Kids can be extremely fussy. They don’t like a lot of things and when it comes to snacks for kids, that can be especially true. The fact of the matter is that while kids may really want to eat whatever candy and junk food is being pushed on television, they should be encouraged to find healthier alternatives. Your kids deserve the very best and when you start to introduce protein rich snacks instead of junk food, you can easily change your kids habits for a lifetime to come.

Some great snack options for your kids are:

1. Yogurt

Consider buying plain yogurt and adding some real fruit for flavoring purposes. While yogurt itself is quite healthy, the sugar added to most flavored yogurts, especially those aimed at kids is not.

2. Ants on a log

It may sound weird but really, this is just a matter of taking a piece of celery and then spreading it with something healthy like plain cream cheese or natural peanut butter. You can then dot the ‘log’ with raisins to create the ants on a log treat.

3. Granola

Again, this is best made at home instead of buying ready made granola. Pick up some oats, assorted roasted unsalted nuts along with some raisins and a little honey. Put it all together and you’ve got a great, healthy snack your kids will love.

4. Popcorn

The old favorite is still a great, healthy choice. Specifically, you want to go with air popped popcorn as opposed to oil popped. You can also add a little salt to your own taste as opposed to buying pre-salted popcorn which can be loaded with sodium.

5. Deviled eggs

Easy and even fun, deviled eggs are hard boiled eggs where you remove the yolk, mix it with a bit of mayo and some spices and then put the mixture back into the center.

6. Carrots and hummus

Once again, it’s important to look for healthy options. Natural hummus without a lot of added sugar and junk food is important. You can also buy regular carrots and simply cut them down to size (baby carrots are really just regular carrots which have been cut to size).

7. Apples with natural peanut butter

Yet another natural and healthy favorite for kids is simple natural peanut butter (make sure to look for natural because some peanut butters are loaded with sugar) and pair it with some freshly sliced apples. The two make for a delicious and healthy combination.

8. Olives

Not only are olives healthy but they are also the perfect snack food because they can be packed into a ziplock bag and taken along in a lunch box. You can even experiment with different flavors of olives to find one that your little ones will love.

9. Homemade fruit pops

Why buy fruit pops which are mostly just sugar and water? You can make them yourself using a simple popsicle maker along with some freshly sliced fruit and a bit of apple or orange juice. Mix them all together and put them into a popsicle mold for a healthy frozen treat.