When kids get home from school, they’re ready to tear through some snacks. But, most foods marketed as “kid food” are loaded with sugar and other ingredients you’d rather stay away from. Here are some low-sugar snack ideas that kids can look forward to, with vegan and gluten-free options.
51 Low-Sugar After School Snack Ideas
gf = gluten free
v = vegan
df = dairy free
- Plantain chips with black bean dip (gf, v)
- Red pepper hummus with pita chips (v)
- Kid-friendly “charcuterie” board with dried fruit, cold cuts, crackers, cheese slices
- Sweet potato cubes with sweet cinnamon butter (gf)
- Yogurt (dairy or coconut) and granola (gf, v option)
- Cheese cubes with mustard for dipping (gf)
- Sliced turkey and apple roll-ups (gf)
- Hummus and cucumber rounds (v, gf)
- Ants on a log - peanut butter filled celery with raisins (v, gf)
- No sugar chocolate covered almonds (gf, v, df)
- No sugar peanut butter cups (v, gf)
- Chocolate peanut butter smoothie (gf)
- Chocolate banana milkshake (gf, v)
- Sugar-free ice cream sandwiches
- Apple “nachos” - apples arranged on a plate topped with thinned nut butter and no sugar chocolate chips (gf, v)
- Grilled peaches (gf, v)
- Air-popped popcorn (gf, v)
- Sugar-free sugar cookie bites topped with nut butter (gf, v)
- Rice pudding (gf, v)
- Air fryer churros (gf)
- Peanut butter and jelly “sushi” rolls (v)
- Pumpkin spice mini muffins (gf)
- Blueberry mini muffins (gf)
- Deviled eggs
- Seaweed snacks (gf, v)
- Chicken fries with copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce for dipping
- Air fryer mini bagel pizzas
- Roasted chickpeas with garlic and parmesan (gf)
- Mini quesadillas
- Corn chips and guacamole (gf, v)
- Everything cookies (gf, v)
- Trail mix
- Smoothie bowl (gf, v)
- Energy balls (swap the honey for sugar free maple syrup to keep the sugar low)
- Broccoli and bell peppers with spinach dip (gf)
- Frozen juice popsicles (gf, v)
- Drumettes with ranch (gf)
- Homemade crispy rice squares
- Fruit salad
- Zucchini bread
- Veggie pinwheels - veg cream cheese and cucumbers rolled in a tortilla and sliced
- Kale chips (gf, v)
- Frozen yogurt raspberries - fill raspberries with vanilla yogurt (dairy or coconut) and freeze (gf, v option)
- Yogurt bark - spread vanilla yogurt (dairy or coconut) on a parchment-lined tray, sprinkle on chopped berries, freeze and break into single-serve chunks (gf, v option)
- String cheese (gf)
- Pretzel rods with Suntella for dipping
- Mini cheese wheels (gf)
- Baked apple chips with cinnamon (gf)
- Taquitos with guacamole (gf)
- Fruit and yogurt (dairy or coconut) parfaits topped with granola (gf, v option)
- Apples with salted almond butter coconut whip
It’s easy to fall into a rut after the first week, but if you keep this list handy, you’ll stay inspired with easy, creative snacks for a long time. You may even come up with creative ideas of your own!
Here’s to making this school year the best one yet!