Easy Whole Food Snacks for the Whole Family

I spent many years as a mother feeling like I needed to constantly be keeping healthy snacks stocked everywhere. In my car, in my purse, home, backpacks, etc. I think mothers especially are targeted so heavily to feel like we NEED the next best thing for our children. It can be tempting to buy pre-packaged snack foods because they are marketed so darn heavily and they are easy! It is convenient, but unfortunately, most of the snacks are full of junk and they are so darn expensive! Getting back to basics in our home and focusing on whole-food snacks has been a great way to simplify my motherhood.

Pre-packaged “healthy” snacks are bad for your budget!

In recent years, I’ve become much more aware of just how expensive packaged snacks are. Plus they rarely fill my kid’s bellies, which makes them even more expensive because they could eat five granola bars in a sitting. Once I started tracking our food budget more precisely, I noticed what a huge chunk of packaged snacks were taking up. I challenged myself to not buy any packaged snacks for a few months and I never went back. 

At the time, we needed to do this to save money but once I saw the money it saved it was hard for me to justify them in our weekly meal plan. Obviously, this isn’t an absolute and we still enjoy convenience goodies at times, but when I’m trying to save money they just aren’t an option. The good news is, it’s not complicated to make whole food healthy snacks! Our go-to snacks listed below, contain simple ingredients you most likely already have in your home. And they are CHEAP!

I try to prioritize a healthy protein source with each snack and meal for my kids because I’ve noticed their moods stay regulated best when they are fueled well. I’m assuming it is because their blood sugar stays balanced, but that is just a mother’s intuition.  Because we homeschool, my kids are with me all the time so It is easy for me to see how different foods and snacks affect their demeanor. I know I get cranky if I don’t eat enough protein!

Batch Prepping Whole Food Snacks 

I like to batch-prep our favorite snacks at least once a week. It takes less than an hour to prep these homemade snacks which is less time than it would take for me to go to the store and browse the grocery store aisles. Plus navigating the nutritional information on packaged snacks is a total trap, marketing companies do a phenomenal job confusing us into thinking “a good source of vitamins in minerals” is a true statement. 

By batch-prepping healthy snacks on the weekend, I can approach the week being prepared for hungry bellies which brings me peace! Since we homeschool and my kids are home most of the week, it’s important that I am prepared. 

The kids know that when they are hungry they can help themselves. The best part is because we primarily use healthy whole foods, I don’t worry about them eating too many.  

It’s also nice to know that we can rely on any combination of these items for a last-minute lunch if we are having a busy day. 

Whole Food Snacks Shopping List

I try to keep the following simple ingredients on hand to be prepared for my weekly snack prep. I will include where I find it cheapest and easiest to source them. Obviously, buying locally always takes priority if you can find it! Many of these ingredients will be used in multiple meal recipes throughout my weekly meal plan, but remember this is not an exhaustive list of what we keep stocked in our house, only snacks. 

Pantry

• Peanut Butter ( Azure, or Costco brand with just peanuts and salt)
• Dark Chocolate Chips ( Azure, or Enjoy Life brand from Walmart)
• Organic Sprouted Oats ( One Degree Brand from Costco or Thrive Market)
• Honey ( Azure)
• Coconut Milk (Azure, Thrive Market) 
• Pretzel Thins ( We like the Organic option from Costco because they have no seed oils in them!)
• Coconut Oil ( Azure, Costco)
• Cocoa Powder (Azure, Walmart)
• Popcorn (Azure, Walmart)
• Grass Fed Gelatin (Azure, Perfect Supplements, Amazon)
• Meat Sticks ( Archer Valley from Costco, Paleo Valley, Thrive Market)

​Non Essential Extras I like:

• Bee Pollen (Azure, Thrive Market)
• Chia Seeds ( Walmart)
• Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds ( Costco, Thrive, Azure)

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Fridge

• Greek Yogurt ( Costco, Walmart or we Make our own with Raw Milk)
• Seasonal Veggies, we always keep carrots on hand
• Apples, Bananas and frozen fruit 
• Eggs
• Lemon Juice
• 100% Fruit Juice ( no added sugar)
• Cheese Sticks or Cheese Blocks, blocks are usually much cheaper ( we like the raw cheddar from Azure)

Easy Whole Food Snacks or the Whole Family

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Electrolyte Drink

I love to lean into the seasons and listen to what my body is craving. Therefore, I love a good thirst-quenching drink in the heat of summer and a warm hot chocolate in the cold winter. In the summer we are constantly making our homemade electrolyte drink to sip on in the flower fields. It quenches your thirst and helps to replace the essential nutrients you are sweating out. Check out my recipe here with lemon juice and learn why electrolytes are important.

Sun Tea

In the last few years, I have switched to loose-leaf teas from Azure Standard. Not only have I saved some serious money, but they taste much better and I believe the nutrition is better. My boys love mixing their tea concoction and choosing what “flavor”. Our favorite loose leaf teas to keep on hand are: dandelion root, nettle, alfafa, lemon balm, spearmint, hibiscus and rose hips.

Balanced Hot Chocolate

This is a staple in our house during the frigid Michigan winters. I like to have one in the afternoon when I’m craving a cup of coffee. It is easily adaptable to whatever milk your family uses, we like raw and canned coconut milk.

To make, warm water on the stove. While the water is warming, fill half of your cup with milk, collagen, vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa powder and a little maple syrup. Stir well and then add your boiling water and stir more. I like to make this without the cocoa powder too, some call this a Vanilla Cloud and it is delicious!

These warm drinks are great all day, but I love to sip on them first thing in the morning before I have coffee. Loaded with healthy fats from the milk, protein, and magnesium from the cacao it’s a well-rounded drink, easy on the blood sugar. If you’re feeling extra fancy add a homemade marshmallow to the top.

Peanut Butter Energy Bites

These are made with simple ingredients that we bulk buy from Azure Standard to help decrease our grocery store budget. I usually make a double batch of these and store half in the freezer so I don’t have to make them again the next week. They seem to satisfy a sweet tooth craving and are hearty with the oats and peanut butter in them. We use dark chocolate chips and sometimes add in chia seeds and pumpkin seeds if we have them.

We like the One Degree sprouted oats from Costco and feel best when I take the extra time to soak them when we use them for oatmeal.

Yogurt Parfaits

Yogurt Parfaits can take on many different flavors and ingredients. When I’m in a good groove and making raw milk yogurt, I like to package the yogurt in little self-serve mason jars for the boys to grab. I put frozen berries on top before I seal the jar and maybe a few drops of syrup. They can add chocolate chips and granola if they’d like. Greek yogurt has added protein, but we use whatever type of yogurt we have on hand. My boys like to chop up fresh fruit if we have it on hand to top off their jars. They love any chance they get to use a knife. 

We often make homemade granola, I like this recipe. When we add it to parfaits, the fermented yogurt helps break down the phytic acid which usually happens when you soak the oats overnight. You can find more information about soaking oats here.

Apple Slices with Cinnamon 

This is one of my favorite ways to stretch simple ingredients. For some reason, a thinly sliced apple seems to go much farther than a whole apple. I thinly slice an apple, lay it on a plate, and dust it with cinnamon. Thats it. Fast, simple, and cheap! To get a little protein with this snack, I usually offer a meat stick, cheese or hard-boiled eggs to go along with it.

Popcorn Coconut Oil

I have yet to find a microwaveable popcorn that has ingredients that don’t scare me. But, it’s so easy and much more affordable to make your own, I’m never tempted to buy it anyway. We usually make it for Friday night movie night which is a tradition in our house. I have heard of people topping their popcorn with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.

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Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Dip

This is a great way to get some added protein in with simple ingredients you most likely have on hand. We mix plain Greek yogurt with peanut butter and a drizzle of honey to make a hearty dip for apples, bananas or pretzels. Vanilla yogurt is delicious also, but usually comes with more sugar content so use your own judgment there. My kids are always excited when I bring a fancy “dip tray” out, you can’t go wrong here.

Gummies

These have become a staple in our home. This recipe includes real fruit juice which is usually high in natural sugars, but it is paired with protein-rich gelatin helping to keep blood sugar more balanced. We have done so many variations of these gummies it is hard to go wrong. The biggest thing is getting the liquid-to-gelatin ratio right. My rule of thumb is one tbspn of gelatin for one cup of liquid, I prefer them firm so they don’t fall apart when my kids eat them. These are great to have on hand for stomach bugs and sore throats too, if using real fruit juice they are packed full of Vitamin C.

To make, bloom 1 Tbspn of gelatin in 1 cup of water. Then add 2 cups juice and 2 additional tablespoons. Stir well and heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Pour in a glass dish and refrigerate until firm. One of our favorite mixes is apple juice, pomegranate juice, and cinnamon. We also love coconut milk instead of juice with cocoa powder and maple syrup mixed in.

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Raw Veggies & Fresh Fruit

Obviously, these make the list. I prep a large tray of thinly sliced carrots and cucumbers weekly for us to munch on. If they go uneaten ( they usually don’t) it is easy to add them to salads or soups at the end of the week. I do like to change up how I slice them every so often to make them more fun. Isn’t weird how things almost taste different when they’re sliced differently? We have a simple mandolin that chips carrots and cukes so beautifully. 

Cheese Slices with Raw Honey

Yum! This is my favorite on the list. It’s like a fancy little charcuterie treat. Raw cheddar cheese is loaded with vitamins d & k which are essential nutrients for growing children and often depleted. Drizzle a little honey on top for a sweet and savory combo. If we are feeling extra fancy, I’ll sprinkle some bee pollen on top of the honey for an extra source of b vitamins and immunity!

Packaged Snacks that we eat so often, I felt I had to include!

Organic Pretzel Thins

I like that the organic option doesn’t have seed oils in it. There is added sugar, but it’s minimal and I’m not a complete sugar hater! These are so handy and we love to dip them in cream cheese or peanut butter Greek yogurt dip.

Meat Stick

Even though this is pre-packaged, it is a must. I also love that the shelf life is long enough that I feel comfortable throwing them in my purse. I love the smaller size ones, they’re perfect for my kiddos. Sometimes we get venison meat sticks, but it is hard to find a butcher that doesn’t add in a bunch of junk. These are my favorite clean options. 

Paleo Valley meat sticks, Country Archer meat sticks from Costco, and the Mission Meats Beef Sticks from Thrive Market are good options for beef sticks. 

What are your favorite whole-food snacks?

I’d love to hear your practical tips for incorporating whole-food snacks into your family’s diet! Let me know what I missed below.