Clever ways to add more protein to your kid's diet

Mid-morning lunch box snack help: Dozens of ideas from our own readers.

This week, Erin asked our Recipe Rescue Facebook community for ideas for mid-morning snacks for kids for when they "burn out on string cheese, and can't have nuts." The group came through big time, with lots of ideas for quick snacks to pack in lunch boxes, all to help give kids a little boost until lunch. Some may be familiar, some may be totally new to you, and hopefully, some will make you think, yes! That's it! We are here for you! And hey, go store-bought or homemade. Whatever works for you. It's all good. Top: Oat flour and sesame seed muffins, via Jane Sweeney for Cool Mom Eats

Related: Smart, store-bought snack swaps to make school lunch snacks a little healthier

 

Mid-morning snack ideas for kids

- Fruit like apples, melon, clementines, orange wedges, bananas, grapes - Veggies like sugar snap peas, baby carrots, pepper slices, cucumbers. Dip optional. - Hummus and pita chip snack packs (packaged or homemade), or hummus with veggies Fage Total Greek Yogurt Split Cups are great high protein snack you can buy at the store -- and the separate filling means that you can control the amount of sugar that goes in too! | Cool Mom Eats

See these 10 high protein snacks for kids to pick up at the grocery store including Greek yogurt

- A yogurt squeeze tube or yogurt cup sized for kids - Kefir or yogurt drinks - Mini bagel and cream cheese (or mascarpone) - Hard boiled eggs - Slices of meat like pepperoni, or roll up salami, ham or turkey and secure with a toothpick - Beef sticks or turkey sticks Blueberry-Vanilla Yogurt homemade granola bars from Half Baked Harvest

Vanilla-Blueberry Greek Yogurt Granola Bar recipe via Half-Baked Harvest

- Nut-free granola or homemade granola bars - A little container of dry cereal - Apple sauce or fruit cups - A box of raisins - Chex Mix or Pirate's Booty - Homemade baked or roasted chickpeas (or buy them at the store) - Banana chips, apple chips, or other dried fruit like pineapple, apricots, mango

Fruit and Veggie Gummy Snacks recipe via Modern Parents Messy Kids. 

- Fruit gummies, or real fruit roll-ups -Homemade fruit or veggie gummies (you can do it!) - Baby pickles or cornichons - Salami and tomato skewers on toothpicks - A ham and cheese roll-up - A mini Spam musubi or Inari sushi -Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds - Homemade mini muffins like banana, blueberry, zucchini, apple cinnamon

Related: The best Trader Joe's low-sugar snacks for families to keep on hand

Kitchen tools you don't need and what to buy instead | DIY microwave popcorn - Popcorn, pretzels, crackers, goldfish - Cream cheese on graham crackers - Edemame. shelled or unshelled (depending on your child) - Sunbutter between crackers or on a mini sandwich - Mini grilled cheeses or quesadillas (yes, cold if your kid will eat it)

Thanks to our amazing community of eaters and feeders at Recipe Rescue! And if you want to join us, click over and come right along. It's a fun, judgment-free zone.  And yes, that actually exists on Facebook. 

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