearty and delicious rice ball is a great way to combine yummy flavors with that fish. Or you can skip the fish entirely and throw in some extra vegetables to sneak into your kid’s diet.

There are a lot of ways to customize this recipe, so get creative and enjoy the results.

Try Japanese Rice Balls here.

Applesauce Puffs

Is it breakfast? Is it a dessert? Is it a donut? Is it a pancake? Who knows? And who cares? These simple apple puffs are a little of everything.

With some Bisquick, some applesauce and a hearty dose of cinnamon, you can create a fluffy snack your child will enjoy anytime, day or night. And even though they taste sweet, they’re still filled with plenty of healthy apple goodness.

Try Applesauce Puffs here.

Potato and Butternut Squash Tots

It’s not hard to convince most children to eat tater tots. So, adding in some delicious cheese and butternut squash into a tater tot is a great way to make these, not only heartier, but also healthier.

This recipe combines some garlic, herbs and breadcrumbs with potatoes and butternut squash to create a surprisingly simple crowd-pleaser. You can substitute out butternut squash for any local or in-season vegetable, like beets, carrots or even pumpkin.

Try Potato and Butternut Squash Tots here.

Blueberry Coconut Popsicles

There’s no better way to sneak some serious vitamins into your child’s diet than in a tasty dessert. These lollipops are perfect to cool off on a summer day, but they’re yummy enough to enjoy all-year around.

They’re especially good for children (or adults) with dietary restrictions since they’re both dairy and allergen free. By blending together coconut milk with blueberries, agave and a little vanilla, you can create a hearty and heart-healthy snack little ones will love.

Try Blueberry Coconut Popsicles here.

Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites

Between the quinoa, the broccoli and the cheese, this snack has it all. There are healthy carbs. There are nutrients. There are vegetables. There is calcium. And there’s even a good amount of protein thanks to the eggs and quinoa.

The recipe suggests making these bites in a mini muffin pan to ensure they’re the perfect size for mini humans. But if you have larger muffin pans, you can always cut them up for your kiddos or enjoy them yourself!

Try Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites here.

Avocado and Egg Salad

Having a nice, juicy, nutrient-rich base of avocado and egg salad gives you a versatile snack that you can use on or in all sorts of future foods. You can put the avocado egg salad in a pita or on regular bread. Or you can eat it all by itself.

And because the longest part of this recipe is boiling eggs, you can get that done the night before a busy day in order to save yourself even more time. Just boil, smash, mix and serve. And, of course, enjoy the satisfied looks on your toddler’s face from the good food.

Try Avocado and Egg Salad here.

Mini Bagel Veggie Pizzas

These mini bagel veggie pizzas are so simple that they can be done before you even have time to decide on a pizza delivery option. Plus, they’re significantly healthier than what you’d order from a restaurant. By getting whole grain bagels and combining them with lots of chopped peppers, you’re making sure your child gets more nutrients and less oil in their diet.

The longest part of this entire recipe is simply waiting for your oven to preheat itself to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. While it’s doing that, you can quickly slice the bagels, smatter on a little cheese and sauce, and sprinkle some colorful peppers. Then, bake and enjoy.

Try Mini Bagel Veggie Pizzas here.

Soft Granola Bars

Granola bars are a great snack, especially for busy families that are always on-the-go. If you need a quick pick-me-up while out and about, it’s nice to be able to open a granola bar and get some longer-lasting satisfaction.

But for many toddlers, granola bars are often too hard to enjoy on their own. That’s why these softer, homemade oats are such an excellent option. Packed with oats, coconut, chia seeds, nut butter and spices, they’ll leave your toddler both full and satisfied.

Try Soft Granola Bars here.

Strawberry Applesauce

Strawberries on their own are delicious. Applesauce on its own is delicious. But combining both strawberries and applesauce? Well, that’s a next-level deliciousness that is surprisingly easy to achieve.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and creates a yummy snack that’s great on its own, or you can spread it on some toast. Plus, it can all be done in a slow cooker. So, after you chop the ingredients, you can set it and forget it until you’re ready to chow down.

Try Strawberry Applesauce here.

Sweet Potato Lentil Tater Tots

Another tater tot recipe? You bet your britches. This one ups the ante on being healthy even more than others by not only using a nutrient-rich sweet potato instead of a regular potato, but also inserting some lentils into the mix.

And it makes a ton of great, tiny-hand-friendly and dippable tots that you can enjoy as a side in a bigger meal or all on their own. They’re so tasty your toddler won’t even realize that they’re getting a ton of healthy goodness in every bite.

Try Sweet Potato Lentil Tater Tots here.

Baked Apple Chips

Saying you’re going to be serving your child chips for a snack might get some eyebrow raises from other health-conscious parents. But if those chips are apples, that immediately becomes a really healthy choice.

And even though these may seem complicated to make, the recipe is surprisingly simple. You don’t even need to peel the apples in order to make them toddler-friendly. Just make sure you slice each slice thin enough to bake easily. And, of course, do so in order to make sure that, once your toddler does start devouring these, they’re not too chunky in their little mouth.

Try Baked Apple Chips here.

Oven-Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

For some kids, green beans are a non-starter. But they’re packed with essential nutrients and vitamins, like Vitamins A, C and K, along with calcium and iron. So, if finding a way to make them an easy and delicious snack that your toddler will accept is nothing short of a miracle.

This green bean recipe does just that. And once the beans are cut and ready, there’s really not much to the cooking process. When they come out, they’re still packed with all those same nutrients, just roasted beautifully and covered in tasty parmesan cheese.

Try Oven Roasted Parmesan Green Beans here.

Kid-Friendly Fried Rice

Just because fried rice is fried doesn’t mean it can’t be healthy for a growing toddler. One of the best parts of this fried rice recipe is the fact that the peas and carrots can be frozen, which reduces the amount of prep you need to do to have it all ready and cooked.

Plus, with a little egg thrown into the mix, you get extra protein that helps it to last longer in your toddler’s tummy. And the most important part of all: It tastes so good your child may actually eat it, which is always a win.

Try Kid Friendly Fried Rice here.

Frozen Yogurt Bark

If your child loves yogurt, but you’re getting bored of giving them the same thing day in and day out, frozen yogurt bark is a simple and healthy option to get calcium and nutrients delivered to your kid’s body in a creative way.

While pictures of the end result may make this sweet snack seem daunting, it’s easy enough that even amateur bakers can do it. And, as a bonus, the ingredients are pretty simple, so if your little one insists on helping, they can do so (without ruining the end result).

Try Frozen Yogurt Bark here.

Banana and Almond Butter Bites

With just three simple ingredients, these bites make for an easy-to-put-together and easy-to-love snack for children of all ages. They’re small enough that toddlers can enjoy, but they’re hearty enough that even older children can feel satisfied from snacking on them. And, as an adult, you can even sneak a couple without feeling too guilty about it.

This particular recipe adds in cinnamon and hemp seeds, not only for their health benefits, but also to make them even tastier.

Try Banana and Almond Butter Bites here.

Broccoli Egg Cups

Truth be told, not all muffins are created equal. And, to be even more honest, most muffins are not all that healthy. Between the sugar content and other not-so-healthy ingredients, it can be hard to justify giving it to your child for breakfast.

But these muffins bypass those issues by delivering both a hearty and heart-healthy alternative to your average morning meal. They’re almost like a quiche, but they’re doable for even the most novice bakers.

Try Broccoli Egg Cups here.

Turkey and Carrot Roll Ups

Sometimes, all it takes is someone else reminding you that there are creative ways to serve everyday foods to begin to really think outside the box. These turkey and carrot roll ups take almost no time, require very little prep and mostly use ingredients you likely forgot you even had in the fridge.

But they deliver on the taste and give your toddler a snack packed with both diverse textures and lots of healthy goodness. If you can slice up veggies and smother on some cream cheese and mustard, you can make this snack.

Try Turkey and Carrot Roll Ups here.

Tomato Soup With Cheesy Bread Dippers

If your toddler won’t stop dipping their food in everything, this is a great way to embrace that habit. This recipe includes awesome Greek yogurt in the soup itself, making it even more creamy. And even though it may seem like cheesy bread dippers are decadent, they can be done while your soup is simmering.

For children who love to shovel only bread into their mouths and call it a “snack,” giving them the option to add some tomato to that can make parents feel a little better about their choices.

Try Tomato Soup with Cheesy Bread Dippers here.

Spinach Muffins With Banana

Getting a good amount of greens in a toddler’s diet is so important. But finding a way to do so when you have a picky eater who doesn’t like them can be really challenging. These muffins do just that by blending spinach and banana together in a creative way that is baked to perfection.

Plus, the colorful green of these muffins will make them even more appealing than your average brown one. This recipe also uses pure maple syrup instead of sugar, making these even healthier for your little one.

Try Spinach Muffins with Banana here.

No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites

If you’ve just started introducing solid foods or even foods with a bit more texture to your child, you’re probably pretty comfortable with a food processor. For this creative and nutrient-packed snack, the food processor is the only real thing you need to put it all together.

And this particular recipe includes a number of substitutes to cater to whatever your allergen needs might be. No matter how you put these yummy bites together, though, you’ll have a great treat your toddler will enjoy.

Try No Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites here.

Curried Lentil Bake

It’s nice when you can make a snack that can double as a meal. And it’s even nicer when you can find something healthy that makes a lot of food at once, so you don’t have to spend all day every day in the kitchen desperate to put together something for your child.

Even though this curried lentil bake takes a little more time to prepare, you can use it for multiple meals or snacks throughout the week. And it’s easy to freeze, too, if you need something quick and hearty in a pinch.

Try Curried Lentil Bake here.

Oven-Roasted Sweet Beets

Did you know there are multiple types of sweet potatoes? And did you know that all of them are not only delicious, but also really good for your child’s health? And did you also know that you can roast them all together pretty quickly and easily for a snack option that’s not only tasty but also pleasing to the eyes?

Well, now you do. And by following this simple recipe, you can try it all out yourself. Plus, throw some beets in there, and you get even more color and taste.

Try Oven Roasted Sweet Beets here.

Quinoa Beef Meatballs

The best part about meatballs is the fact that they’re small enough to be a stand-alone snack but hefty enough that they can easily pass for a meal. These quinoa beef meatballs are packed with protein.

And even though this recipe doesn’t include a ton of veggies, you can easily chop some up and bake them right in for more tastiness (and nutrients). Even the pickiest of eaters will delight in these, especially with a nice dressing or sauce on the side.

Try Quinoa Beef Meatballs here.

Easy Healthy Baby Smoothie

We often think about making shakes for ourselves in the morning. But why not for our toddlers? And why not make them any time of day? With the right proportions, you can guarantee a sweetness that any child will devour.

You can also pack a lot of green goodies into a smoothie without your child protesting (or often even realizing it). This avocado and berry smoothie recipe is definitely a crowd-pleaser and filled with all sorts of awesome nutrients for your growing child.

Try the Easy Healthy Baby Smoothie here.

Kale and Spinach Apple Quesadillas

Sometimes, it takes a much braver parent with a much more adventurous palate to create something surprisingly delicious that you can honestly say you never would have tried before. That’s exactly what these kale and spinach apple quesadillas accomplish. They’re packed with kale and spinach, which will make you feel good about serving them to your child.

But the taste of greens is hidden behind the deliciousness of apple and cheese. Throw in some coconut oil with beans in a crispy tortilla, and you get a decadent yet healthy snack option.

Try Kale and Spinach Apple Quesadillas here.

Healthy Caramel and Apple Nachos

You may not think nachos can be a healthy snack, but if you use apple crisps instead of tortilla chips, you might quickly change your mind. And with just enough nut butter sprinkled on top with some chocolate chips (if you want), you can treat this like a healthy option for dessert.

Even better, making this snack is super simple.

Try Healthy Caramel and Apple Nachos here.

Banana and Orange Toddler Bites

If you’re not sure what to do with that ripe banana that’s just sitting there on your countertop, this is a great option for you. Combining that banana with orange juice and rolled oats (both of which you likely already have in your fridge and cupboard), you can create a really easy and particularly delicious snack for your toddler.

And by baking it for just a few minutes then allowing it to cool, it will look and taste a lot like a cookie for your kiddo.

Try Banana and Orange Toddler Bites here.

Healthy Energy Balls

Once you get the hang of how easy energy balls can be both to make and to bring along on any daily adventure, it’s hard to think of bringing anything else along as a snack. The best part of these energy balls is that they’re delicious on their own.

But if you want to substitute out almost any of the ingredients, you can do so to make them even more customized depending on your toddler’s needs and preferences. Plus, these have a little extra fun sprinkle on top that make them feel (and look) particularly special.

Try Healthy Energy Balls here.