Let’s Dive into Some Whole Food, Nourishing Snacks!

When you eat a whole food, unprocessed diet that is dairy-free, snack recipes can be difficult to have on hand. Store-bought snacks for a family can get fairly expensive as well but can fill in the gap when necessary.

Personally, I find that planning a bit ahead and making snacks I know my kids will enjoy, really helps during the week when they are coming up to me every five minutes telling me they’re hungry. It’s also beneficial to make your snacks at home with ingredients you trust because the nutrition will benefit your children’s behavior, focus and sleep.

The Best Kind of Whole Food Snacks

The importance of giving your kids a well-balanced snack can’t be overstated.

A well-balanced snack consists of clean protein and quality fat as well as antioxidants from veggies and sometimes fruit.

It saddens me to see parents loading their children up with the GMO sugar filled, chemical laden store bought snacks of today because these choices will not only affect their children daily, they will have long-lasting negative effects on their health.

Be sure that if you are giving your child fruit or a sweet snack that they are also getting clean protein and quality fat along with it. This will maintain proper blood sugar levels, nourish their brain and allow them to absorb the nutrients they are eating.

If your children tend to gravitate more towards unhealthy snacks because that’s what they’re used to, I would encourage you in three areas:

• First, make the snacks you prepare pretty and colorful. Kids are attracted to that.
• Second, when possible, make your healthy food fun! Who doesn’t love to eat a caterpillar-shaped out of grapes or cute, owl-shaped coconut gummies?
• Third, take baby steps and little by little introduce them to more healthy choices as you take away the unhealthy choices.

The Kind of Snacks You’ll Find in This Round-Up

All snacks I have linked in this round-up are made with whole, unprocessed food and made from scratch. Some take very little time to put together, some take a bit more time to make. All of them are dairy-free. There are both sweet and savory snacks and a lot of the sweet snacks also have protein and fat in them to make them well balanced for you and your kiddo. You can also combine various snacks to make them more well-rounded.

This list is in no way exhaustive as there are plenty more creative ideas if you search.

Dairy-Free Veggie Snacks

• Nut Free Ants on a Log
• Cauliflower Popcorn
• Easy 3 Ingredient Cucumber Snack
• Artichoke Hummus
• BLT Bites
• Creamy Artichoke Dip
• Roasted Garlic Babaganoush
• Eggplant Jerky
• Maple Roasted Parsnip Chips
• Rosemary and Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips
• Oven Roasted Beet Chips

Dairy Free Nut Snacks

• Nani’s Paleo Spiced Nuts
• Garlic Herb Roasted Nuts
• Rosemary and Sea Salt Roasted Almonds
• Cinnamon Roll Roasted Almonds + 5 More Recipes
• Honey Nut Bars
• Spicy Maple Cinnamon Pecans

Dairy-Free Sweet Snacks

• Paleo Pumpkin Pie Apple Spread
• AIP Baked Apple Cinnamon Granola
• Paleo Magic Cookie Bars
• Chocolate Frosted Hostess Donuts
• Mini Flourless Chocolate Cakes
• Chocolate Covered Almond Butter Stuff Dates
• Toasted Coconut Muddy Buddies
• Paleo Nilla Wafers
• Paleo Cookie Dough Bites
• Whole Food Fudgsicles

Dairy-Free Savory Dips

• World Famous Guacamole
• Garlic and Chive Spread
• Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Sam Elliot Dip
• Avocado Mango Salsa

Dairy-Free Fruit Snacks

photo courtesy of Living Healthy With Chocolate

• Paleo Apple Nachos
• To Die For Cinnamon Apple Chips
• Avocado with Strawberry Salsa
• Prosciutto Wrapped Cantaloupe
• Coconut Butter Dipped Strawberries
• Mint and Watermelon Salad
• Fruit Banana Split
• Fried Honey Banana
• Coconut Fried Bananas

Dairy-Free Gummy Snacks

photo courtesy of Stupid Easy Paleo

• Choose Your Flavor Homemade Gummy Snacks
• Homemade Kombucha Gummies
• Matcha Coconut Gummies
• Gummy Orange Slices ( I would use Wild Orange essential oil, not flavoring)
• Sour Watermelon Gummies
• Mango Lime Gummies
• Orange Gummy Bears
• Blueberries and Cream Gummies
• Pomegranate Gummies
• Sleep Aid Gummies

Dairy-Free Smoothies

• Ginger, Lemon, Blueberry Detox Smoothie with Optional Essential Oils
• Nut Butter Protein Shake (With a Nut Free Option)
• Immune Boosting Pumpkin Spice Shake
• Brownie Batter Protein Shake
• Pina Colada Smoothie
• Tropical Smoothie Bowl
• Red Velvet Smoothie
• Green Spinach Smoothie with Apple, Lime and Orange
• Pumpkin Cranberry Smoothie
• Creamy Orange Julius

Dairy-Free Miscellaneous Snacks

photo courtesy of Momables

• Banana Split Bites
• Avocado Deviled Eggs
• Easy Soy Free Beef Jerky
• Rosemary Sesame Paleo Crackers
• Quick Crackers
• Sweet Tart Energy Bars
• Bite-SizedRaspberry Popsicles
• Rainbow Whole Fruit Popsicles
• Paleo Pizza Bites
• Paleo Corn Dog Muffins

What Types of Snacks Will You Choose for Your Kids?

Remember, choosing healthy, protein-packed snacks that include good quality fat and that are high in antioxidants will help your kids have better focus and behavior throughout the day. The choice you make for them when they are young will teach them for the rest of their lives what choices they should make to live a thriving life!