7 Lunch Snacks That Your Kids Can Pack Themselves

Treats in Photo are Alchemy by Chef Carla Hall

Today’s busy mom barely has time to get dressed in the morning, much less get daily snacks together for her children that are growing and constantly hungry. In order to make life easier on yourself as a mother, it is a good idea to teach your kids to be self sufficient so that they do not have to rely on you for every little thing, and also so that you do not have to spend every second of your day catering to your children’s needs. This lesson starts with snack time. Take a look at these 7 lunch snacks that your kids can pack themselves.

1. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
An apple is a healthy snack that your children can grab for themselves as they are running out the door to start their busy days. Put a bowl of apples on a surface that the kids can reach and let them get their own snack.

2. Animal crackers.
The classic single serving size box of animal crackers has been a popular children’s snack choice for decades. It is likely that your children would like these too. Give them access to a box of these that they can get when needed.

3. Peanut butter sandwiches.
Some mothers are afraid to allow their children to yield knives, even if they are just dull butter knives. You do not, however, need a knife to make a peanut butter sandwich. Give your kids a spoon, some bread, and some peanut butter, and let them make their own snack.

4. Baby carrots.
The great thing about small foods is that they are already in a snack size for children to munch on. Let them grab a handful of baby carrots and snack to their heart’s content on a healthy snack packed full of nutrients.

5. Yogurt cups.
The protein in dairy is a great way to make sure that your children’s bones stay healthy and strong. Yogurt is also great because it is sold in serving sized packages. Your kids can grab these out of the fridge on their own and have a healthy snack.

6. Microwave popcorn.
What could be easier than sticking something in the microwave and pressing a button? Not much! If you are going to allow your children to make this snack, however, there are some precautionary things that you should go over with them before they do so. Make sure that they know the popcorn will be very hot when they take it out of the microwave. Tell them to open the bag while being cautious of the hot air that will pour out. Also make sure that they know which button to press on the microwave to make the popcorn.

7. If you don’t want your kids to do it…
If you are skeptical about letting your children make their own snacks, you can save yourself time by pre-making snacks while your children are occupied. This will prevent you from having to drop everything every time your children are hungry but will also give them a larger variety of snacking options.

The moral of the story: teach your kids to make their own snacks and provide you with a lot more time to do other important things.