School is out, the kids are home – summer is one of my favorite times of the year. Although I am at work during the day – my husband’s schedule allows him to be home with our kids. This means I have to keep my fridge packed with goodies for breakfast, lunch, and lots of snacks. Many of the things I have on hand I also use for lunches for work for myself as well. I try to keep it healthy and easy – but here are some of my favorite things to have on hand for snacks for my kids in the summertime.
- Fresh fruit (you name it – grapes, strawberries, mangoes, cherries, bananas, peaches, plums…usually whatever looks good and is on sale). My kids love fruit – after I shop for them I prep all the fruit by washing them and putting them in easy to reach containers so all the kids have to do is reach in the fridge and grab them.
Veggies – baby carrots, celery sticks, peppers – same thing as above I wash everything and have it prepped, I buy little containers of ranch and the kids can grab some ranch and veggies for snack or a quick lunch.- Mini Muffins – Entenmann’s boxes of Little Bites mini muffins are a staple in my house because my kids love them. Whether it’s for breakfast or for snack – they are a great thing to have on hand or throw in your purse to have when on the go.
- Goldfish – Whether it be a huge box or the super convenient snack packs – we always have goldfish in the house. I use them as sides for lunches, or a stand alone snack that they love.
- Popcorn – We are a movie watching household so we usually break out the popcorn (sometimes with an added snack mixed in [hellloooo M&M’s]) when we are sitting down watching a movie at the end of the night.
- Cereal – My kids love cereal in the morning or as a heavier snack if they had a light lunch. My fav picks are Honey Nut Cheerios, Cheerios, Rice Chex, and occasionally Lucky Charms.
- Mozzarella Sticks – I love cheese sticks and so does everyone in my house whether it be with lunch or as a snack. We are definitely cheese people.
- Applesauce Pouches – These are the best invention ever. My kids have loved these since they were little and still do for a quick snack. I always have one in my purse when we are out and about
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- Yogurt – I eat yogurt in the morning for breakfast and my kids love it for a snack. I usually buy greek yogurt and my kids love mixed berries or blueberries mixed in.
- Luna Bars – I love these bars as a quick lunch for myself – they don’t taste like a protein bar – they taste like a candy bar which is amazing to me. One day my kids saw me eating one, they ask for some and the rest if history. Our favorite flavors are S’mores, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Nutz Over Chocolate.
- Pretzels – I will buy a bag of pretzels and place a handful of pretzels into various snack size Ziploc bags. I keep this and other items in a container I got from the Dollar Tree in my pantry so it is easily accessible to my kids.
- Veggie Straws – A great alternative to chips – they taste good and are not loaded with grease and fat. My daughters love these as a side to turkey roll-ups or alone as a snack.
- Peanut Butter – A true staple in our house – I use peanut butter to put on apples, celery, rice cakes – you name it. My kids also love peanut butter and jelly for lunches.
- Animal Crackers – I buy the convenient individually bagged animal crackers and my daughters will usually choose this as a dessert after dinner. On our trips to the zoo, this are definitely a favorite as well.
- Graham Crackers – In the summertime we love to make s’mores outside, but sometimes my kids will ask for a graham cracker to go with their fruit for snack or lunch.
I also like to have a lot of drinks on hand in the house because my daughters are outside a lot playing and I want them to stay hydrated. I keep a gallon of water in the fridge at all times so they can fill up their water bottles. I also like to have Capri Sun on hand, and for the adults I usually have seltzer water (La Croix is my fav), soda and iced tea. That about sums up what I have in my fridge for summer. What are your go-to snacks for your kids? Let me know in the comments!
