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Best Photo Books For Kids

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Looking for the best photo books for kids? After years of trial and error, I’ve found a simple, stress-free system (using Mixbook!) that helps me stay organized and create custom photo books my kids will treasure forever.

best photo books for kids

*Thanks to Mixbook for sponsoring this post. This post contains affiliate links. If used, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you*

Hi friends!

About 6 years ago, I decided to start making yearly photo books for my kids. My oldest was already five years old and I had a three year old and a one year old as well, so I was a bit behind and it felt very overwhelming. I spent a long time going back and making photo books from previous years and when I was done I was exhausted.

I knew going forward I needed to develop a way to stay on top of making the books so that I didn’t fall behind again. I tried a few different ways, finally found one that worked and I’m proud to say that for the past 6 years I’ve used and stuck to this approach with great success!

mixbook photo books

How To Make A Custom Photo Book with Mixbook

We all know there are several photo book companies out there and my absolute favorite is Mixbook. Both their app and website are so user-friendly and the books are beautiful and high-quality. If you want to design your own books, there are tons of different layouts to choose from for each page with borders, no borders, multiple photos per page, text etc. And if you need a starting point, there are endless options of pre-designed layouts for every occasion.

Each year, I make a photo book for each kid and myself. For the kids’ books, I chose to make them softcover so they don’t take up much space and they’ll be easy for them to take with them when they move out someday. For my own book, I chose the hardcover option.

Best Photo Books For Kids: My 5-Step System

Over the years, I’ve refined my approach to making photo books and have discovered that the absolute best way for me to stay on top of things is to start a draft of each book and add to it every single month.

If you’re already ready to order, from 9/2/25 – 12/31/25, you can use this affiliate link and the code “MIXLEAN50” for up to 50% off and free shipping on orders over $79!

If you need more detailed instructions about my 5-step system, here’s exactly what I do:

photo book calendar reminder
Screenshot

Step 1: Schedule a reminder

I’ve added a monthly reminder to work on my photo books on the first of every month. The calendar reminder also triggers an email that sits in my inbox until I get it done. You could even set it up to trigger a secondary reminder the next day if you find you need another push to get it done.

add photos to photo book

Step 2: Add to individual albums

On my phone, I have an album in my photos for each kid, plus one for my yearly photo book. For the kid books, I go from birthday to birthday so there’s a book for each full year of their lives. For my own family book, I go by calendar year from January – December.

At the end of each month, I scroll back to the beginning of the month in my photos and select photos for each kid from the month and add to the appropriate album. You can add as many or as few photos as you like. I typically add 20-30 per kid to each album and 50-60 to my yearly album for the family book.

photo book drafts

Step 3: Upload photos via the app

On the Mixbook website, I start a draft of a photo book. These drafts can live in your account on the website for as long as you want. You can easily save your progress and come back to them each month to add more.

I use the Mixbook app to add all the photos I just put into each kids’ photo album into the Mixbook draft of their photo book and click save.

best photo books

Step 4: Add photos to photo book drafts

At this point, you can continue to use the app but I find it easier to switch over to my computer. Once all the photos are uploaded to each book, I go to the Mixbook website and drop the photos into the page layouts I’ve chosen for each book.

I start with a blank book and usually just alternate between two page layouts that hold 12-13 photos per page. You can easily change the layout for each page, add more pages and crop or center each photo to your liking. Simply choose the layout you want and drag and drop the photos where you want them to go.

To make it even easier, you can use their auto-fill option and it will randomly place photos to fill in the layout you select.

Step 5: Save the drafts

That’s it! Just hit save, repeat the process for each book and you’re done! This whole process takes me no more than 20 minutes total each month to update 4 photo book drafts.

best photo book quality

Best Photo Books Online: Why I Chose Mixbook

If you stick with this process and spend just a couple of minutes each month on your photo books, by the time the end of the year rolls around, it’s so easy to just fill in the last month’s worth of photos and order your books!

I have tried multiple online photo book companies like Shutterfly, Chatbooks and Snapfish and I find Mixbook to be best for:

  • Page layouts – they have so many to choose from, there’s sure to be one to fit your needs
  • Ease of use – both their app and website are so easy to use and make creating photo books super easy
  • High quality but budget-friendly

The quality of the Mixbook photo books is so good. Every page is crisp and clear and the layouts always come looking exactly how you placed them. And they frequently have great sales.

best photo book for printed photos

Photo Books By Year FAQs

Any tips for designing photo books kids will love?

My kids absolutely love looking through their photo books. We usually pull them out once a year, especially when their new ones come – they love looking at the ones from when they were little. They’re also great for inspiration and often remind us of fun activities that we haven’t done in a while.

You can keep the layouts simple like mine, or choose books with a theme (perhaps to recap a special trip or vacation) or choose layouts with text so you can add memories and other thoughts.

Why softcover vs hardcover for kids’ photo books?

I choose softcover for my kids simply because they take up less space. In theory, I’ll make one for them each year through high school graduation. When they move out, they can take them with them and the entire stack will take up only as much space as a large textbook.

For my own books, I display them on the bookshelf and I’m not really concerned about saving space so I choose hardcover for the durability.

Are custom photo books worth it vs pre-made albums?

I think it depends how many photos you want to use. For me, I am usually trying to cram in as many photos as possible. I’m not interested in adding text, so I choose to start with a blank book and add lots of photos on each page.

If you have a smaller number of pages, pre-made albums could be a great option for you to use and not have to add a lot of extra pages.

What’s the best way to catch up on photo books if you’re behind?

If you’re really behind, there’s probably not a huge reason that you need to get them done immediately. I would suggest doing my same 5-step process but do it for both the current year and the year previous at the same time. Just tackle one month at a time and simultaneously make books for both 2024 and 2025. Then, next year, you can do your 2026 books and a book for 2023. Eventually, you’ll be all caught up!

I highly recommend this practical 5-step process for creating the best photo books for kids using Mixbook.

If you want to try this system, head over to Mixbook and start your first custom photo book today. It’s the easiest way to stay organized and make sure your kids have the best photo books to look back on for years to come.

From 9/2/25 – 12/31/25, you can use this affiliate link and the code “MIXLEAN50” for up to 50% off and free shipping on orders over $79!

best photo books for kids no page limit

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Crepes

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These gluten-free buckwheat crepes are made with just a few simple ingredients! Add your favorite sweet or savory toppings for an easy breakfast!

gluten-free buckwheat crepes

*Originally published 8/2011. Updated 8/2025*

These gluten-free buckwheat crepes are naturally gluten-free and packed with protein and fiber. The batter can be made ahead of time, making them an easy, affordable option for busy moms.

Hi Friends!

If you’re looking for a new breakfast recipe, you’ve got to give these buckwheat crepes a try. They’ve been a breakfast staple at our house for 10+ years now and they couldn’t be easier to make!

Plus, you can fill or top them with so many different things! Make them sweet with fruit and yogurt or savory with veggies, meat and cheese. Think of them kind of like a breakfast taco!

What is buckwheat flour?

Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free because it actually comes from a seed-like grain that is not directly related to wheat. It’s technically known as a pseudo-grain. It has a earthy, nutty flavor and contains both some fiber and a little protein as well as minerals like magnesium and manganese.

It’s used all over the world to make everything from noodles, to porridge to baked goods. It’s often used in combination with another flour to add depth and texture to recipes.

Are buckwheat crepes healthy?

Yes. Buckwheat crepes make a great base for a healthy meal. However, choosing healthy toppings or fillings is important. I always try to add some protein along with fruits or veggies to make a nutritionally complete meal.

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Buckwheat Crepes

To make these crepes, you need just a few simple ingredients:

  • Milk – I like to use 2%
  • Water
  • Eggs
  • Salt
  • Oil – If you prefer, you can sub melted butter
  • Buckwheat flour – you can find it in grocery stores made by companies like Bob’s Red Mill or order online from Amazon – I like this brand. (aff link)
buckwheat crepes with fruit and yogurt

How To Make Easy Buckwheat Crepes (Step-by-Step)

To make the crepes:

  • Place all ingredients in a blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Let the batter sit at least 15 minutes.
  • Pour by 1/4 cup into a pan greased with butter, tilting the pan to create a thin layer.
  • Let cook for a minute, flip and remove from heat.
  • Top as desired and enjoy!

Best Toppings for Buckwheat Crepes

The great thing about these crepes is that they’re not overly sweet, so you can easily add sweet toppings like yogurt, fruit, syrup etc without them tasting too sweet. Here are some ideas:

  • Sliced fruit
  • Yogurt – plain or flavored
  • Fruit compote
  • Syrup or powdered sugar
  • Peanut butter or nutella

Savory Buckwheat Crepes

Since the crepes themselves are not sweet, you can also give them a more savory spin. Try adding:

  • Sauteed vegetables – caramelized onions or sauteed mushrooms would be great
  • Cheese
  • Deli meat
  • Eggs
  • Smoked Salmon or breakfast sausage

Buckwheat Crepe Variations

Buckwheat crepes without milk

To make these without dairy milk, you can sub a plant-based milk like almond, soy or oat milk.

Can I make buckwheat crepes without eggs?

This recipe is not vegan because it uses both eggs and milk. You could try this recipe with flax eggs, or try this recipe for vegan crepes.

Buckwheat crepes vs traditional crepes

The main difference between buckwheat crepes and regular is the type of flour used. Using buckwheat flour makes these crepes gluten-free and allows you to try a type of flour you might not typically use. You could also do a combination of half buckwheat, half regular flour for a more mild flavor, just keep in mind that the crepes would no longer be gluten-free.

Buckwheat Crepes Recipe

Here’s the recipe:

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Gluten-Free Buckwheat Crepes

Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

These gluten-free buckwheat crepes are made with just a few simple ingredients! Add your favorite sweet or savory toppings for an easy breakfast!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Yield: Makes 10 crepes 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup milk (2% or whole milk works best)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp oil (I use avocado oil, you could also use melted butter)
  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • Toppings/fillings – fruit, yogurt, nutella, peanut butter, ham, turkey, cheese, scrambled eggs, avocado, etc

Instructions

  1. In a small blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
  2. Let batter rest for 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
  3. Heat a pan over medium heat and add a little butter.
  4. Pour 1/4 cup batter, tilting the pan to spread the batter into a thin circle.
  5. Let cook for 1 minute, flip and cook 30 seconds more.
  6. Repeat with remaining batter.
  7. Top or fill the crepes as desired and enjoy!

Notes

*If needed, add a bit more water to thin out the batter when ready to make the crepes*

Buckwheat Crepes FAQs

Are buckwheat crepes gluten-free?

Yes! Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free and this recipe does not contain any other ingredients with gluten.

Do I need to let crepe batter rest? Can you make crepe batter ahead of time?

Yes! Crepe batter does best if it’s left to rest at least 15-30 minutes and even up to 24 hours in the fridge. This helps the dough fully hydrate and gives you crepes that are softer and more tender. If your batter starts to thicken a bit while resting, you can always add a bit more water to thin it out.

Can I freeze buckwheat crepes?

Yes. To freeze crepes, let them cool completely. Stack them with parchment or wax paper between each one, then wrap the whole stack in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag.

How do you store and reheat crepes?

Store them in a glass container in the fridge. To reheat, either warm 20-30 in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel, or heat about a minute per side in a pan over medium heat.

gluten-free buckwheat crepes recipe

Buckwheat Crepes Troubleshooting

Do I need a crepe pan?

No. A good 8 or 10 inch skillet should be fine. Just make sure it heats evenly and is easy enough for you to pick up and tilt to move the batter around to make thin crepes.

Why are my buckwheat crepes breaking apart?

Buckwheat crepes don’t contain any gluten, so it’s extra important to let the batter rest so it is well hydrated and flexible. You can also sub out some of the buckwheat flour with an all-purpose or gluten-free flour blend.

How do I make buckwheat crepes without sticking to the pan?

Crepe batter can be a bit tricky. Make sure your pan is heated to medium heat and that you’re not trying to make your crepes too thin. Also, coating the pan with a little butter before each crepe will help avoid sticking.

How thin should buckwheat crepes be?

For crepe batter, you want it to be fairly thin, easy to pour into the pan and thin enough that it moves easily around the pan when tilted. For the crepes themselves, you want them to be fairly thin – thinner than pancakes, but not so thin that you can’t flip them without breaking.

These gluten-free buckwheat crepes are made with just a few simple ingredients! Add your favorite sweet or savory toppings for an easy breakfast!

Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Want more breakfast recipe ideas? Try:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Individually Wrapped Snacks

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Looking for individually wrapped snacks for school, parties, sports games and more? Here are some healthy options from a Registered Dietitian.

individually wrapped snacks

*Originally published 9/2021. Updated 9/2025*

These healthy individually wrapped snacks are kid-friendly options to use for school snacks, classroom and birthday parties and sports team snacks. They’re simple, affordable and can often be purchased in bulk.

Hi friends!

I’m wrapping up my snack series with a post specifically dedicated to individually wrapped snacks. I shared several in my Healthy Amazon Snacks post but wanted to share some available from other stores as well. Single-serving snacks come in handy if you need to provide snacks for a whole classroom at school, for a sports team or party snacks, if you’re not allowed to send reusable containers and more.

Why You’ll Love These Individually Wrapped Snacks

There are lots of options out there for individual packages of cookies, chips and pretzels and I’ve included some of those. I also wanted to go beyond that and give you some healthy everyday options for both adults and kids. These snacks are:

  • Relatively healthy – I try to choose options that are lower in added sugar and sodium
  • Budget-friendly – Many can be purchased in bulk to save money since they’re shelf-stable and won’t get stale quickly!
  • Kid-approved – Most of these are choices my own kids eat and enjoy!

These items would also be great in lunch boxes. If you need more lunch box ideas, check out this resource: A Month of Easy Packed Lunches For Kids.

If you’re looking for more snack ideas, check out:

What are the best individually wrapped snacks for kids?

There are a good number of individually wrapped snacks out there and over the past few years, several healthier options have been created. While buying in bulk and packaging into individual portions can often be more cost-effective, all parents can tell you that there are times when you just need the work done for you.

What individually wrapped snacks are nut-free?

It can be tricky to find nut-free snack options if that’s something your school requires. Here are some ideas:

healthy individually packaged snacks for school

Healthy Individually Wrapped Snacks For School

These are some of my favorite individually wrapped snacks for school that are safe for nut-free schools and classrooms:

Mom tip – If you want to send snack options to school that need to stay cold, we love these Pack-It Cool snack bags (aff link) that you can throw right in the freezer.

Which individually wrapped snacks are healthy?

There are lots of healthy options out there. When searching for snacks for my kids, I try to find options that have both protein and fiber to help keep them full or pair a carbohydrate snack with one that has some protein.

individual school snacks not nut free

Here are some options that make good school snacks that are not nut-free or may be processed in a facility with nuts:

Some chips/crackers I’ve seen in single-serving packs:

Mom tip – If your school doesn’t have super strict nut-restrictions and the food can’t contain nuts but being processed in a facility with nuts is ok, many of these brands of granola bars have flavors that are nut-free!

healthy snacks from amazon

If you prefer to buy your snacks online, see the post below:
I rounded up a bunch of individually wrapped snacks you can order from Amazon: Healthy Amazon Snacks.

individually wrapped party snacks

Which individually wrapped snacks for best for parties?

Need ideas for individually wrapped party snacks (or individually wrapped birthday treats)? Look for single-serving bags of things like:

  • Rule Breaker cookies
  • Gogosqueez fruit sauce/pudding
  • Kirkland Trail mix
  • Baked Lays Potato Chips
  • Skinny Pop Popcorn
  • Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars
  • Chex Mix
  • Popcorners
  • Quaker Reduced Sugar granola bars
  • Welch’s Reduced Sugar Fruit Snacks
  • Annie’s Bunnies

What’s the best place to buy individually wrapped snacks in bulk?

Costco is a great option if you have one near you, along with other warehouse stores like Sam’s Club, BJ’s etc. You can also look at online options like Amazon and even stores like Walmart sell bulk options. Shop around the stores available to you to find the best prices.

individually wrapped snacks Costco

Healthy Individually Wrapped Snacks Costco

Here are some of my favorite Costco snacks that can be found in small bags:

Nut-free:

  • Skinny Pop
  • That’s It Fruit Bar Minis
  • Made Good Granola Minis
  • Country Archer Mini Beef Sticks
  • Gogo Squeeze or fruit cups
  • Cheese Sticks
  • Babybel cheese
  • Kirkland Hard-Boiled Eggs
  • Wholly Guacamole or Made Good Foods Guacamole Minis
  • Kirkland hummus singles/ Sabra singles with pretzels
  • Whisps Cheese Crisps
  • Sun Chips

Not nut-free:

  • Trail Mix packets
  • Clif Kid Z Bars
  • Clif Nut Butter Bars
  • Kind Minis
  • Larabars
  • Kirkland Cheese Fruit & Nut Packs

For a full list of Costco snacks I like, see this post: Healthy Snacks At Costco For The Whole Family

trader joe's individually wrapped snacks

Healthy Trader Joe’s Individually Wrapped Snacks

Trader Joe’s has a lot of granola bars that are great options:

  • Trader Joe’s Raises The Bar
  • Trader Joe’s These Peanuts Went On A Date Bars
  • Trader Joe’s ABC Bars
  • Trader Joe’s Organic Hemp Seed Bars
  • Trader Joe’s Organic Chia Bars
  • Trader Joe’s This Coconut Brings Chocolate on a Date Bars
  • Trader Joe’s Mixed Berry Granola Bites
  • Peanut Butter and Jelly Frooze Balls
  • Trader Joe’s Apple Carrot Fruit Sauce Crushers
  • Trader Joe’s Squishers Yogurt Tubes
  • Chomps Meat Sticks

For a full list of my favorite Trader Joe’s Snacks see this post: 35+ Best Trader Joe’s Snacks

individually wrapped snacks walmart

Healthy Individually Wrapped Snacks Walmart

Need single-serving snacks from Walmart? Try these:

  • Stonyfield Organic Kids yogurt cups
  • Breakstone’s Cottage Doubles
  • Frigo Combo Pack – Colby Jack cheese & turkey sticks
  • Chobani drinkable yogurt
  • Horizon Organic shelf-stable milk
  • Great Value cheese sticks
  • GogoSqueez Morning Smoothies
  • Great Value Bursting Berry fruit pouches
  • Freshness Guaranteed Mild Guacamole (great with plantain chips!)
  • Wymans Just Fruit & Greek Yogurt Bites
  • Mamma Chia Squeeze
  • Great Value Unsweetened Applesauce
  • Great Value Diced Fruit in 100% juice
  • Belvita Soft Baked Cookies (a little higher in added sugar but also have some protein and fiber)
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Date & Nut Bars (very similar to Larabars)
  • Happykid Bars
  • KIND Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars
  • KIND Nut Butter Filled Snack Bars
  • KIND Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars
  • Kashi Chocolate Almond Sea Salt Bars
  • Larabar Minis
  • Simple Mills Dark Chocolate Almond Soft Baked Bars
  • RX Kids Bars
  • Chex Mix Multipack

Here’s a full list of the Best Healthy Walmart Snacks.

What are the best individually wrapped snacks for adults?

Most of my snack posts are focused on kids because I have 3 of them and I feel like I’m constantly feeding them snacks. But adults need snacks too. A few of my favorite single servings snacks:

  • Larabars
  • String cheese + That’s It Fruit Bar
  • Kind Nut Butter Bars
  • Skinny Pop + Kirkland Hard-Boiled Eggs
  • Tuna Pouches + Simple Mills crackers
  • Fruit with single-serve nut butter

Individually wrapped snacks FAQs

Are there gluten-free individually wrapped snacks?

Here are some of the best gluten-free snacks. Some of my favorites include:

  • String cheese
  • Beef sticks
  • Yogurt
  • Popcorn
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Protein or snack bars like Aloha, KIND, Larabar
  • Trailmix

What individually wrapped snacks are high in protein?

Here’s a list of healthy high protein snack ideas. Some good options include:

  • Cottage cheese or yogurt cups
  • 8oz drinkable yogurt/kefir
  • Cheese sticks
  • Beef sticks
  • Nut and seed mix
  • Protein bars
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Tuna pouches

What individually wrapped snacks are good for travel and don’t need refrigeration?

Here are some healthy road trip snacks. Bars, meat sticks, individual trail mix packs and That’s It fruit bars are great for throwing into a purse or backpack.

What are the best low-sugar individually-wrapped snacks?

Plain yogurt, popcorn, beef sticks, nuts and seeds and protein chips can be good options. You can also look for bars and other snacks made with things like stevia, monk fruit etc vs real sugar.

Are there individually wrapped snacks for toddlers?

Here are some healthy snacks for toddlers. Some good options for that age include yogurt tubes and pouches, mini versions of full size granola bars, fruit pouches or bars made from 100% fruit, crackers with peanut butter, string cheese, etc.

Looking for individually wrapped snacks for school, parties, sports games and more? Here are some healthy options from a Registered Dietitian.

These healthy individually wrapped snacks are great for both kids and adults. They’re budget-friendly, easy to find and taste great as well!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Overnight French Toast Bake

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This Overnight French Toast Bake is beginner-friendly and foolproof – perfect for using up leftover dinner rolls or bread after a holiday meal. Prep the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight and enjoy it for breakfast in the morning. 

overnight blueberry french toast bake

*Originally published 11/2015. Updated 8/2025*

This overnight baked French toast is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for busy moms hosting brunch or out of town holiday guests! An easy, budget-friendly way to feed a crowd.


Hi Friends!

This post for an overnight French toast bake is perfect for Christmas morning breakfast or as one of your go-to holiday brunch recipes! It actually first came about almost 10 years ago when I was looking for ways to use up my Thanksgiving leftovers. I was in charge of bringing a Costco-sized bag of dinner rolls to Thanksgiving dinner and we had a bunch leftover.

So I diced them up and make a french toast bake. It was perfect because I threw it together the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight and baked it in the morning.

Best Bread For Overnight French Toast

The good news is there’s lots of flexibility here! I often make this with leftover dinner rolls but you could easily use a leftover loaf of Italian or French Bread. Any bread or rolls that can be sliced and cut into cubes that aren’t too thin will work. You could try brioche or King’s Hawaiian Bread for a richer-tasting option or sourdough for something slightly less sweet.

Remember that this recipe actually works best with bread that is slightly stale so feel free to let your loaf sit out for a day or two before making. Stale bread is a bit sturdier than fresh bread and it will hold up well to being soaked in the egg mixture without getting too soggy.

Overnight French Toast Bake vs Skillet French Toast

While both options have their place, an overnight french toast bake is definitely an easier way to feed a crowd. You can easily prep a large quantity AND it can be prepped ahead of time to make the morning easier.

This is also a great option for breakfast before school! Bake one up on Sunday and just cut and reheat a piece all week long. No need to babysit and flip the french toast on the stove while you’re running around trying to get everything else ready!

Ingredients for Easy Overnight French Toast Bake

In addition to being able to make this ahead of time, this recipe is also made with just a few simple ingredients, which is a major bonus. You need:

  • Bread – Dinner rolls or other leftover loaf of bread
  • Eggs and milk – These are French toast staple ingredients and you’re making a big pan so you need a lot!
  • Vanilla and Cinnamon – To add flavor
  • Berries– You can use fresh or frozen. I like blueberries best but mixed berries also work.
  • Brown sugar – To make a sweet crust on the top after baking

What Toppings Go Best with Overnight Baked French Toast?

Not into blueberries? Try:

  • Cinnamon and sugar – skip the mix-ins and top with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar
  • Maple Pecan – add some chopped pecans instead of blueberries and drizzle with a little cream cheese sweetened with maple syrup
  • Try mixing in some pumpkin seeds or ground flax for a heart-healthy boost of omega 3 fatty acids
  • Make an easy fruit compote for topping or top with diced fresh fruit of your choice
  • Apple cinnamon – Add extra cinnamon and stir in some chopped apples and walnuts
blueberry french toast bake casserole

How To Make Blueberry French Toast Bake Casserole

To make this recipe you need a 9×13 pan. Line it with parchment paper for easy removal or grease it well.

If your bread isn’t stale, you can cube it and put it in the oven at 170 degrees F for 15 min or so.

To make the casserole:

  • Cube the bread and put it in a 9×13 pan.
  • Add the blueberries.
  • Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon and pour over the bread.
  • Use your hands to mix it all up and make sure all the bread is coated.
  • Cover with saran wrap and press down to flatten and refrigerate overnight.
  • When ready to bake, remove the saran wrap, sprinkle with brown sugar, bake and serve.

If you had extra cranberry sauce, you could mix some of that in as well!

Mom tip – For food safety reasons, remember to refrigerate the pan after you mix everything together, until you’re ready to bake!

Make Ahead Baked French Toast Troubleshooting

Should I cover baked French toast when baking?

No need to cover unless you add something like chopped nuts on top. If you notice they start to brown, you can cover with foil towards the end.

How do I make this recie dairy-free?

Feel free to use any type of plant-based milk in this recipe like soy, almond, etc.

Can I make a smaller version in a loaf pan?

Yes! Feel free to cut the recipe in half and bake in a loaf pan!

Should I grease the baking dish for French toast casserole?

Yes, either line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or grease well before adding the bread and egg mixture to the pan.

How To Freeze and Reheat Overnight French Toast Bake

To freeze, let cool completely, then cut into squares and transfer to a freezer-safe bag (we love Stasher Bags – aff link). Then freeze until needed. Move to the fridge to defrost and microwave to warm.

Easy Overnight Baked French Toast Recipe

Here’s the recipe I use:

Print

Overnight Baked French Toast

overnight french toast bake
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.5 from 2 reviews

This Overnight Baked French Toast is the perfect recipe to use up leftover dinner rolls after a holiday meal. Prep the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight and enjoy it for breakfast in the morning.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 9x13 pan 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 cups cubed dinner rolls or bread (approx 12 rolls)*
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 8 eggs
  • 1.5 cup milk
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cube rolls and place in a 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper.
  2. Add berries.
  3. In a bowl, mix eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon with a whisk.
  4. Pour over bread mixture in pan.
  5. Use your hands to make sure all the bread gets covered with the egg mixture.
  6. Cover with saran wrap, press down gently to flatten and place in the fridge overnight.
  7. When ready to bake, sprinkle top with brown sugar if desired.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min and serve.

Notes

*Stale bread works best. Cube and leave your bread out overnight or bake at 170 degrees for 15 minutes before using.

Overnight French Toast Bake FAQs

How long should overnight French toast soak?

I find it does best when you soak it for 10-12 hours. You want to give the bread time to absorb the egg but don’t leave it sitting so long that the bread starts to break down.

How to store an overnight french toast bake?

After baking, store the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can use the microwave!

Could this be a crockpot French toast bake?

I haven’t tried this overnight French toast bake recipe in the crockpot but I think it would work. If you’re looking specifically for a Crockpot recipe, try:

Could you make an overnight French toast bake with cinnamon rolls?

Yes! This would be delicious, I think. I would probably not replace more than half the bread with cubed cinnamon rolls, and I would skip the brown sugar sprinkle on top since cinnamon rolls are quite sweet.

overnight french toast bake with blueberries

Could this be a cream cheese french toast bake?

If you’re specifically looking for a cream cheese French toast bake, try one of these:

What to serve with overnight French toast bake?

Need a brunch menu idea? Serve this and let the French toast be the star! Cut into squares in the pan and let everyone serve themselves! Leave out lots of additional toppings like powdered sugar, chopped nuts, syrup, fruit compote and fresh fruit! You could also add easy breakfast sides like scrambled eggs, sausage or bacon, yogurt and coffee.

Does baked French toast need to be refrigerated overnight?

Yes! After mixing the bread and egg mixture and placing in the pan, be sure to store in the fridge until ready to bake.

Overnight French Toast For A Crowd

This Overnight French Toast Bake is perfect for using up leftover dinner rolls or bread after a holiday meal. Prep the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight and enjoy it for breakfast in the morning. 

This overnight French Toast Bake is easy, affordable and sure to be a hit for your next brunch, holiday breakfast but can just as easily help out a tired mom on a busy weekday morning.

Easy Breakfasts To Feed A Crowd

Need more ideas? Try:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Best ALDI Healthy Snacks

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Looking for some of the best ALDI healthy snacks? Here are some top picks from a Registered Dietitian that both kids and adults will love.

best ALDI healthy snacks

*Published 4/23. Updated 7/25*

These are the best healthy snacks from ALDI for busy families. These snacks are nutritious, affordable and quick and easy to make and eat at home or on the go.

Hi friends!

Today we’re sharing some of the best healthy snacks at ALDI. If you have an ALDI near you, definitely take advantage! It is a hidden gem for some healthy and affordable options! Here are a few of our favorites.

Why You’ll Love These ALDI Healthy Snacks

  • Affordable – One of the best things about ALDI is their affordable prices.
  • Quick and easy – These snacks require minimal prep – perfect for busy moms.
  • Nutritious – Healthy options you can feel good about feeding your family.
  • Kid-friendly – These can be enjoyed by kids and adults.

As always, this is not an all-inclusive list and not everyone will agree with all the snacks on the list.

When I’m looking for snacks for my family, I try to focus on options that have at least 2g of both protein and fiber, as well as ones that are lower in added sugar. I typically aim for 6g of added sugar or less per serving but do make exceptions, especially if they have some protein and fiber.

If you’re looking for store-specific snacks, check out:

For more specific snack needs, check out:

Best Healthy ALDI Snacks

healthy whole grains at ALDI

Healthy Whole Grains at ALDI

These whole-grain options are packed with fiber and some protein! Add your favorite cheese, deli meat, or nut butter to make a quick and easy sandwich, wrap, or waffle.

  • Specially Selected Small Batch Sourdough bread (3g protein, 1g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • L’oven Fresh 100% Whole Wheat Bread (3g protein, 2g fiber, 2g added sugar)
  • L’oven Fresh 12 Grain Bread (5g protein, 3g fiber, 2g added sugar
  • L’oven Whole Wheat Pitas (7g protein, 6g fiber, 1g added sugar)
  • Breakfast Best Protein Waffles (12g protein, 3g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
best healthy chips and crackers at ALDI

Best Healthy Chips & Crackers at ALDI

These crunchy snacks are a great way to add some fiber (and protein!) to a healthy snack. Dip your chips in some hummus or add some cheese to your crackers. Pair popcorn with nuts and seeds for a simple and satisfying snack. The coconut crisps pair great with some fruit and nut butter too!

  • Simply Nature Coconut Cashew Crisps (3g protein, 3g fiber, 6g sugar *4g added sugar)
  • Savoritz Cheddar Cheese Crisps-Gluten Free! (10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Savoritz Everything Almond Flour Crackers-Gluten Free! (7g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Savoritz Woven Whole Wheat Crackers (2g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Life GFree Sea Salt Brown Rice Crisps– Gluten Free! (2g protein, 3g fiber, <1g added sugar)
  • Simply Nature Sea Salt Popcorn (3g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Black Bean Chips-Gluten Free! (5g protein, 5g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Multigrain Tortilla Chips (2g protein, 2g fiber, <1g sugar)
  • Clancy’s Peanut Butter Pretzels (4g protein, 1g fiber, 2g sugar *1g added sugar)
Healthy dairy and dips at ALDI

Healthy Dairy and Dips at ALDI

These dairy and dip choices are a great way to spice up your snacks and add some protein! Add some granola to your yogurt or some fruit on top of cottage cheese for a fiber boost. Or dip veggies in some tzatziki sauce or hummus! Guacamole and Hummus are great vegan options if you want to give your snack time a twist. If you are in a pinch, Aldi’s snack packs are a great on-the-go choice packed with protein, fat, and fiber for a satisfying snack that will keep you full!

RD Mom tip- Dips are a great way to get kids to eat things they may be more hesitant about like vegetables! Keep trying until you find a dip they like!

best ALDI cereals and granolas

Best ALDI Healthy Granolas & Cereals

These scrumptious granolas and cereals can be great for breakfast or a snack! Both granola and cereal go great with yogurt or even homemade trail mix. If you’re in a pinch a granola bar is an easy option, just be sure to watch out for added sugars!

  • Millville Cinamon Granola Crunch (2g protein, 2g fiber, 6g added sugar)
  • Elevation Pure and Simple Fruit and Nut Bars-Gluten Free & Vegan! (4g protein, 4g fiber, 18g sugar *0g added sugar)
  • Elevation Only Nuts & Sea Salt with Dark Chocolate (6g protein, 7g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Millville Crispy Oats (5g protein, 3g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Ginger Cranberry Coconut Clusters (2g protein, 5g fiber, 4g sugar *3g added sugar)
  • Bear Naked Bites Honey Oat (3g protein, 6g fiber, 5g added sugar)
  • Millville Original Balance Multigrain Cereal – *8g added sugar, mix with lower sugar (4g protein, 3g fiber, 8g sugar)

RD mom tip – If I’m serving yogurt with mix-ins, I start with plain yogurt and then let the sweetness come from additions like fresh fruit and granola!

nuts and seeds at ALDI

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great and easy snack. You can add some dried fruit to make your own trail mix or sprinkle some on top of yogurt. Simple peanut butter and jelly is always a great choice too! If you’re on the go, the 100 calories snack packs are a great choice, just be sure to pair them with some fruit or veggies to make a satisfying snack that will keep you full!

  • Southern Grove 100 Calorie Almonds and Walnuts (3g protein, 2g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Southern Grove Unwind Trail Mix + other varieties, look for low added sugar (4g protein, 2g fiber, 8g sugar *4g added sugar)
  • Southern Grove Seed & Raisin Trail Mix (5g protein, 2g fiber, 5g sugar)
  • Simply Nature Omega Trail Mix (5g protein, 2g fiber, 6g sugar *5g added sugar)
  • Simply Nature Peanut Butter (8g protein, 3g fiber, 2g sugar)
healthy protein snacks ALDI

Healthy Protein Snacks Aldi

Every well-rounded snack needs protein. It helps keep you full and provides your body energy. These high-protein snacks are great to add to a fiber-rich snack like crackers or veggies. You can even make a quick sandwich too. If you need a snack that is a little larger, Aldi has some great frozen meals too!

  • Simms Smoked Beef Biltong (16g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Aldi Oven Classic Deli Sliced Turkey (13g protein, 0g fiber, 1g sugar)
  • Never Any! Chicken Breakfast Sausage (5g protein, 0g fiber, 3g added sugar)
  • Egglife Egg Wraps (5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g sugar)
  • Whole & Simple Southwestern Style Chicken Quinoa Bowl (16g protein, 8g fiber, 3g sugar)
  • Black Bean Salad (4g protein, 3g fiber, 3g sugar *1g added sugar)
  • Simply Nature Peppered Beef Jerky (9g protein, 0g fiber, 6g added sugar)
  • Simms Artisan Jerky Aloha Teriyaki (9g protein, 0g fiber, 7g sugar)

Hopefully this post has given you a few new ideas!

Looking for some of the best ALDI healthy snacks? Here are some top picks from a Registered Dietitian that both kids and adults will love.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

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These Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a simple, budget-friendly alternative to store-bought pickles.

easy refrigerator pickles in a jar on a table

*Originally published 8/2011. Updated 8/2025*

This recipe for easy refrigerator pickles is no-canning and beginner friendly. It’s a budget-friendly alternative to traditional store-bought pickles.

Hi friends!

Let’s chat pickles. As far as food goes, I feel like pickles are one of the more polarizing ones – most people either love them or hate them. In our house, my husband and oldest son are huge pickle fans. So much so that I got tired of paying $6 a jar and decided to learn how to make my own just for them.

What are Refrigerator Pickles?

Refrigerator pickles are also known as quick pickles. They are made by simply submerging cucumbers in a vinegar-based brine and storing in the fridge versus traditional pickles, which go through the canning process.

Ingredients for Easy Refrigerator Pickles

To make these easy refrigerator pickles, you just need a few simple ingredients. Investing in jars of the spices will allow you to easily make many batches of refrigerator pickles. You’ll need:

  • White vinegar – you can also use rice wine or apple cider vinegar
  • Salt – kosher is best
  • Sugar
  • Coriander seeds
  • Whole black peppercorns
  • Whole mustard seeds
  • Garlic – this is optional but adds more flavor
  • Fresh dill
  • Kirby cucumbers
how to make easy refrigerator pickles

How To Make Refrigerator Pickles

Making easy refrigerator pickles requires just a few simple steps:

  • Combine vinegar salt and sugar and bring to a boil to dissolve.
  • Let cool and add cold water.
  • Place cucumbers, dill, garlic and spices in a jar.
  • Pour liquid into the jar.
  • Secure the lid, shake well and let sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

What are the best pickles for easy refrigerator pickles?

My favorite pickles to use are Kirby pickles. They can often be bought in bulk in the produce section of the grocery store and they’re small and bumpy. Kirby pickles are the best choice if you like crisp, crunchy pickles!

What’s the best way to slice cucumbers for pickling?

You can slice them any way you want! Cut them lengthwise into spears or sandwich slices or cut them horizontally to make them more bite-sized. You can use a crinkle cutter when slicing as well! (aff link)

Refrigerator Pickles Variations

Spicy Refrigerator Pickles

To make your pickles spicier, add 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes or add a serano or jalapeno sliced in half lengthwise to the jar.

Sweet Refrigerator Pickles // Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles

If you prefer a sweet pickle, you’ll need to add more sugar to the brine. I would suggest following a recipe specifically for sweet pickles like these Refrigerator Sweet Pickles.

Dill refrigerator pickles recipe

To me, dill pickles are the only kind, so this recipe includes dill. If you’re not a fan, you can leave out the sprigs of dill.

Can I make refrigerator pickles with other vegetables?

The good news about this brine is that you can use it to pickle a wide variety of vegetables. Try replacing the cucumbers with:

  • sliced jalapenos
  • thinly sliced red onions
  • carrots
  • green beans

Best Easy Refrigerator Pickle Recipe

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Easy Refrigerator Pickles

easy refrigerator dill pickles
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These Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a simple, budget-friendly alternative to store-bought pickles.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp whole mustard seeds
  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 8 sprigs fresh dill
  • 3–4 Kirby cucumbers, quartered lengthwise (or sliced)

Instructions

  1. Combine vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until dissolved.
  2. Let cool for 10 minutes, then add to cold water.
  3. In a 32 oz mason jar, combine the pickles, dill, garlic and seasoning.
  4. Pour liquid over top and refrigerate 24 hours before eating. You can add a little more water if needed.
  5. Store in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

Notes

We sometimes reuse store-bought pickle jars instead of mason jars.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles FAQs

How long do refrigerator pickles last?

These pickles should last 3-4 weeks in the fridge! After that the quality may start to degrade.

Can I reuse the brine?

Yes! If you finish your pickles in the first week or two, feel free to add another batch of cucumbers to the brine.

How soon can you eat refrigerator pickles?

These pickles are ready to eat in 24 hours! They can be eaten before that but the flavor may not be fully developed.

How to serve refrigerator pickles?

Serve them straight out of the jar for snacking or make them crinkle-cut and add to burgers, sandwiches and charcuterie boards.

Can I use apple cider vinegar in refrigerator pickles?

Yes, feel free to substitute apple cider or rice wine vinegar for the white vinegar in this recipe.

homemade refrigerator pickle spears

Can you make refrigerator pickles without sugar?

Yes, if that fits your taste preferences, you can omit the sugar in this recipe.

Can I freeze refrigerator pickles?

I would not recommend it. But you can freeze sprigs of fresh dill so that you always have those on hand for pickling!

What’s the best container to store refrigerator pickles?

My favorite container is actually to reuse a glass jar from store-bought pickles. You can use any glass jars – 32 oz mason jars work well. Or get a pickle jar like this! (aff link)

Are refrigerator pickles safe for kids to eat?

Yes! Kids can definitely enjoy these pickles.

Do I need to boil the vinegar for refrigerator pickles?

Boiling helps dissolve the salt and sugar and combine the flavors but boiling isn’t required. Especially if you like very crunchy pickles, you can skip this step if you want to.

These Easy Refrigerator Pickles are a simple, budget-friendly alternative to store-bought pickles.

These easy refrigerator pickles are crunchy, tangy and even better than store-bought! They’re quick, affordable, and easy to customize!

Want more easy homemade recipes? Try

Enjoy!

–Lindsay–

Best Healthy Packaged Snacks

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A list of 50+ healthy packaged snacks for busy parents who are looking for some new ideas. Healthy store bought snacks when homemade snacks aren’t an option.

best healthy packaged snacks of 2025

*Originally published March 2018. Updated July 2025*

These are some of the best healthy packaged snacks for kids and adults. They are nutritious, affordable and kid-friendly. They can be packed in lunch boxes as well and are great options for families trying to make healthy food choices.

Hi Friends!

You guys know I’m a huge fan of making healthy homemade snacks, but there are times when store-bought, prepackaged options are both handy and necessary. We all know there are times when we need some individually wrapped snacks.

Why You’ll Love These Healthy Packaged Snacks

  • Easy to find – most of these should be available at your local grocery store
  • Variety- It can be easy to fall into a snack rut so here are lots of options to try
  • Affordable – Lots of budget-friendly options
  • Nutritious – Plenty of nutrient-dense choices with protein and fiber
  • Kid-friendly – Snacks that are both healthy and tasty!

Note- if you’re looking for store-specific snacks, I have you covered:

Healthy Packaged Snacks Notes:

  • This is not a sponsored post. None of these companies asked to be included or even knew I was putting this post together.
  • While I originally intended this round-up to be geared towards kids, there are a lot of things adults could enjoy as well.
  • We have not tried all of these. I repeat – I have not personally tried all of these, nor have my kids. I have no idea if my kids like them all and have no doubt there are some they would not eat.

This list is meant to provide inspiration. Everyone is free to make their own choices and have their own opinions

What Are The Healthiest Packaged Snacks For Adults and Kids?

RD mom tip – When I’m looking for snacks for my kids, I try to choose options that have at least 3 grams of protein and/or fiber and less than 5-6 grams of added sugar. Total sugar may be higher due to naturally occurring sugar.

healthy chips and crackers for kids

Healthy Chips and Crackers

Everyone loves a crunchy snack! These options are kid-friendly, low in added sugar and can be paired with sliced cheese or a healthy dip for a more satisfying snack! Check out this post for more of my favorite Healthy Crackers For Kids and Adults. My personal favorite are Crunchmaster crackers but there are too many visible seeds for my kids to enjoy them.

  • Triscuits thin crisps – 3g of protein, 4g of fiber, 0g added sugar – easier for kids to chew than regular Triscuits
  • Sun chips- 2g protein, 2g fiber, 2g added sugar
  • Plentils -3g protein, 1g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers – 2g protein, 2g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Simple Mills Pop’Ems – 2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Simple Mills Crackers – 3g protein, 2g fiber, 0g added sugar

Keep in mind many of these come in different flavors and the nutrition info may vary!

healthy crunchy snacks

Healthy Crunchy Snacks

Here are more snack ideas that can provide that satisfying crunch for both kids and adults.

  • Hippeas Pops – 3g protein, 2g fiber, <1g added sugar – They also make puffs and chips
  • Trail Mix – 5g protein, 3g fiber, 6g added sugar -There are endless trail mix options so nutrition facts will vary but this is a great option because you can find one customized to your liking.
  • The Only Bean Edamame – 14g protein, 5g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Whisps – 10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Seaweed snacks – 1g protein, 1 g fiber, 0g added sugar – Similar to kale chips, these won’t be for everyone but can still be a good option for some added nutrients
  • Harvest Snaps Crunchy Loops – 4g protein, 2g fiber, 0g added sugar – They have crisps, loops and puffs in a variety of flavors

RD Mom Tip- Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks and has a little protein and fiber. Try adding it to trail mix. If you have younger kids, popcorn cakes can be a good option to reduce choking risk.

healthy granola bars for snacking

Healthy Granola Bars for Kids

What are the healthiest granola bars for kids and adults?

These are some of my favorite kid-friendly granola bar options for kids when I don’t want to turn to a protein bar like would for an adult. These are all lower in added sugar and have some protein and fiber. Here are more of the Best Healthy Store Bought Granola Bars For Kids. For adults, one of my favorite options is Aloha Bars – I love that they don’t have stevia. 88 Acres and Go Macro also have some good options.

healthy lower sugar cereals

Healthy Cereals

Cereal has always been one of my favorite snacks and doesn’t just have to be for breakfast. Pair with milk to add some extra protein or mix some into your favorite trail mix or yogurt. Here are more Lower Sugar Cereals For Kids.

  • Puffins – 3g protein, 3g fiber, 6g added sugar
  • Love Grown – 5g protein, 4g fiber, 8g added sugar – love that these are made with beans!
  • Cascadian Farms Purely O’s – 4g protein, 4g fiber, <1g added sugar
  • Wheat Chex – 6g protein, 8g fiber, 6g added sugar – There are also plain rice and corn options
  • Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes – 5g protein, 7g fiber, 5g added sugar
  • Kix -3g protein, 3g fiber, 4g added sugar

RD Mom tip – If you’re having trouble getting your kids to enjoy lower sugar cereals, mixing them with a little of their favorite cereal so it’s more half and half can be a good way to slowly cut back on added sugar.

healthy snacks 5

Healthy Dairy and Refrigerated Snacks

Dairy can be a great source of protein for both kids and adults and you don’t have to eat it plain. There are some good lower-sugar flavor options out there.

  • Lifeway Kefir – 10g protein, 0g fiber, 8g added sugar – They have 8oz bottles and you can also check out Probugs pouches for kids
  • Babybel Cheese – 4g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar – pair with crackers!
  • Stonyfield Yogurt Pouches – 5g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar – look for the no added sugar options!
  • Breakstone Cottage Doubles – 13g protein, 0g fiber, 4g added sugar
  • String cheese – 7g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Chobani Less Sugar – 12g protein, 0g fiber, 5g added sugar – this is one of the best flavored yogurt options I’ve found. Siggi’s also has good options

How can I transition my kids to healthier packed snack options?

RD Mom tip- If you’re trying to adjust your kids to lower sugar options – start by mixing their favorite yogurt, milk, kefir with plain and slowly increase the amount of plain. Some with things like cereal – start with a mix of higher and lower sugar favorites.

healthy snacks 6

High Fiber Snacks

Almost everyone could use more fiber in their diet and snacks can be a great time to add some to your day! Even a few grams here and there can help. Here are a few options:

  • Mama Chia Squeeze – 2g protein, 3g fiber, 5g added sugar
  • Mush – 5g protein, 4g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • KIND bars – 4g protein, 6g fiber, 7g added sugar – several of their nut-based bars are high in fiber
  • Biena Roasted Chickpeas – 6g protein, 6g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Beanitos – 4g protein, 4g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Ground Flax – Add this to your yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal, even sprinkle onto peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!
fruit snacks for kids

Kid-Friendly Fruit Snacks

What are healthy fruit-based snacks that aren’t full of sugar?

While plain fresh, canned, dried frozen fruit is my favorite option, there are some packaged fruit snacks and alternatives that are good options. I’ve listed some below but check out this post as well for more Healthy Fruit Snacks and Alternatives.

  • Figgy Pops – 3g protein, 2g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • That’s It Fruit Bars – 1g protein, 4g fiber, 0g added sugar – pair with a protein source!
  • Freeze-dried fruit – 2g protein, 6g fiber, 0g added sugar- great to add to trail mix
  • Bear Fruit Rolls – 0g protein, 4g fiber, 0g added sugar – the also have sour varieties
  • Peeled Snacks – 2g protein, 2g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Bare Apple Chips – 0g protein, 4g fiber, 0g added sugar

RD mom tip – Fruit is a great snack and many options contain no added sugar, but fruit does naturally contain sugar and it’s best to pair fruit with a source of protein or healthy fats to give it more staying power!

high protein snacks

High Protein Snacks

What high protein snacks help keep you full?

Protein is one component that should be included in almost all snacks – along with fiber and/or healthy fats. It helps with muscle-building, recovery and satiety – all good things! These are some of my favorite for kids. Look here for more of my favorite Healthy High Protein Snack Ideas for adults.

  • Hb eggs – 6g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Chomps – 10g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar
  • Kodiak Power Waffles – 12g protein, 3g fiber, 4g added sugar
  • Aloha Protein Minis – 6g protein, 2g fiber, 1g added sugar – can be a good snack option for elementary and older kids
  • Deli meat turkey – 12g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar – Look for a brand like Dietz and Watson that’s made with just turkey, salt and spices
  • Balanced Breaks – 7g protein, 0g fiber, 0g added sugar – The raisin option is my favorite!
healthy snacks 9

Snacks with Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are a great addition to daily snacks. For kids they are important for growth and development. For adults, they can be a good source of nutrients like omega-3’s and also help make snacks more satisfying.

Healthy Packaged Snacks FAQs

What are the best nut-free snacks for schools and workplaces?

I know from experience that finding nut-free snacks for schools can be challenging. I put together the Ultimate List of Peanut-Free and Tree Nut-Free Packaged Snacks with lots of ideas for you.

What are some crunchy snacks that are actually good for you?

My favorite crunchy snacks to reccomend are raw veggies, nuts and seeds and trail mix. Kale chips, homemade crackers, roasted chickpeas and edamame are also great. Here are some more ideas for Healthy Crunchy Snacks.

Are there healthy savory packaged snacks that aren’t chips?

Yes! Some of my favorites include roasted chickpeas, roasted edamame, kale chips, and harvest snaps. Crunchmasters multiseed crackers, raw veggies with a packaged dip, trail mix, popcorn and savory granola bars are also good choices.

What are good healthy snacks for travel and long commutes?

Eating in the car or while commuting is unavoidable at times. Here’s a list of Healthy Road Trip Snacks including things like fresh fruits and veggies, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs and yogurt in the cooler and crackers, trail mix, muffins, jerky, granola bars and more in the snack bag! And if you have younger kids, here’s a list of Low Mess Snacks For Kids.

Can toddlers and younger kids have packaged snacks safely?

Yes! But there are definitely choking hazards to be aware of including round foods like grapes and hot dogs, raw veggies, marshmallows, hard candy, popcorn and more. Here are some Healthy Snacks for Toddlers.

What snacks offer a good balance of protein, fiber and healthy fats?

A few of my favorites include apple with peanut butter and a cheese stick, crackers with guacamole and a beef stick, high fiber muffin and a yogurt, and homemade trail mix with low sugar cereal, popcorn, nuts and dried fruit.

What are the best store bought snacks for school lunches or work?

If you need ideas for school lunches, you’ll love my guide: A Month of Packed Lunches for Kids including full color pictures and tons of ideas for both lunches and snacks.

What are the best packaged snacks for busy professionals or parents?

I’ve got a whole list of snack ideas that are gerat for At Work and After-Work Snacks, including some non-perishable ideas like tuna pouches with crackers, beef sticks, protein bars, roasted nuts and more.

That’s it for now! I’ll keep adding as I find more! If you liked this post, be sure to share and pin it for later!

Healthy Pre Packaged Snacks

A list of 50+ healthy packaged snacks for busy parents who are looking for some new ideas. Healthy store bought snacks when homemade snacks aren't an option.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Healthy Fruit Snacks & Alternatives

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Are you looking for healthy fruit snacks or fruit snack alternatives for your kids? Here are some recommendations from a Registered Dietitian and mom of 3.

Best healthy fruit snacks and healthy fruit snack alternatives

*Published 6/2023. Updated 7/2025.*

Hi friends!

I’ve got another highly requested “best of store-bought” post for you today! Today we’re talking all things fruit snacks. I’m sharing some of my top choices for fruit snacks and fruit snack alternatives and answering some frequently asked questions.

But first, in case you’ve missed any of the other posts in this series, you can check them out below:

Snacks from certain stores:

Types of snacks:

Why You’ll Love These Healthy Fruit Snacks

  • Variety – everything from traditional fruit snacks to dried fruit
  • Kid-friendly – almost all kids like fruit
  • Lots of options and lternatives – lots of options if you’re looking for something besides traditional fruit snacks
  • Dried fruit is a nutritious option for the sweet treat kids love without added sugar

Scroll to the bottom for a video of a taste test with my kids and see which fruit snack alternatives were our favorite!

fruit snacks 1

What to look for in fruit snacks

While I don’t recommend typical fruit snacks as an everyday food, there’s nothing wrong with having them as an occasional treat. Here are a few things to note:

  • Remember that they are indeed more of a treat than a fruit. In most fruit snacks, the first ingredient is sugar or corn syrup and there are usually 12+ grams of added sugar per serving.
  • Look for options that have no artificial flavors, synthetic colors or high fructose corn syrup.

If you’re looking for an alternative, look for an option with fruit or 100% fruit juice as the first ingredient that contains no or low amounts of added sugar.

Fruit snack alternatives can be a healthy snack option that’s convenient for on the go, has some vitamins and minerals and even counts towards your daily fruit intake if you choose the right one! Some options also contain a few grams of fiber!

Are fruit snacks healthy?

Traditional fruit snack companies are really good at marketing and playing up their strengths but it’s important to look at the ingredients and nutrition label. You might find your favorites contain a fair amount of corn syrup and sugar, as well as artificial colors like red40 and blue1.

In addition, some are made with fruit juice concentrate. This is basically like fruit juice with the water removed and is similar to the difference between dried fruit and fresh fruit.

So while it’s still fruit, it’s a more concentrated version and there will be more of the naturally occurring sugars that are found in fruit. Companies also often add sugar to fruit juice concentrates to make them sweeter. Many people consider fruit juice concentrate another form of added sugar.

RD mom tip – See if you can find an option with fruit as the first ingredient and fruit juice concentrate lower on the ingredient list.

Here’s an article with more on this topic.

Can fruit snacks be part of a healthy diet? Absolutely. But I recommend treating many of them more like a dessert than a fruit.

Best Fruit Snacks Brands

So what are the best fruit snack brands?

Traditional fruit snacks

Many people reach for the following out of the “traditional fruit snack options” because they have some real fruit juice in them.

  • Annie’s Organic Fruit Snacks – These do have some real fruit juice in them and avoid artificial flavors, synthetic colors and high fructose corn syrup. They’re also organic and vegan if that’s important to you. However, the first 3 ingredients are still sugar and they contain 12g of added sugar.
  • Black Forest Fruit Snacks – These also contain real fruit juice but the first 2 ingredients are sugar and they have 11g added sugar. But they are organic, have no high fructose corn syrup and don’t use synthetic colors.
  • Yum Earth Fruit Snacks – Again, the first couple of ingredients are sugar, they contain 12g of added sugar but there’s no high fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes and they are allergy-friendly, vegan and organic.

RD mom tip – Be sure to read the labels. Don’t be fooled by creative marketing whose job it is to make you believe these are as healthy as actual fruit.

healthy fruit snack options

Better fruit snack options

Here are some options to consider that still resemble a fruit snack but have less added sugar:

  • Solely Organic Whole Fruit Gummies (aff link) – Made with just 3 ingredients: mango, orange extract and Vitamin C. They have no added sugar and contain 1 serving of fruit per bag.
  • Chum Fruit Bites – No added sugar. Made with just fruit.
  • Bear Fruit Minis – No added sugar. Made with just fruit and black carrot extract.
  • Barnana Bites – Chewy banana bites made with just banana and banana powder.
  • Eat The Change Cosmic Carrot Chews – The first ingredient is carrots. The remaining ingredients are apple juice concentrate, natural flavors and citric acid and they have 2g of added sugar.
  • Plum Organic Teensy Snacks – The first ingredients are apple puree concentrate and apple juice concentrate. They have 4g of added sugar.
  • Thrive Market Organic Fruit Circles – Contain no added sugar

RD Mom tip – looks can be important to kids so these are good options if your kid really wants fruit snacks like their friends!

Healthier Fruit Snack Alternatives

One of the best options to consider as a fruit snack alternative is dried fruit. Dried fruit is real fruit that contains tons of vitamins and minerals like fresh fruit, but the water has been removed making it more shelf stable and great for on-the-go snacks.

It’s important to remember that fruit does still contain sugar, though it’s naturally occurring. And that dried fruit has the water removed which means the sugar is more concentrated and the portions are smaller.

Also, watch for added sugar. There are plenty of options out there for unsweetened dried fruit but some companies are still adding extra sugar to make it even sweeter.

dried fruit snacks

Dried Fruit Snacks and Dried Whole Fruit

Here are some dried fruit snack options:

  • Raisins – My oldest loves the SunMaid sour raisins that come in a few different flavors.
  • Dried Blueberries – We get these from Nuts.com to add to trail mix. They have a great selection of dried fruit.
  • Dates – We love brands like Natural Delights and Joolies. You can cut them into bite-sized pieces.
  • Prunes – Sunsweet sells ones already diced or you can cut into small bite-sized pieces.
  • Rind Snacks – Dried fruit with the rinds/peels left on for even more nutrients
  • Unsweetened dried fruit– we like Peeled and Made in Nature but there are tons of options out there for unsweetened dried mango, pineapple, apples, cherries etc. Made in Nature also makes Figgy Pops with dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
  • Bare chips – A crunchy option for apple, banana and coconut chips.
  • Freeze-dried fruit – Available everywhere this can be a great option to add to trail mix, use as a yogurt topping, eat as finger food for toddlers, etc.
  • Fruit Bliss – Dried fruit that’s then steamed in water to rehydrate and make it juicy!

RD mom tip – Remember that can cut larger pieces of dried fruit like mangos, apples, peaches etc into smaller pieces so they are bite-sized and still resemble fruit snacks.

fruit strips and fruit leather

Fruit Strips & Fruit Leather

Fruit strips and fruit leather can be another great option. Here are some options made with just fruit. Some are made with fruit juice concentrate and have a few grams of added sugar but still less than most traditional fruit snacks.

RD mom tip – If your kids see their friends packing fruit by the foot or fruit rollups, they might like some of these options that are similar but made with less added sugar!

fruit rolls and fruit ropes

Fruit Rolls and Fruit Ropes

There’s just something really fun about being able to unroll your snack! These are some options for fruit rolls and ropes. Most are made with fruit as the first ingredient and no added sugar

fruit bars and snack bars made with real fruit

Fruit Bars

These snack bars are fruit-focused and you can cut them into small bite-sized pieces as a fruit snack replacement!

I rounded up several of the options mentioned above that I could find local to me and had my older two kids do a little taste test. Watch it here:

I tried them all with them. Some of them we all agreed were not our favorites like the cosmic carrot chews, solely and rind. Their very favorites are just plain dates and raisins. Chase also likes the flavored and sour raisins and the Bear fruit rolls and I really liked the that’s it bars. The Stretch Island, Simply Organic and Pure Organic Layered were ok and we can see some kids liking them. Lara bars are also worth a try but we did not like the cherry pie flavor.

Fruit Snacks FAQs

Are fruit snacks healthy?

As stated above, traditional fruit snacks should be treated more like desserts. Here are the ingredients in some of the most popular fruit snacks so you can see how the first several ingredients in most of them is various forms of sugar.

Welch’s uses fruit puree but also adds red 40 and blue 1 so you have to weigh what’s most important to you when choosing your fruit snacks.

Welch’s Fruit Snacks

Welch’s Mixed Fruit Snack Ingredients: Fruit puree (grape, peach, orange, strawberry and raspberry), corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, gelatin, concord grape juice from concentrate, pectin, citric acid (acidulant), lactic acid, natural and artificial flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), vitamin A palmitate, sodium citrate, coconut oil, carnauba wax, annatto (color), turmeric (color), red 40, and blue 1.

Mott’s Fruit Snacks

Mott’s Fruit Snacks Ingredients: Corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, pear juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, strawberry puree, carrot juice concentrate. Contains 2% or less of: fruit pectin, citric acid, Vitamin C, dextrose, sodium citrate, malic acid, potassium citrate, sunflower oil, vegetable and fruit juice added for color, natural flavor, carnauba wax.

Annie’s Fruit Snacks

Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snack Ingredients: Organic Rice Syrup, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Tapioca Syrup Solids, Organic Pear Juice Concentrate, Water, Pectin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Organic Natural Flavor, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Color (organic black carrot, organic black currant extracts), Organic Carnauba Wax.

Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks

Scooby Doo Fruit Flavored Snack Ingredients: Corn Syrup, Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Apple Juice Concentrate. Contains 2 % or less of: Citric Acid, Pectin, Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Sunflower Oil†, Color (vegetable juice, spirulina extract, fruit juice, annatto extract, turmeric extract), Natural Flavor, Carnauba Wax.

Black Forest Fruit Snacks

Black Forest Organic Fruit Flavored Snacks Berry Medley: Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Apple Puree, Gelatin, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Black Carrot Juice Concentrate (Color), Organic Sunflower Oil*, Sodium Citrate, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Organic Carnauba Wax

Can you make homemade fruit snacks?

Yes! There are lots of recipes out there if you’re willing to give homemade fruit snacks a try! Here are a few to check out:

Bulk Fruit Snacks

Homemade fruit snacks would be a great option if you’re looking to make a large quantity. You can buy cute fruit-shaped molds if you want, or you could make a large pan and cut them out with small cutters. Or, make it even easier by just cutting them into small squares!

This would be fun for a party or gathering with kids.

Where to buy fruit snacks?

Fruit snacks are widely available but two of the stores I’ve been specifically asked about the best choices at are Costco and Walmart:

Costco Fruit Snacks

Here are a few choices available at Costco:

  • That’s It Mini Fruit Bars
  • Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars
  • Sunsweet Dried Plums
  • Made In Nature – figs, dried mangoes etc
  • Bear Fruit Rolls
  • Bare Apple Chips

Fruit snacks Walmart

A few options from Walmart:

  • Bear Fruit Rolls
  • Black Forest Stretch Island Fruit Strips
  • Raisels Golden Raisin Sours
  • Great Value Freeze Dried Fruit Crisps
  • Great Value prunes, raisins etc.
  • Natural Delights Dates
  • Oh Nuts and Sincerely Nuts Dried Fruit
  • Made in Nature
  • That’s It Fruit Bars
  • Pure Organic Layered Bars
  • Larabars
Are you looking for healthy fruit snacks or fruit snack alternatives for your kids? Here are some recommendations from a Registered Dietitian and mom of 3.

These healthy fruit snacks and alternatives can be a nutritious snack option made with real fruit to replace regular fruit snacks and other options that are higher in added sugar.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

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This recipe for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs is an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner. Let the crockpot do all the work and serve with rice and steamed veggies for a balanced meal.

This recipe for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs is an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner. Let the crockpot do all the work and serve with rice and steamed veggies for a balanced meal.

*Originally published 4/2016. Updated 7/2025*

This budget-friendly chicken recipe is the perfect healthy meal for busy families. Using a crockpot makes it super quick and easy to get this simple dinner on the table.

Hi friends!

I first shared these Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs almost 8 years ago and they’re still one of my go-to crockpot meals. When I first made this recipe, it got the seal of approval from hubby and son and then I made it for my parents and my mom asked for the recipe because my dad loved it so much. I passed it on to several friends before I even put it on the blog and continue to share it regularly. My daughter loves it because carrots and sweet potatoes are her favorite.

Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

  • Budget-friendly because it uses chicken thighs and other pantry staples
  • Freezer-friendly – This recipe freezes well!
  • Perfect for food prep – Prep multiple batches in ziploc bags and freeze some for later.
  • Easy to customize- Feel free to swap the carrots for other vegetables like sweet potatoes.

This recipe is super easy and affordable – no fancy ingredients required!

Need a slow cooker?? I love this basic Crockpot 8qt with auto warm setting. I also have this Instant Electric Round Dutch Oven which is great because you can brown/sear things right in the pot before switching to slow cooking. And finally, if you have an Instant Pot, you can grab a glass lid to turn it into a slow cooker. (aff links)

Can you freeze this honey garlic chicken thighs crockpot recipe?

This has become my go-to recipe to deliver to new moms or friends who have had surgery, have a sick kid etc. You can easily throw everything in a ziploc bag and deliver it and then they can either dump it in the crockpot to make it immediately or stick it in the freezer for later.

Should I use boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts?

This recipe uses chicken thighs. You could make it with chicken breasts. I encourage you to try it at least once with thighs. They do so well in the slow cooker, never drying out like chicken breasts are sometimes prone to do.

Could I use boneless breast tenders?

I wouldn’t recommend tenders for this recipe. Because they’re cooking for a while in the slow cooker, thinner/smaller cuts like tenders would likely end up overcooked and rubbery.

How To Prep Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs for the slow cooker

If you want to prep this ahead of time, just put all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag.

From there, you can freeze and when you’re ready to use, thaw the night before and throw in the crockpot before work. Or stick the bag in the fridge overnight, dump it into the crockpot in the morning and turn it on.

Mom hack: This is one of my favorite recipes for freezer food prep sessions. Triple the recipe but prep in 3 large Ziploc bags. Lay the bags flat to freeze so they take up less space and cook as needed!

How To Make Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Here’s the recipe:

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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe

Slow cooker garlic chicken 2
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This recipe for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs is an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner. Let the crockpot do all the work and serve with rice and steamed veggies for a balanced meal.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large sweet potato, chopped
  • 2–3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger (i use the paste)
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2–3 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Chop the sweet potato and carrots to roughly the same size pieces and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. Add chicken thighs.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients.
  4. Pour over chicken and cook in a slow cooker on low for about 6 hours.

Pretty simple right? If you aren’t a fan of carrots or sweet potatoes you could probably swap in another veggie, just be aware that some veggies get a bit mushy in the slow cooker. I like carrots and sweet potatoes because they hold their shape well.

Meal Prep Ideas:

  • Serve with steamed broccoli and rice for an easy, balanced meal.
  • Ladle over noodles that were prepped ahead of time.
  • To transform leftovers, chop the chicken and veggies smaller and use to make fried rice.
  • Prep double and freeze half for later.

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs FAQs

Can you make honey garlic chicken thighs in the instant pot? Can you stack chicken thighs in the instant pot?

Yes! You can easily make this recipe in the Instant pot. Just combine all the ingredients in the Instant pot and cook in manual mode for about 15 minutes. The size, thickness and type of chicken used will determine cooking time but you should be able to shred them easily with a fork.

You can stack chicken thighs 2 high in the instant pot but if you have more than that I would cook in two batches.

Or try this recipe for Instant Pot Honey Ginger Chicken.

What type of chicken thighs should I use for instant pot chicken thighs?

I prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You could try bone-in if you wanted to but I tend to prefer boneless/skinless for slow cooker and instant pot recipes and bone-in chicken with skin when cooking in cast iron on the stove or in the oven.

What setting do you cook chicken on in an Instant pot?

I use manual mode. It allows you to set the timer for the exact number of minutes you want to cook something for!

Can I put raw chicken in the slow cooker?

Yes! Slow cookers are designed to cook meat at a low temperature over a period of several hours. In most cases, chicken will cook in the slow cooker on low heat in 4-6 hours but you can leave it in there longer.

You’ll know it’s done if you check the temperature with a thermometer or when you can shred it easily with a fork.

Do you have to brown chicken before putting in slow cooker?

No, you do not have to brown chicken before slow cooking. You can! Browning is an easy way to add extra flavor but it can be an extra step and if your slow cooker doesn’t come with a browning option it often means dirtying another pan.

While it’s important in some recipes, I don’t find it to be a necessary step in this recipe.

This recipe for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs is an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner. Let the crockpot do all the work and serve with rice and steamed veggies for a balanced meal.

Is chicken breast or thigh better for slow cooker?

Both work fine. I most often by chicken breasts so I cook with those most frequently and they work just fine. Chicken thighs have darker meat that’s a bit fattier and in many cases this is an asset in slow cooking.

The fat helps keep the chicken moist as it cooks low and slow and for this reason chicken thighs are great for slow cooking.

Is it better to cook chicken on high or low in the slow cooker?

I choose to cook most things in the slow cooker over low heat. Crockpot recipes are designed for cuts of meat the do well when cooked low and slow whereas other cuts of meat do better cooking quickly over high heat like on a grill.

What makes the honey garlic sauce in this chicken recipe?

The sauce is a mix of ginger, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce and chicken broth.

Is this honey garlic chicken thighs recipe super garlicky?

It uses 4 cloves are garlic but you could easily cut back to 2 cloves if you prefer a milder flavor.

This recipe for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs is an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner. Let the crockpot do all the work and serve with rice and steamed veggies for a balanced meal.

This budget-friendly recipe for honey garlic chicken thighs is sure to be a hit! It’s kid-friendly, affordable, made with simple ingredients and freezes well! Perfect for busy families.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Quick and Easy Vegetable Recipes

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These Quick and Easy Vegetable Recipes are simple, healthy and kid-friendly as well! They’re perfect dinner side dishes and a great way to add some extra veggies to your day. 

These Quick and Easy Vegetable Recipes are simple, healthy and kid-friendly as well! They're perfect dinner side dishes and a great way to add some extra veggies to your day. 

*Originally published 8/2017. Updated 7/2025*

These easy vegetable recipes are a great way to add more vegetables to your diet. They’re kid-friendly, affordable and quick to make – a great way to help serve nutritious meals to busy families.

Hi friends!

I originally wrote this post shortly after my second child started eating solid foods. While I did a fairly good job making and serving my oldest a variety of vegetables, it’s a whole different game trying to start feeding a baby with a wild toddler running around.

When I noticed I was falling into the habit of giving her more fruit than veggies, I decided I needed to step up my game. I made an effort to be more proactive about prepping vegetables to have on hand to give her for meals and snacks.

Why You’ll Love These Quick and Easy Vegetable Recipes

  • Flexible – these ideas are so easy that you often don’t need specific ingredient quantities
  • Kid-friendly – plenty of ways to help introduce different vegetables to kids
  • Affordable – vegetables are an inexpensive way to add lots of nutrients to your plate
  • Perfect for meal prep – many of them can be made ahead of time and reheated

How To Make Vegetables More Interesting

One of the easiest ways to make vegetables more interesting is to add variety. That can mean changing the preparation method – raw, steamed, roasted, sauteed, etc and can also mean adding different spices and seasoning to change up the flavors. Spices like paprika, cumin, curry powder and oregano are great ways to change up the flavor profile without making foods too spicy for little mouths.

What vegetables are best for picky eaters?

All of them! One of the best things you can do for more selective eaters is to offer a wide variety and offer them repeatedly, even when they’re not getting eaten. Exposure matters and even getting kids to touch, smell or lick things on their plate can be a huge exposure win!

Our Favorite Easy Vegetable Recipes

So, here are 9 quick and easy ways to add veggies to your table. I buy fresh veggies weekly, but my freezer is also packed with frozen veggies and my pantry usually has a few cans of vegetables as well.

Most Americans don’t eat nearly enough vegetables and my motto is “the easier the better” so these simple “recipes” will help add some vegetables to your familys’ plates and hopefully you’ll find some new favorites!

What Vegetables Side Dish Recipes Are Good For Last Minute Dinners?

Most of these are ready in just 20 minutes or so in the oven or on the stove if you need to cook them right before eating. But they can also be made ahead of time and reheated which makes them perfect for dinner in a hurry.

They don’t really require recipes so I’ve just provided a short description/instructions for each one:

Asian Roasted Green Beans

Easy Roasted Vegetables – Ginger Soy Green Beans

If you’re not a fan of just plain steamed green beans, try these with fresh green beans! I simply cut the ends off, toss in a little oil and roast at 400 degrees F on a foil-lined baking sheet for about 12 minutes, stirring once.

Then drizzle with a little sweet thai chili sauce, some soy sauce and a bit of fresh ginger (or ginger paste) and mix well.

Mom tip – If you don’t have thai chili sauce, you can use maple syrup or soy sauce.

Paprika Carrots

Vegetables with Butter – Paprika Carrots

I just peel some fresh carrots and thinly slice them, then toss with a little melted butter and sprinkle with paprika and roast on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until desired softness is reached, stirring occasionally.

You could also use baby carrots for this – it’d be an easy way to keep all the slices similar sized. I slice mine pretty thin both so they cook quickly and are easy for the baby to eat but you could make them thicker and cook them longer. Also- don’t like butter? Just drizzle with oil instead.

If you have carrots to use up, here are 20 Easy Carrot Recipes to try. My favorite are these Easy Maple Glazed Carrots.

Broccoli Tots

Oven Baked Vegetables – Broccoli Tots

Steam a bag of broccoli in the microwave. Drain excess water and add to food processor. Pulse until well chopped.  Add an egg, 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 – 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 cup shredded cheese and process until combined. Form into tot shape, squeezing tightly.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, flipping once. Serve with ketchup. Make sure you sprinkle the seasonings around the whole food processor bowl when adding instead of just dumping all in one spot or you may get ALL the garlic powder in one tot like my husband was lucky enough to taste!

Want more broccoli recipes? Try my favorite Cheesy Broccoli or one of these 20+ Easy Broccoli Recipes.

Balsamic Mushrooms

Skillet Vegetables – Balsamic Mushrooms

Thinly slice mushrooms and cook over low heat on the stovetop with a little oil until soft. Add a little balsamic vinegar, mix well and serve.

Mom tip – Mushrooms are the perfect vegetable for even the littlest kids to practice slicing. Give them a plastic knife and let them help you cut the mushrooms before sauteeing. Check out my Ultimate Guide For Teaching Kids To Cook for more tips!

Maple Cinnamon Squash

Lightly Sweetened Vegetables – Maple Cinnamon Squash

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. I used acorn squash but most kinds would be fine. Cut into slices – I sliced mine into rings and then cut them in half. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, brush both sides with maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Roast at 400 degrees F for 20 min or until soft, flipping once.

Pesto zoodles

Simple Sauteed Vegetables – Pesto Zoodles

Spiralize zucchini into noodles. Saute over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add pesto and stir to combine.

Mom tip – a spiralizer instantly makes any vegetable more fun! If you don’t like zucchini, try spiralizing sweet potatoes, carrots, squash and more. Just keep in mine you will need to saute them longer than 3 minutes.

Curry roasted sweet potatoes

Oven Roasted Vegetables – Curried Sweet Potatoes

Slice and dice a sweet potato. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil (I usually use olive oil but coconut oil would be good for this flavor combo too!) and stir to coat. Sprinkle with curry powder, stir and roast at 425 degrees F for about 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Smashed Vegetables – Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Look for the smallest little round potatoes you can find. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Roast at 425 for 20 minutes. Using the bottom of a glass, smash each potato.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and parmesan cheese. Optional – add rosemary to the mix. Also optional- stick back under the broiler once smashed to get them crispier!

Peas with Pancetta

Sauteed Vegetables – Peas with Pancetta

Saute diced pancetta and garlic in a pan. Steam peas in the microwave. Add peas to the pan, stir to combine and serve.

Mom tip – Bacon would also work if you don’t have pancetta! Let’s be honest, bacon makes almost any vegetable taste better!

Easy Vegetable Recipes As Side Dishes FAQs

What vegetables are easiest to cook?

Frozen vegetables are a great option if you’re looking for vegetables that are easy to cook. You don’t need to peel or chop them and they pretty much just need to be heated up in the microwave or on the stove!

Similarly, canned vegetables are an easy option as well. Just open the can, drain if needed and then heat them up if you want to or serve them room temperature. Canned and frozen vegetables are also perfectly prepped to be added to things like soups and casseroles.

Here are some more quick and easy vegetable recipes for lunch/dinner.

What is the fastest vegetable to cook? What is the best way to cook vegetables quickly?

The smaller the vegetable pieces, the quicker they cook so if you do need things to cook quickly, dicing them into small pieces will help! You can also look for precut vegetables at the grocery store to save time.

Cooking frozen vegetables in the microwave is an easy way to cook vegetables quickly. You can then add seasonings, butter, salt etc or add a sauce on top for an easy side dish.

Harder vegetables like potatoes and carrots can take longer to cook than vegetables like peas, corn, peppers, beans etc.

Here are some quick-cooking tips for vegetables.

How to store these vegetable recipes?

These vegetable recipes can be stored in glass Pyrex containers in the fridge. To reheat them you can use the microwave, a saute pan or an air fryer.

What veggies are best for meal prepping? Can you meal prep vegetables for the week?

You guys know I love meal prep. I have a whole course called Mastering Food Prep. Vegetables are something I prep every single week. Some of my favorites are chopping, washing and drying lettuce for salads and prepping a veggie snack tray with carrots, cucumbers, peppers, cherry tomatoes, etc. I also always roast a few vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, green beans etc to use as dinner side dishes.

Here are more tips for How To Meal Prep Veggies for Easy Meals and How To Meal Prep Specific Veggies.

What are some autumn and winter vegetable recipes? What are some spring and summer vegetable recipes?

Fall and winter veggies include things like brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, kale and other leafy greens. Spring and summer vegetables include things like asparagus, snap peas, corn, squash and zucchini.

Quick and Easy Vegetable Meal Prep Tips

  • Roasted vegetables like green beans, sweet potatoes and carrots hold up well in the fridge. Roast a big batch and reheat to serve with dinners all week.
  • Raw vegetables can be prepped ahead of time to snack on – think carrots, peppers, celery, broccoli – or you can simply do your chopping ahead of time and store in the fridge until ready to cook.
  • You’re much more likely to eat vegetables if you have them already prepped and ready to go so spending a little time prepping can lead to a much higher vegetable intake later in the week.

How To Freeze Vegetables

  • There are lots of vegetables that freeze well so in the summer especially, you can stock up on vegetables and freeze them for later.
  • Try chopping vegetables like bell peppers, leeks, corn and green beans and freezing them raw. When you need them, you can pull them out and add saute, add to stir-fry, put in soups and casseroles etc.
  • To help preserve them even further, you can blanch them in boiling water for a minute or two. This helps preserve nutrients and prevent any changes while frozen. Here’s how to blanch vegetables for freezing.
  • Leafy greens like spinach can also be frozen and later added to smoothies, soups, and more.
These Quick and Easy Vegetable Recipes are simple, healthy and kid-friendly as well! They're perfect dinner side dishes and a great way to add some extra veggies to your day. 

Best Kid-Friendly Vegetable Side Dish Recipes:

Looking for more veggie side dishes? Try these:

These quick and easy vegetable recipes are great for families who want to serve healthy and nutritious meals. They’re kid-friendly, affordable and the perfect addition to your dinner plate.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Easy Lunch Box Ideas For Kids

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Need easy lunch box ideas for kids for the 2025-2026 school year? Here’s exactly what a Registered Dietitian mom packed her son for the first month of elementary school, with real life photos.

easy lunch box ideas for kids with photos

*Originally published 10/2021. Updated July 2025*

These lunch box ideas for kids are simple, affordable and easy to make. They are healthy and nutritious and can be prepped the night before.

Hi friends!

I’m often asked to share healthy lunch box ideas for kids so I put together a guide – A Month of Packed Lunches for Kids. It’s been a huge hit and given lots of parents quick and easy lunch box ideas for kids. The thing I’ve heard most frequently is that the pictures are SO helpful. A lot of you are visual people! In the packed lunch guide, there are 24 lunch ideas with photos.

But I wanted to add more! So, when my oldest was in first grade, I photographed the lunches that I packed for the first month. I wanted to share some of the real-life lunch box examples.

Why You’ll Love These Easy Lunch Box Ideas For Kids

  • Simple, healthy ideas
  • Easy ways to add variety
  • A mix of homemade and storebought food items
  • Easy, kid-friendly lunches
  • Supports all foods fit in moderation

If you want even more resources with real lunch box photos, check out these posts:

School lunch and snack ideas:

Before we start, I do have several posts with snack ideas that can be helpful when packing school lunches:

And if you need after-school ideas check out Healthy After School Snacks here.

How To Pack Easy Lunch Box Ideas For Kids

At first, I was alternating between bentgo box lunch ideas in the Bentgo Fresh lunch box and a Lunch Bots lunch box (aff links) but I now use just the Bentgo. While I like that the Lunch Bots one is stainless steel, it’s not completely leakproof even with the silicone cup inserts and my son found it a little hard to get open.

I pack the Bentgo box every evening and store in the fridge. In the morning, I put it inside this Arctic Zone insulated lunch bag and add an ice pack. My son eats all of the foods I send cold/room temperature.

Even things like quesadillas and tortellini that he’s used to eating warm at home. So far it hasn’t been an issue at all for him but some kids don’t like changes in temperature. In that case, you could invest in a thermos or practice eating things at different temperatures at home so they get used to it. 

These OmieBox lunch boxes (aff link) have a built-in thermos and would be a great option to invest in if your kids tend to prefer hot lunches.

How To Get Kids To Pack Their Own Lunches

If you’re thinking packed lunches are great but really want your kids to start packing their own lunches, my friend and fellow RD Sally has you covered:

Photos of Easy School Lunch Ideas For Kids

So here are some of the actual lunch boxes I packed. I snapped a photo every day and then just used Pixlr to remove the countertop in the background and make them prettier to look at. A few things to note-

  • Our school is not nut-free. 
  • A reminder that even if you kids prefer a similar lunch every day, there are ways you can add variety – try pretzel sticks one day and twists the next. Try peanut butter and jelly on bread one day, then on a sandwich thin or pita the next, etc!
  • There’s nothing wrong with hard-boiled egg yolks, my kids just don’t like them.

Easy Kids Lunch Box Ideas

kids lunch box with applesauce, carrots, cheese stick, hard boiled egg and pretzels

#1 Quick Kids Lunch Box Ideas – with hard-boiled eggs

  • Motts Applesauce
  • Carrots
  • Cheese stick
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Pretzels

Mom hack – if your kids don’t like hard boiled egg whites, you’re not alone. Just serve them without and learn what to do with hard boiled egg yolks.

kids lunch with granola bar, turkey sandwich, grapes and ants on a log

#2 Simple Kids Lunch Box with turkey sandwich

  • Quaker Reduced Sugar Granola Bar
  • Grapes
  • Turkey & Cheese on Brownberry Sandwich Thin
  • Ants on a log
kids lunchable with wheat thins, turkey, pepperoni, yogurt and cookie

#3 Easy Lunch Ideas for Kids – Homemade Lunchable

  • Wheat Thins
  • GF Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie
  • Applegate pepperoni
  • Dietz and Watson Originals Organic Turkey
  • Roasted sweet potatoes
  • Chobani less sugar yogurt
lunch box with muffin, chicken sausage, strawberries, cottage cheese and crackers

#4 Nutritious Kids Lunch Ideas – with Chicken Sausage

  • Zucchini Apple Muffin
  • Simple Mills Almond crackers
  • Buttered Corn
  • Al Fresco Chicken Sausage
  • Strawberries
  • Cottage Cheese
kids lunch with banana bread, egg wrap, carrots with ranch, sun chips and grapes

#5 Quick and easy lunch box idea for kids with Pepperoni Egg Wrap

  • Simple Mills Banana Bread
  • Grapes
  • Sun Chips
  • Pepperoni and Cheese Egg Wrap
  • Carrots with ranch
lunch box for kids with baked beans, turkey cheese roll up, trail mix and dried pears

#6 Quick and easy cold lunch ideas for kids with turkey roll-up

  • Crinkle carrot, carrot ribbon, mini pepper
  • Wheat Thins
  • Dried pears (i get them at Costco)
  • Bush’s Baked beans
  • Turkey wrapped mozzarella cheese stick
  • Trail Mix with pepitas, Cheerios, raisins and mini marshmallows

Mom hack – For most kids, veggies are not an exciting part of lunch. Try adding a little novelty by serving them in new, fun shapes, using a crinkle cutter, etc!

kids lunch box idea - chicken nuggets, yogurt tube, cheese and crackers and fruit

#7 Kiddies lunch box ideas with chicken nuggets

  • Cheese and Triscuit thins
  • Canned pineapple
  • Kidfresh Foods Chicken Nuggets with ketchup
  • Stonyfield yogurt tube
easy kids lunch - quesadilla, chips and guacamole, hard boiled egg, clementine and fruit snacks

#8 Simple lunchbox ideas for kids – Quesadilla

  • Tortilla chips with Good Foods avocado mash
  • Cheese quesadilla
  • Hard-boiled egg
  • Reduced sugar fruit snacks
  • Clementine

Mom hack – To expand beyond cheese quesadillas, try adding very finely chopped pieces of chicken or mash some beans to spread on the tortilla before adding cheese.

kids lunch box with peanut butter and jelly bagel, fruit salad, banana bread and cookie

#9 Good lunch box ideas for kids – PBJ Mini bagel

  • Peanut butter and jelly mini bagel
  • Cookie
  • Chomps beef stick + cheese stick + cherry tomatoes
  • Fruit salad
  • Banana bread
elementary lunch box with lentil banana muffin, turkey roll up, dates with peanut butter and graham crackers

#10 Kids bento box ideas – turkey pickle wrap

  • Lentil Banana Muffin
  • Graham cracker
  • Turkey pepperoni pickle roll-up
  • Roasted broccoli
  • Dates with peanut butter
breakfast for lunch box with pancakes, egg waffle, banana carrot muffin and strawberries

#11 – Healthy lunch box ideas for kids – egg waffle and mini pancakes

Mom hack – Don’t forget about breakfast foods as an option for lunch. Most kids love traditional breakfast foods and there’s no reason you can’t serve them for lunch!

grade school lunch box with pizza, ants on a log, wheat thins and kiwi

#12- Easy lunch box ideas for kids – mini pizza

So there you go – There are 12 of the first 30 lunch boxes I packed for my son. Want to see the other 18? Check out my Month of Packed Lunches for Kids guide!

GRAB YOUR COPY HERE!

Fun Cold Lunch Ideas for Kids

A month of packed lunch ideas for kids, including 24 lunch box photos, tips for adding variety and nut-free ideas!

HERE’S WHAT’S IN YOUR BEST PACKED LUNCH IDEAS FOR KIDS PDF:

  • Product recommendations – I share my favorite lunch boxes.
  • Prep ahead tips – A few tips for things you can prep ahead of time in the fridge and freezer to make lunch packing easier.
  • Lunch Packing Cheat Sheet – lunch ideas divided into protein, carbs, vegetables, fruits and snacks so you can mix and match from each category to pack a balanced lunch quickly.
  • 24 lunch box photos – full-color photos of bento-style lunch boxes showcasing different lunch item ideas
  • Nut-free product recommendations – If your school is nut-free, here are some peanut/tree nut-free snacks you can pack for your kiddos.
  • BONUS REAL-LIFE LUNCH BOXES PDF! (Where I share the other 18 real-life lunch boxes!)
GRAB YOUR COPY HERE! Packed Lunch Ideas For Kids Guide

Meal Prep Tips For Easy Lunch Box Ideas For Kids

  • Chop fruits and vegetables ahead of time to make it easy to add them to lunchboxes.
  • Cook a batch of taco meat or shredded chicken to use to make sandwiches, quesadillas and tacos for lunches.
  • Prep a batch of hard boiled eggs or egg wraps for a quick protein source at lunch time.
  • Do a food prep session of things like pancakes and healthy muffins and bars to add to lunch boxes.

Easy Kids Lunch Box Ideas FAQs

What should a kid have for lunch?

When I put together lunches for my kids I always focus on protein first. I make sure to always include a protein source and then build around that. While I don’t serve my kids vegetables for lunch every day, I do try to always include fruit. If your kids are more selective eaters, make sure to include 1-2 safe foods they love, no matter what else you’re serving.

Added bonus points for including something with some fiber and/or healthy fats to help keep them full a bit longer.

Ideas for quick lunch ideas for kids at home? Best home lunch ideas?

If my kids are home for lunch, especially during the school year when most days they eat a cold lunch, I always try to mix in hot lunches for variety. I try to keep my freezer well stocked with healthy freezer snacks that can double as lunch on occasions like this.

Some of my kids favorite warm lunches include mini pizzas, pancakes or waffles, nachos, oatmeal and omelets.

Smoothies are another great option for home lunches because they can be tricky to send to school.

What do you give kids for lunch that don’t like sandwiches? How do I get my kids to eat sandwiches?

Not liking sandwiches is very common among kids and can take some work on your end to get them to accept and eat them. Sometimes a sandwich can seem large and overwhelming, especially to smaller kids.

You can start by getting them used to eating toast with toppings or an open-faced sandwich. Or try things like build your own mini sandwiches on crackers to get them used to foods being stacked on top of one another. Thinner breads like sandwich thins or tortillas can also be helpful!

Are there any foods parents should not pack in a lunch box?

Be sure to follow any allergy restrictions for your school. In addition, make sure to invest in a good lunchbox with leak-proof containers so you don’t end up with a mess of soggy food, as well has good ice packs and an insulated lunch box to help keep food at a safe temperature until lunch time!

Bento Box Lunch Ideas For Kids

Need easy lunch box ideas for kids? Here's exactly what a Registered Dietitian mom packed her son for the first month of elementary school, with real life photos.

These easy lunch box ideas for kids are simple, healthy and affordable. Perfect for busy moms who want to feed their kids healthy, nutritious lunches.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Cold Lunch Ideas For Kids

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Looking for cold lunch ideas for kids for the 2025-2026 school year? Here are real-life lunches packed by a Registered Dietitian mom. Easy, kid-friendly lunch ideas that can be packed ahead of time and eaten cold.

cold lunch ideas for kids

*Published 10/2023. Updated 7/2025*

These simple, affordable cold lunch ideas are kid-friendly and quick & easy. They can be packed ahead of time and eaten cold – no thermos or microwave required!

Hi friends!

It’s hard to believe we’re already 2 months into another year of packing school lunches over here. A lot of you have found my Easy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids post super helpful and have asked for more ideas. This post has cold lunch ideas for kindergarteners and beyond!

Why You’ll Love These Cold Lunch Ideas

  • Quick and easy
  • Kid-friendly
  • Fresh new lunch ideas if you’re in a lunch rut
  • Can be prepped ahead of time
  • A mix of homemade and store-bought snacks
lunchbox ideas for kids

If you haven’t seen it yet, you’ll definitely want to check out my Month of Easy Packed Lunches ebook that comes with full-color pages with ideas as well as a bonus PDF.

I also have two other posts that might be helpful:

This year I’m packing lunches for my first and third grader. We don’t do any hot lunches so everything I pack for them is cold/room temperature. A lot of people are surprised that my kids eat things like pizza, chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese cold, but neither of them have ever had an issue with it.

If you haven’t tried serving of some of these things cold to your kiddos, it’s definitely worth a shot!

Cold Lunch Tips for Picky Eaters

How do I pack a cold lunch my picky eater will actually eat?

If you have picky eaters, packing lunch can feel overwhelming at times because you have a smaller pool of options to choose from. A few tips:

  • Remember that it’s ok if they eat the same lunch a couple times a week.
  • Even just having 3-4 lunches on a rotation is ok!
  • Lunch time at school is not be the best time to give them all new foods, however, keep adding small amounts of new foods along with their safe foods. Sometimes kids are hungry enough at school to try things they might not try at home!
  • Let the kids help with packing. Show them pictures and have them make a list of things they would be happy to see in their lunch box.

Cold Lunch Packing Equipment

Bento Box Lunch Ideas

I pack their lunches using these Bentgo Fresh Lunch Boxes. The middle divider is removable if you want to include a full sandwich or something larger and the two compartments on the right are totally leakproof.

Tips For Keeping Lunch Cold Without A Fridge

I put the Bentgo boxes in these Artic Zone Insulated Lunch Boxes with an ice pack. These are my favorite ice packs. I put them in at 7am and they get home from school at 4pm still half frozen. (Affiliate links)

I don’t pack any drinks other than water but we love these Owala water bottles.

I wanted to share some more real-life lunch boxes that I’ve packed for my kids this year. Hopefully this will give you some new ideas for cold lunch boxes!

cold lunch box ideas

Kids Cold Lunch Ideas

#1 – Pizza

  • Leftover pizza (This is our homemade pizza recipe)
  • Chicken taco for some extra protein
  • Strawberries
  • Roasted sweet potatoes/Doritos

#2 – Smoked Salmon

Mom Hack – If you have trouble getting your kids to eat fish, smoked salmon- especially this honey-smoked version – is a great place to start!

cold lunch ideas for kids

Cold Lunch Box Ideas

#3 – Quesadillas

  • Cheese quesadillas (Sometimes I add smashed beans, chicken or pepperoni)
  • Chicken sausage (Al Fresco is our favorite because it’s fairly low in sodium)
  • Fruit salad
  • Cheeto puffs (or another crunchy snack)

#4 Homemade Lunchables

Mom hack – If your kids like cheese quesadillas, you can up the nutrition by slowly adding very small pieces of shredded chicken or spread some mashed beans on the tortilla before adding cheese.

lunchbox ideas for kids - chicken nuggets and peanut butter and jelly rollups

Cold Lunch Ideas for Kindergarteners

#5 Chicken Nuggets

#6 Peanut Butter & Jelly Rollups

  • PBJ Rollups (Smash a piece of bread flat, add pb & J and rollup, then cut into pieces
  • Potato chips
  • Fruit Salad
  • Mini cucumbers and carrots
  • Turkey cheese and pepperoni sandwich for the one that doesn’t like pbj

Mom hack – don’t just assume your kids won’t like things they usually eat warm. My kids are happy to eat cold pizza, chicken nuggest and more in their lunches even though they enjoy them warm at home.

cold lunches - chopped Italian sandwiches and egg wraps

Cold Kids School Lunch Ideas – Chopped Italian Subs & Egg Wraps

#7 – Chopped Italian Subs

  • Chopped Italian Sub – Chopped up turkey or ham, salami, pepperoni, lettuce, cheese and banana peppers
  • Strawberries
  • Cheeto Puffs
  • Pepperoni Bread

#8 – Egg Wraps

  • Egg wraps – leave them plain or add pepperoni and cheese or turkey and avocado
  • Animal Crackers
  • Strawberries
  • Pickles

Mom hack – Egg wraps are perfect for food prep. Make a whole batch and serve them for breakfast and lunch multiple times in one week!

Cold Kids School Lunch Ideas - Chopped Italian Subs & Egg Wraps

Healthy Cold School Lunch Ideas

#9 – Pancakes

#10 – Hamburgers

  • Cheeseburger (we eat them for dinner and pack the extra for lunch)
  • Ants on a log
  • Strawberries
  • Granola bar
lunch box ideas for kids

Kids School Lunch Ideas

#11 Hot Dogs

  • Hot Dogs – We always cook extras when we make them for dinner
  • Zucchini Bread
  • Mini peppers and carrots
  • Frui

#12 Tacos

  • Tacos – we use chicken, ground turkey etc plus their favorite fillings
  • Fruit
  • Carrots
  • Animal crackers
  • Mini Sweet potato muffins

Meal Prep Cold Lunch Ideas for Kids

  • Make a batch of shredded pork (or chicken) and make bbq pulled pork sandwiches to add to lunch boxes.
  • Prep a tuna salad that can be packed with crackers. If they won’t eat tuna, chicken salad can be more kid-friendly
  • Make a pasta salad with protein, chopped veggies and Italian dressing that will hold up well to make in lunches later in the week.
  • Chop a variety of veggies like carrots, celery, cucumbers and bell peppers that you can pack with hummus.
  • Cut a block of cheese into cubes and store in the fridge. Pack some with mini pepperonis or a beef stick sliced into bite-sized pieces.
  • Make a batch of chia pudding.

Freezer Cold Lunch Ideas

  • Make a batch of pancakes, waffles or muffins and freeze. Pull them out as needed to add to lunch boxes. They’ll thaw by lunch time!
  • Freeze a batch of mini meatballs after cooking so you can pull them out for an easy protein source.
  • Chop up extra fruit at the end of the week and freeze. Pull it out to mix with plain yogurt or add to chia pudding.

Cold Lunch Ideas FAQs

What are some cold lunch ideas for middle school kids?

Some popular choices for middle schoolers include copycat Starbucks protein boxes, wraps, pinwheels and sandwiches, salads, dinner leftovers, pasta salad and queadillas.

What should I pack for cold lunch that isn’t a sandwich?

Cold lunch ideas that are not sandwiches include homemade lunchables, tacos, pancakes, burgers, yogurt parfaits, egg wraps, cold pizza, energy balls and more!

How do I keep food cold until lunch time?

Place your lunch box container of choice in an insulated bag and add 1-2 ice packs inside the insulated bag as well.

How do I include more veggies in my kid’s cold lunches?

Try cutting raw veggies with a crinkle cutter and pairing them with a dip, shredding veggies to add to muffins and bars, add veggies to sandwiches and wraps, puree vegetables into dips or using as pizza toppings!

How can I keep cold lunches interesting for kids all week?

Remember that if you pack something once a week, the kids are only eating it 4 times a month. If you can develop a rotation of 5-7 lunches and rotate through them, that should be plenty of variety each week. You can also assign each day a theme – sandwiches, breakfast, bento, etc and then change up the components within that theme.

Can cold lunches be filling and nutritious?

Yes! A balanced lunch with protein, fruits and veggies plus some healthy fats and fiber will keep kids full all afternoon.

Looking for cold lunch ideas for kids? Here are real-life ideas packed by a Registered Dietitian mom for her elementary school kids.

These cold lunch ideas for kids are simple, healthy and affordable. Spend a one hour food prep session batch cooking a few things each week to make packing lunches quick and easy.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Healthy Snacks For Toddlers

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Need ideas for healthy snacks for toddlers? This list is specifically geared towards kids 1-3 years old, with homemade and storebought ideas for at home and on the go.

healthy toddler snack ideas homemade and storebought

*Originally published 9/21. Updated 7/25*

These healthy snacks for toddlers are simple, healthy and budget-friendly. They’re perfect for busy moms who want to feed their kids nutritious foods with a variety of nutrients.

Hi friends!

Let’s talk about healthy snacks for toddlers. I think a lot of snack ideas posts are geared towards kids in general but there always seems to be a fair amount of ideas on the lists that aren’t safe for toddlers, mainly because of choking hazards. So I wanted to put together a list of toddler-safe snacks.

Why You’ll Love Healthy Snacks For Toddlers

  • Affordable – these snacks are made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients
  • Kid-friendly – packed with nutrients but still taste good
  • Freezer-friendly – many can be prepped ahead of time and frozen for quick snacks
  • Quick and easy – great for busy moms with no time to waste!

Healthy Toddler Snack Ideas

We all know that most toddlers seem to want to eat constantly but remember that all-day grazing is not ideal. Try to stick to set meals and snack times when possible so that they have a chance to start listening to their body, recognizing signs of hunger and fullness etc.

Should a 2-year-old have snacks?

Snacks are a great idea for toddlers and a great way to get some extra nutrients in them that they might not eat at actual meal times. Most toddlers do best with 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day. Try a snack mid-morning, mid-afternoon and potentially after dinner if needed.

What are some healthy meal ideas for toddlers?

If you’re looking for ideas for toddler meals vs snacks I’ve got you covered as well! Here are 150+ Toddler Meal Ideas with pictures of actual plates I served my kids from ages 1-3. And if that’s enough, here’s another 100 Healthy Toddler Meals.

toddler choking hazards

Toddler Choking Hazards

When considering what snacks and foods to give your toddler, it’s important to remember that there are several choices that frequently lead to choking in this age group. These are things that are either hard, hard to chew, a similar size to their windpipe, sticky etc so we want to avoid them.

Here are some common choking hazards for toddlers:

  • Round foods like hot dogs, sausages, cherry tomatoes and grapes
  • Hard foods like apples and carrots and other hard raw veggies
  • Nut butter by the spoonful or thickly spread on bread
  • Marshmallows, whole nuts, gum, hard candy, chips and popcorn
choking hazards modified

Toddler Choking Hazards modified:

The good news is you don’t have to avoid most of these foods completely. Here’s how to modify some of the common choking hazards so they’re safer for toddlers:

  • For round foods: cut lengthwise into quarters
  • For hard fruits and veggies: grate, cut into matchsticks, dice and saute, steam or roast to soften
  • Nut butter: spread thinly on toast
  • Chop whole nuts into very small pieces and consider softer nuts like cashews/pecans/pistachios vs almonds/peanuts

Mom tip: Marshmallows, gum, hard candy, chips and popcorn should be avoided completely for toddlers.

Is popcorn a healthy snack for toddlers?

Popcorn is a huge choking hazard for kids under age 4 so I’d really recommend holding off serving it to younger kiddos. If you’re looking for something similar, popcorn cakes or rice cakes are safer than popcorn kernels

Healthy Snacks For Kids and Toddlers

If you’re looking for snacks for older kids, I have several posts to check out. These lists will have some snacks that are good for toddlers but not all of them:

Mom hack – A lot of these snacks would be great in lunch boxes too! If you need more lunch box ideas, check out my Month of Easy Packed Lunches for Kids resource!

Healthy Snack Ideas for Toddlers

So let’s dive right into toddler snacks, shall we? Here are some of my favorite healthy snack ideas for toddlers. And remember these are good for older kids too!

healthy toddler snack ideas

Healthy Snacks Toddlers

Here are some snack ideas that I make at home:

  • Smoothies: Smoothies are a great way to get extra fruit and veggies into your toddler’s diet. Mix with a little milk or yogurt and you have added protein and calcium, among other important nutrients. Spinach, zucchini and cauliflower are easy veggies to add to smoothies without altering the taste or texture too much. My boys’ love the combo is frozen mixed berries, spinach, milk and a little orange juice. This Peach Zucchini Smoothie Bowl is also a fav, along with this Silken Tofu Mixed Berry Smoothie! We also love this simple strawberry pineapple smoothie.
  • Muffins/bars– My favorite for young toddlers are my Sweet Potato Banana Bites – but almost all of my kid-friendly baking recipes are great for this age and are packed with things like beans, lentils and veggies. My friend and fellow RD Min also has tons of Healthy Baby and Toddler muffins here.
  • Oatmeal: It’s not just for breakfast! Make it with milk for protein and stir in a scoop of peanut butter for healthy fats. Top with berries or a few chocolate chips. You can even make a big batch ahead of time, freeze in muffin tins and thaw in the microwave. Learn how in my post for Freezer Prep Oatmeal Cups.
  • Energy Bars – Use my go-to energy bar recipe and process them really well in the food processor to avoid big chunks. Then press into a pan and cut into bars so they’re thinner vs rolling into balls.
  • Trail Mix: Homemade trail mix is SO easy and can be adapted based on your child’s favorite add-ins. Try this toddler Nut–Free Toddler Trail Mix or make up your own combination using cereal, small crackers, dried fruit and small nuts if they’re older (nuts can be a choking hazard for young toddlers). Freeze-dried fruits and veggies are a great option for younger kiddos or things like Hippeas or Harvest Snaps!
  • Fruit – berries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, bananas, fruit leather, raisins, grated apples + pb yogurt dip
  • Vegetables – matchstick carrots, peas, corn, cucumber, roasted sweet potatoes + ranch/hummus/laughing cow (toddler dips)
  • Eggs – Any form is great! I usually cut hard-boiled eggs into quarters but you can also try egg wraps or mini egg muffins, or even a fried egg on toast with avocado – cut it into strips to make it easier for them to hold.

Mom hack – Finding yourself without snacks is a recipe for toddler meltdowns. These Bentgo boxes (aff link) are my favorite for toddlers and great for holding a variety of snacks. Or try these stainless steel snack containers (aff link).

toddler snack ideas

Easy Toddler Snacks

  • Cottage Cheese: Serve it alone or pair it with whole-grain cereal and some fruit for a twist on a yogurt parfait. It can be high in sodium so as always, variety is key! And if they’re not fans, lower sugar yogurts (or plain yogurt with fruit mixed in is great too!)
  • Hummus: Perfect for dipping raw veggies like carrots, celery, cucumbers and bell peppers (be careful with raw veggies- they can be a choking hazard for young toddlers). You can also serve with crackers or chips or add to pizza or sandwiches.
  • Avocado: A great source of healthy fats. Mash it up for avocado toast, make guacamole for dipping or just slice and serve!
  • Nut Butter: Healthy fats help keep them full! Add peanut butter or other nut/seed butters to oatmeal, drizzle on banana slices or spread on toast, waffles or pancakes!
  • Whole Grain Cereal: Check out my list of Lower Sugar Cereal for Kids. Pair with milk, yogurt or a hard-boiled egg!
  • Mini pizza – These English muffin pizzas are the perfect size for toddler snack time and easy for little hands to handle. Keep a batch in the freezer and microwave as needed.
  • Quesadillas – add some shredded vegetables or chicken and give them a sauce to dip in.
  • Waffles/toast – Top them with a healthy fat like peanut butter or avocado, cut into sticks or in half to make it easier for little fingers to handle
  • Pancakes – Try these Whole Wheat Pancakes. My kids love when I make them silver dollar sized or make them bigger and cut into little triangles with a pizza cutter.

Mom tip – Healthy fats are super important for toddler brain development so adding healthy fat sources like avocado, egg yolks, nut butter and full-fat dairy etc to toddler snacks is a great idea!

storebought toddler snacks

Healthy Snacks For Toddlers When Traveling or On The Go

Here are some packaged snacks that I often have on hand for quick snacks both at home and on the go:

Want more snack ideas? Find all of my healthy snack roundups here.

So there you go! Lots of toddler-friendly snack ideas for you!

Need ideas for healthy snacks for toddlers? This list is specifically geared towards kids 1-3 years old, with homemade and storebought ideas for at home and on the go.

These healthy snacks for toddlers are quick, easy and affordable. Perfect for busy moms who are trying to feed their family healthy and nutritious foods that kids will actually eat!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

by 88 Comments

These healthy blueberry muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with flavor. They’re kid-friendly and make a great breakfast or snack! Plus they freeze well!

quick and easy low sugar blueberry muffins

*Originally published 6/2014. Updated 5/2025*

Hi Friends!

I’ve been making these healthy blueberry muffins for 10+ years now and they’re still a favorite of mine. This particular recipe was originally a small-batch recipe that made about 7 muffins and I recently re-tested it to make a full batch of 12 muffins with just a few little tweaks.

So if you haven’t tried them yet, now is the perfect time, especially since blueberry season is almost here.

Blueberry Muffins – Easy & Quick!

When it comes to baking, muffin recipes like this are the absolute best for beginners. You just need one bowl, do a little pouring, a little mixing and stick them in the muffin.

You can do it ahead of time so you have them ready for the week or they’re quick enough and easy enough to whip up a batch on a weekday morning.

Are these low sugar blueberry muffins?

Yes! Compared to most muffins, these are relatively low in sugar. I use white sugar but you could substitute maple syrup if you’d like.

I like to rely on the natural sweetness of the blueberries with just a small amount of added sugar. Plus adding a sprinkle of sugar on top before baking really helps carry the sweetness into each bite, allowing you to use less sugar in the recipe.

One Bowl Blueberry Muffins Ingredients

You don’t need any fancy ingredients to make these muffins. In fact, you likely have almost everything you need already in your pantry including:

  • Oil – I use avocado oil
  • Egg
  • Yogurt – I use plain Greek yogurt but plain regular yogurt or even vanilla yogurt will work
  • Vanilla extract
  • Maple syrup – you can swap white sugar if you prefer
  • Milk
  • Baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon
  • Blueberries – fresh or frozen

How To Make Moist and Fluffy Blueberry Muffins

To make these muffins just follow a few simple steps:

  • Mix the yogurt, eggs, oil, milk, vanilla and sugar.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and stir to just combine.
  • Toss the blueberries in 1 -2 tsp flour to coat, then add and mix gently to combine.
  • Scoop into muffin tins, sprinkle the tops with blueberries and a pinch of sugar and bake!
one bowl blueberry muffins

Blueberry Muffins Variations

Blueberry Muffins Made with Buttermilk

I’ve found that a lot of people are looking for muffin recipes made specifically with buttermilk. While this recipe doesn’t call for buttermilk, it uses plain Greek yogurt which is similar. If you don’t have yogurt, you can swap in one cup of buttermilk.

Don’t have buttermilk? It’s so easy to make your own – just add a splash of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Streusel For Blueberry Muffins

Let’s talk about them. They’re big & fluffy, packed with blueberries and not overly sweet. In these blueberry muffins, yogurt is used to keep the blueberry muffins moist. And I always add a sprinkle of sugar on top because it’s a quick and easy way to add a little sweetness in every bite. However, you could also add a streusel topping. It’s a little bit more work but mixing some cold butter, brown sugar and oats together and sprinkling on top would be delightful!

Blueberry Muffins with Frozen Blueberries – Should I thaw frozen blueberries before baking?

If you don’t have fresh blueberries, you can use frozen. Be sure to always toss blueberries in about a teaspoon of flour before mixing into the batter. If you pick blueberries in the summer, or even when you see them on sale at the store, stock up and freeze them. They’re great for baking!

Blueberry Muffins Protein – Can I add protein powder to blueberry muffins?

These muffins do get a boost of protein from the Greek yogurt but if you wanted to add some additional protein, you could add a scoop or two of protein powder to the batter before mixing in the flour. Adding protein powder can dry out the muffins so I would start with one scoop and if it’s not noticeable, add another scoop the next time.

Best Fluffy Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Here’s the recipe:

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Healthy Blueberry Muffins

healthy blueberry muffins
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These Blueberry Muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with flavor. They’re kid-friendly and make a great breakfast or snack!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 25 min
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Makes 12 muffins 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup sugar + 2 tsp for sprinkling
  • 1.5 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1.25 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen) + 1 tsp flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together oil, milk, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and sugar until well combined.
  3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and stir until just combined.
  4. Toss 1 cup berries in 1 tsp flour to coat, then gently mix in berries.
  5. Scoop in greased or lined muffin tins. 
  6. Lightly press remaining 1/4 cup berries into the top of the muffins and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
  7. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

Notes

Feel free to use frozen blueberries instead – no need to thaw before baking!

You can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend to make these muffins gluten-free.

Saving a few blueberries to press into the top of each one makes them look extra fancy…and sprinkling with just a pinch of sugar on top is crucial, in my opinion!

Healthy Blueberry Muffins FAQs

What makes blueberry muffins moist and fluffy?

Including yogurt and baking soda helps make these muffins light and fluffy. The acid in the yogurt, especially Greek yogurt reacts with baking soda and creates carbon dioxide which helps the muffins rise.

What’s the difference between using milk and buttermilk in muffins?

Buttermilk (and Greek yogurt) are more acidic and will help make muffins taller and fluffier than just using regular milk.

Are blueberry muffins healthy?

As always, it depends on the ingredients but I consider this muffin recipe to be fairly healthy. It uses Greek yogurt and hemp hearts which add protein, plus white whole wheat flour to add some fiber. It’s also fairly low in added sugar.

How do I make blueberry muffins vegan without eggs?

You can try replacing eggs in muffin recipes with flax eggs. Here’s how to make a flax egg.

What type of flour is best for blueberry muffins?

I like white whole wheat flour. It has the benefits of wheat flour but it’s lighter and has a more mild flavor. You could also try replacing some of the flour with almond flour.

healthy blueberry muffins with Greek yogurt

Can I freeze blueberry muffins for later?

Yes, just cool completely and place in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw on the counter or in the microwave when ready to eat.

Can I make these blueberry muffins gluten-free?

Yes! To make these muffins gluten-free swap the white whole wheat flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I like King Arthur Measure for Measure.

How to store blueberry muffins?

Store in an airtight container on the counter for a couple of days. If keeping longer than that I would store in the fridge to prevent spoilage.

These healthy blueberry muffins are lightly sweetened and bursting with flavor. They're kid-friendly and make a great breakfast or snack! Plus they freeze well!

Healthy Muffin Recipes

Looking for more muffins? You can find all my healthy muffins and bars recipes here.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

75 New Foods To Try at Home

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If you have a picky eater and are looking to expand their world by introducing them to some new foods and flavors, here’s a list of 75 new foods to try!

75 NEW FOODS TO TRY

*Originally published 9/23. Updated 6/25*

Hi friends!

Over the summer I decided it was time to get my kids excited again about trying new healthy foods at home. But not just healthy foods. We started a chart for each of them and wrote down and celebrated everything new that they tried – even things like desserts and types of candy.

The goal was not to get them to try specific foods, it was just to get them excited about trying new things in general and to find some new and exciting ingredients to cook with! Their list included everything from pound cake and candy to fruits and vegetables to multigrain chips. If they hadn’t tried it before and were willing to take a bite, it went on the list!

I also had them record their response – a smiley face for like it, a check mark for just ok, and an x for no thank you.

New Foods To Try With Kids

It was fun to watch their excitement grow as their list grew, and since there are 3 of them, there was often a little friendly competition to see who could try the most things to add to their lists.

When I shared this on Instagram, I had a lot of people interested in a list of new foods for their kids to try. Something they could use as a starting point to get ideas for introducing new foods to their kids. So I made one!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE NEW FOODS LIST!

There are no set rules about the best ways to try new foods. Pick a day and try a whole bunch at once, or set a goal to try one new ingredient a week!

How Can I Introduce My Kids To New Foods

One of the best ways to get kids interested in trying new foods is to let them pick! Watch cooking shows, take them to the grocery store, flip through cookbooks and let them choose things that look interesting or yummy to them. Then do some research together to figure out the best way to use the ingredients.

Another option is to pick one thing and try it multiple ways. Say you’re going to try broccoli – make some roasted, some steamed, some sauteed, and some raw with dip and let them try all of them and rate their favorites!

Foods To Expand Your Palate

If the bigger list seems overwhelming and you’re specifically looking to expose a kiddo to a certain type of food to broaden their horizons, here are some categories you could start with:

new vegetables to try - pumpkin, romaine lettuce, butternut squash, snap peas, red peppers

10 New Vegetables To Try

If you’re looking to start with vegetables, here are 10 new vegetables to try. These extend beyond what seem to be the typical first veggies for kids- carrots, corn, sweet potato, peas, etc.

Romaine Lettuce

  • A good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin K and it’s super crunchy.
  • For a lot of kids, romaine can be a good gateway lettuce into salads.
  • Cut into larger chunks and encourage them to pick them up with their fingers and dip in salad dressing!

Snap Peas

  • Provide some Vitamin C and fiber.
  • These can be fun for kids to explore. Have them crunch into them whole, or peel them open, count the peas inside, taste the peas etc!

Butternut Squash

Red Bell Peppers

Pumpkin

Vegetables you should try: Jicama, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Mushrooms

Cabbage

Jicama

  • Great source of vitamin C and high in fiber.
  • High in inulin which is a prebiotic fiber that can be used by the healthy bacteria in your gut!
  • Here’s a little more about it and some jicama recipe ideas.
  • An easy way to try it is to peel and cut into sticks and use them for scooping up your favorite dip, guacamole, hummus etc!
  • Or try Jicama Fries in the oven or air fryer.

Cauliflower

Mushrooms

  • Technically a fungus but is often considered a vegetable. Good source of Vitamin D and potassium!
  • If your kids have tried them cooked and don’t love them, slice them up and let them try them raw.
  • They mix well into pasta, especially if you chop them up small. Try this One Pot Creamy Mushroom Orzo or this Vegan Cream of Mushroom Pasta.
  • Chop them up finely and mix with ground beef or turkey next time you’re making taco meat or mix some in next time you make burgers!
  • Saute in butter with a little garlic powder and salt as a side dish for chicken or steak.

Broccoli

  • High in fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, iron and potassium.
  • Let the kids cut apart the tiny trees and sprinkle water on the trees before eating them.
  • Serve raw with dip or steamed with cheese sauce for dipping.
  • Grate into “broccoli sprinkles” and add to pizza.
  • Roast it to make this Easy Crispy Broccoli.
  • Try this Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup.
  • Add to Pizza Rolls.
  • Try broccoli slaw instead of regular broccoli. Add it to noodle-based dishes like this Instant Pot Peanut Noodles.
10 new fruits to try - including mango, plantains, cantaloupe, kiwi, fresh cherries

11 New Fruits To Try

A lot of kids start with fruits like strawberries, blueberries, grapes, bananas, peaches and pears but there are so many other great fruit options out there that provide important nutrients and taste great as well!

Mango

  • A good source of Vitamin C and contains Vitamin A and folate. They’re also a good source of both soluble and unsoluble fiber.
  • A fun kitchen activity for kids is learning how to cut a mango. Cut some up and eat it plain or try it in some mango salsa!
  • Learn how to select a ripe mango and make some Mango Chia Jam.
  • If they don’t like fresh mango, try dried mango strips.
  • Need more ideas? Here are 50 Healthy Mango Recipes for Kids

Plantains

  • They look like bananas but are typically cooked before serving. They’re green when unripe and turn yellowish/black as they ripen.
  • Green plantains are starchy and similar to potatoes. As they ripen they get sweeter.
  • They’re a source of resistant startch which acts as a prebiotic to feed your good gut bacteria.
  • They contain fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and magnesium.
  • Try making plantain chips (or buying some at the store to try!)
  • You can also make plantain pancakes, sticky sweet fried plantains or oven baked plantains.

Kiwi

Cantaloupe

Fresh Cherries

  • There are several different varieties. Bing and Rainier are great for eating fresh as a snack.
  • Good sources of vitamin C.
  • Buy a $5 cherry pitter and let the kids go to town pitting the cherries before they snack on them.
  • Try them in these Cherry Oat Bars.
  • Make a Cherry Limeade or add them to a Cherry Smoothie Bowl.
  • You can also add them to muffins, oatmeal etc. similar to the way you add other berries. Try this Easy Berry Cherry Baked Oatmeal.
10 new fruits to try including fresh cranberries, pineapple, apricots, dates, avocado and plums.

Fresh Cranberries

Pineapple

Apricots

  • Rich in Vitamin A and beta-carotene – they’re good for your eyes!
  • Cut them up fresh and make a yogurt parfait. Or try them grilled with yogurt or ice cream!
  • Try dried apricots in a trail mix or these Apricot Bliss Balls.
  • Use them like peaches to make an apricot crisp.
  • Or try a stone fruit slaw to serve on tacos, over chicken etc.

Dates

Avocado

  • High in fiber and good fats like monounsaturated fats.
  • They also contain Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and more.
  • Get out the potato masher and let the kids make guacamole to try with chips!
  • Try one of these 10 Ways To Serve Avocados To Kids.
  • Add some to an egg sandwich or make avocado toast with their favorite toppings.
  • Add some to your next cheese quesadilla to turn it into an avocado quesadilla.
  • If you don’t love the taste, cube and freeze it to add to smoothies for the health benefits.

Plums

10 new protein sources to try - including edamame, hemp hearts, beans, lentils and tofu

10 New Protein Sources To Try

Most people think of meat when they think of protein, but if your kiddos aren’t crazy about meat there are a lot of other protein sources out there to try. And if they do like meat like chicken, remember there are other meat options out there like steak, pork, sausage etc to try as well! Here are some ideas for new protein sources to try:

Edamame

Hemp Hearts

  • Packed with healthy fats and protein. Just 3 Tablespoons of hemp hearts has 15 grams of healthy fats and almost 10 grams of protein.
  • Also a good source of iron, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Learn more about them and other healthy seeds in my Super Seeds guide.
  • These are super easy to mix into any muffins, bars or pancakes you make. Just add a few Tablespoons. Try them in these Banana Flax Muffins or these Energy Balls.
  • Add them to smoothies, sprinkle on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, etc. They’re barely noticeable and pack a big nutrient punch.
  • You can also mix them into oatmeal, overnight oats or chia pudding like this High Protein Carrot Cake Chia Pudding.

White Beans

Lentils

Tofu

new protein sources to try - green peas, salmon, quinoa, steak and jerky

Green Peas

Salmon

Quinoa

Steak

Jerky

  • Can be high in sodium so not the best option for everyday but fine occasionally.
  • A great shelf-stable protein option that can be good for school snacks, sports bags etc.
  • We like Chomps and Country Archer.
  • Try different types of meat and different flavor options to find one you like.

Try New Foods FAQs

What are some unique grains to cook for dinner?

If you’re looking for new grains to try, here are some to consider:

  • Quinoa
  • Sorghum
  • Millet
  • Buckwheat
  • Teff
  • Amaranth
  • Farro
  • Wild Rice

Experiment with substituting these into your favorite dishes in place of rice and pasta and also try them on their own so you can really taste the texture and consistency. Here are more details about how to cook whole grains and what to use them for.

What are some international foods I can cook at home and try?

There are lots of great unique ingredients to cook with. Some easy ones to start with are things like miso paste, gochujang and harissa.

How do I use miso paste and gochujang in recipes?

Miso is a fermented soy bean paste that is popular in many Asian recipes. It’s known for adding a salty, umami flavor and miso soup is one of the most common ways to try it. Learn more about miso here. Gochujang is often used in Korean food and is a spicy paste made of red chili peppers, fermented soy beans, rice and salt. Here’s an easy gochujang sauce.

What plant-based ingredients are trending right now?

Some plant-based foods trending right now include plant protein – especially from things like peas and fava beans and protein-rich milk alternatives like almond milk with soy protein and flax milk with pea protein. Date syrup and monk fruit are gaining popularity in sweeteners and plant-based butters and cheeses are also expanding.

What foods can help me expand my cooking skills?

Anything that requires you to learn a new preparation method, a new way to peel, cook or serve something will help you expand your cooking skills. Things like jackfruit, jicama, mango and other options in the produce section can be a good place to start.

What are some new herbs and spices I could try?

If you haven’t tried some of the more common staple spices like basil, rosemary and thyme those can be a good place to start. To expand even further, try things like turmeric, star anise, za’atar, saffron and cardamom.

What are some good high-protein foods I’ve probably never tried?

Tofu, edamame and tempeh are some plant-based proteins you may not have tried. There are also tons of different varieties of fish as well as lots of different kinds of beans and peas.

What are some common superfoods I could try?

Here are 16 Superfoods That Are Worthy of the Title that you could start with – everything from green tea to leafy greens.

What are some good beginner-friendly adventurous foods?

Some that come to mind are things like curry, pad thai and injera. A great option is to research some local restaurants that serve foods from different cultures and start there. You can sample a variety of different dishes all in one place. Then if you like one, try to recreate something similar at home!

Try Something New For Dinner

If you have a picky eater and are looking to expand their world by introducing them to some new foods and flavors, here's a list of 75 new foods to try!

If this post was helpful, share it with a friend! Set a goal together to try at least one new food each week and use it in a taste test or recipe!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

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This air fryer buffalo chicken wings recipe is quick, easy and flavorful. They’re perfect for a weeknight dinner or a party appetizer and can be tossed in any sauce you like!

air fryer buffalo chicken wings with celery and blue cheese

Hi friends!

I’ve got a super easy recipe to share with you guys today. My husband has always been a fan of buffalo wings and recently he has gotten all 3 of my kids interested in eating them as well!

So instead of just ordering them in restaurants, I’ve set about learning how to make them at home so I can make them for dinner a few times a month. After a few tries, I’ve decided the air fryer is my favorite way to make them.

Just season, cook in the air fryer at 400 degrees, and toss in sauce. Serve with celery and blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.

Why Use An Air Fryer For Buffalo Wings

The air fryer is the perfect way to get the wings to crisp up and cook quickly. Once they’re cooked, you can toss them in any flavor of buffalo sauce, or whatever other sauce you prefer. These wings take less than 5 minutes to prep and are ready in less than 20 minutes in the air fryer.

I use store-bought Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wings sauce but if you want to make your own you could try this recipe for Homemade Buffalo Sauce or this Easy Homemade Buffalo Sauce.

Crispy Air Fryer Wings – Minimal Oil Required

The best part is, the air fryer can make the wings juicy and crispy, without having to fry them in oil. The key is to use baking powder. Tossing them in just 2 teaspoons of oil along with some spices and baking powder helps them crisp up in the air fryer.

Air fryer wings marinade

While all I’ve done so far is toss mine in buffalo sauce, you could also easily marinate your wings and then cook them in the air fryer. Here’s the Best Chicken Wing Marinade Recipe that you could try. Or try these Marinated Chicken Wings.

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Flavor Ideas

Not into buffalo sauce? Try one of these:

  • Garlic parmesan
  • Honey BBQ
  • Teriyaki
  • Honey Mustard
  • Sweet Chili

Air fryer vs fried wings

Traditional buffalo wings that you’ll get at a restaurant will be deep fried and then tossed in buffalo sauce. In some cases, especially if you get boneless wings, they will be breaded and then deep fried. The air fryer is a method for cooking bone-in chicken wings without needed to deep fry them, making this method a healthier alternative.

air fryer chicken wings recipe

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings Ingredients

To make air fryer buffalo chicken wings you just need to grab a few ingredients:

  • Split chicken wings
  • Neutral oil – I use avocado oil
  • Salt and garlic powder – or other seasonings
  • Baking powder – to help crisp up the skin
  • Butter – unsalted
  • Frank’s red hot buffalo wing sauce – or sauce of your choice

How To Make Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

With just a few simple steps, your wings will be ready to eat:

  • Pat the wings dry.
  • Place wings in a bowl, drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
  • Sprinkle with seasonings and toss again.
  • Add baking powder and toss lightly.
  • Place wings in a single layer in the air fryer, leaving space between them. Make in multiple batches if needed.
  • Cook at 400 degrees for about 18 minutes, flipping half way through.
  • Toss in sauce and enjoy!

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe

Here’s the air fryer buffalo chicken wings recipe I use:

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Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

air fryer buffalo chicken wings
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This air fryer chicken wings recipe is quick, easy and flavorful. They’re perfect for a weeknight dinner or a party appetizer and can be tossed in any sauce you like!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 – 2 pounds split chicken wings
  • 2 tsp oil (I use avocado oil)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s red hot buffalo wings sauce

 

Instructions

  1. Pat wings dry with paper towels and place wings in a bowl.
  2. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
  3. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and paprika and toss again.
  4. Sprinkle with baking powder and toss lightly.
  5. Place wings in a single layer in the air fryer leaving a little space between wings. Make the wings in multiple batches if needed.
  6. Cook at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, flipping wings halfway through.
  7. Melt butter and mix with buffalo sauce.
  8. Transfer wings from air fryer to a container with a lid, add sauce, cover and shake to coat.
  9. Serve with celery and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Notes

Feel free to substitute your favorite sauce

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings FAQs

How long do you cook chicken wings in an air fryer?

I have a Ninja Air Fryer (aff link) with two drawers, so I can do a 2 pound batch of wings in 18 minutes, but if you have a smaller air fryer, you’ll likely need to do 2-3 batches so they have enough space and each batch will take 18-20 minutes.

Can you air fry frozen chicken wings?

Yes. You can use frozen chicken wings and follow the directions in the recipe.

What temperature should you air fry buffalo wings?

I’ve found the best temperature to be 400 degrees Fahrenheit in the air fryer.

Do I need to flip wings halfway through air frying?

Yes! You’ll need to open the air fryer halfway through and flip the wings over so they crisp up nicely on all sides.

air fryer buffalo chicken wings crispy

How do I make wings crispy in the air fryer?

Adding a teaspoon of baking powder helps the chicken wings get crispy in the air fryer! Don’t use baking soda. It will not have the same affect.

Can I use store-bought buffalo sauce in the air fryer?

Yes you can use store-bought sauce but you don’t need to put it on the wings until after they come out of the air fryer and are done cooking! Alternatively, if you’re using a marinade, you’ll want to put it on first and let the wings sit to absorb the flavor before cooking in the air fryer.

Are air fryer buffalo chicken wings good for meal prep? Can I reheat buffalo wings in the air fryer?

Yes! Wings are a great option to make ahead of time. You can reheat them in the mcirowave or use the air fryer to reheat them. Just pop them in at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or so.

How many wings fit in a standard air fryer?

Depending on the size, you should be able to fit about a pound of wings in a 5-6 quart air fryer.

Are air fryer buffalo chicken wings gluten-free?

This recipe for buffalo chicken wings is gluten-free. If needed, just make sure the buffalo sauce or any other sauce you’re using is gluten-free if needed.

Why aren’t my air fryer buffalo chicken wings crispy?

If you don’t pat the wings dry before adding the oil and spices, or if you don’t use the baking powder, the wings may not get as crispy as they usually would.

This air fryer chicken wings recipe is quick, easy and flavorful. They're perfect for a weeknight dinner or a party appetizer and can be tossed in any sauce you like!

Game Day Appetizers

Need more appetizer ideas for your next party or gathering? Try:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Zucchini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

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These high-fiber Zucchini Oat Bars are naturally sweetened with dates. Top them with peanut butter for a quick, kid-friendly breakfast or snack!

High fiber Zucchini Oat Bars

*Originally published 5/2019. Updated 6/2025*

Hi friends!

Allow me to introduce you to this Zucchini Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. They’re perfect for breakfast or snack time and my kids gobble them up! I developed this recipe when my youngest needed to add some extra fiber to his diet and found that the moist texture made them a great snack for toddlers and young kids as well.

Why You’ll Love These Zucchini Oat Bars

Here are some of the highlights of these bars:

  • Simple ingredient list. You’ll probably have most of them on hand.
  • The combination of oats, dates and ground flaxseed give these bars a good amount of fiber per serving.
  • I packed a whole cup of zucchini in there so they’re perfect for summer when gardens and farmers markets are overflowing with zucchini. 
  • This is a one bowl recipe, no mixer required and they’re ready in under 30 minutes!
  • Great for baby-led weaning and good for packed lunches as well.
overhead shot of zucchini oat bars with bowl of oats and shredded zucchini

Zucchini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Let me just say right off the bat that these bars are not overly sweet. They are soft, moist and lightly sweetened with dates and applesauce – no added sugar except the chocolate chips.

If you’re looking for something more dessert-like, you’re gonna want to add some sugar or maple syrup to this recipe. I like that they’re lower in sugar so I feel good about serving them to my kids for breakfast or at snack time. 

They’re fairly low in fat, so you could add a smear of peanut butter to the top, or even mix some peanut butter into the batter for a dose of added fats. And these bars are moist…so definitely store them in the fridge so they don’t get moldy. 

Nutritional Benefits of Zucchini Oat Bars

There are tons of nutritional ingredients packed into these bars including:

  • Zucchini – Zucchini contains fiber and is a good source of Vitamin C and potassium
  • Oats- A good source of soluble fiber as well as some protein, manganese and B vitamins
  • Dates – A good source of fiber, potassium, magnesium and antioxidants
  • Ground flax – Another good source of fiber and heart-healthy omega-3’s

Zucchini Oat Bars Mix-Ins

Another great thing about these bars are they are easy to customize. You could try adding your favorite mix-ins like:

  • Chopped pecans or walnuts
  • Chia seeds
  • Raisins
  • Dried blueberries
  • Hemp hearts
  • A scoop of peanut butter
  • Protein powder

You can also pair it with something like yogurt or a cheese stick to add some protein to your snack or warm up a bar and top with vanilla ice cream for dessert!

Zucchini Bars Recipe

Here’s how you make them:

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Zucchini Oat Bars

zucchini oat bars 1 copy
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4.9 from 13 reviews

These high fiber Zucchini Oat Bars are naturally sweetened with dates. Top them with peanut butter for a quick, kid-friendly breakfast or snack!

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup medjool dates (pitted and roughly chopped – approx 5–7 dates)
2 eggs
1 cup shredded zucchini (excess water removed)
1/4 cup oil (i use avocado oil)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips (or more if desired)

Instructions

  1. Place the oats and dates in a food processor and process until well chopped.
  2. Add remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips or other mix-ins) and process until smooth.
  3. Add chocolate chips (or other mix-ins) and pulse a few times to mix.
  4. Pour into 9×9 pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.
  5. Let cool at least 15 min in the pan before cutting. Store in the fridge.

Notes

You could sub raisins, craisins, dried blueberries, shredded coconut etc for the chocolate chips if you want.
You could also mix in some peanut butter or hemp seeds to add some healthy fats.
If your dates are not super soft and squishy, soak them in hot water for 10 min before using.

I’m just so in love with these guys. And the food processor helps chop up the shredded zucchini even further so my kids pretty much just focus on the fact that they’re eating something with a few chocolate chips in it and they’re happy.

Zucchini Oat Bars FAQs

Do I need to peel zucchinis before adding?

Nope! No need to peel, just shred, squeeze and add!

How do I shred zucchini for baking?

You can shred the zucchini by hand using a box or hand grater or use the grater attachment to your food processor.

Can I make zucchini oat bars gluten-free?

These zucchini oat bars are naturally gluten-free. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats and ground flax if needed.

How do I keep zucchini oat bars from being soggy?

Be sure to squeeze the zucchini in a clean towel or paper towels after shredding to remove the excess water before adding to your recipe!

How do I store zucchini oat bars and how long do they last?

Because these bars are so moist, I do recommend storing them in a container in the fridge to prevent rapid spoiling! They should last about 4 days in the fridge.

Can I serve these bars as a healthy dessert?

Definitely! They’re great on their own but would also pair well with vanilla yogurt or ice cream.

What kind of oats are best for baking these bars?

I use rolled oats. You could sub instant oats but I would decrease the amount to one cup.

Can I add protein powder to make these bars more filling?

Yes, feel free to add 1-2 scoops of protein powder to this recipe.

These high fiber Zucchini Oat Bars are naturally sweetened with dates. Top them with peanut butter for a quick, kid-friendly breakfast or snack!

Healthy Bars and Muffins

Want more bars and muffins to try? Find all my healthy bars and muffins recipes here or try one of my favorites:

And if you’re looking for other zucchini bar recipes, here are a few you could try:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

How To Build A DIY Mud Kitchen

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Learn how to build a mud kitchen for kids that’s perfect for keeping them entertained outside. Here are step-by-step mud kitchen plans for making an outdoor DIY mud kitchen for under $100. They’ll be cooking up nature soup and mud pies in no time.

How To Build A Mud Kitchen for under $100

*Originally published 5/2020. Updated 6/2025*

Hi friends!

Ready to learn how to make a DIY mud kitchen for kids? Last week, I didn’t even know there was such a thing and now here we are! I saw someone mention one on Instagram and I knew immediately that my kids would love one!

What To Cook In A Mud Kitchen

Messy play is so important for kids (read more on The Value of Messy Play here). The mud kitchen is perfect for making things like nature soup, mud pies, rock soup, leaf stew etc out of leaves, grass, dandelions, etc. This is the perfect easy weekend project, especially when the weather is warm.

Mud kitchens are also great for sensory play! Use the sink as a water basin, put ingredients of different textures in various pots and pans, let them explore things that are wet, squishy, slimy etc!

Mud Kitchen DIY

This is one of those times (and there are a lot of them) when it’s so nice to have a handy husband! I spent a few minutes scrolling through mud kitchens on Pinterest, screenshotted a few pictures to show him and asked him if he could build us one and six hours later, voila!

This is obviously not the only way you can build one. You could easily make one with just a board and some cinder blocks or using whatever wood you have laying around, but I LOVE the way ours turned out! Several people asked for dimensions, materials etc so we put together a blueprint and directions for how my husband made ours.

Keep in mind we’re not a DIY blog AND we weren’t planning to turn this into a post so we didn’t do the best job taking photos. But my husband provided drawings for each step of assembly with measurements etc for a little outdoor kitchen plans PDF. Between those and the typed directions below, hopefully you’ll have a pretty good idea how to build one yourself!

Homemade DIY Outdoor Sink

Can you make a mud kitchen with a working sink?

Our plans include a sink but we don’t have it hooked up to water to make it running water. If that’s something you’re looking for you might like this Outdoor Pallet Kid’s Mud Kitchen with Working Sink!

Mud Kitchen with Pallets

How do I build a mud kitchen using pallets?

Speaking of pallets, we didn’t use them but you could definitely make a DIY pallet mud kitchen. Check out this tutorial for an Easy DIY Pallet Mud Kitchen (using scrap wood and pallets).

Mud Kitchen Accessories + Creative Add-ons For Your Mud Kitchen

Want to accessorize your kitchen? Here are a few ideas:

  • Skip the stain and let your kids paint it
  • Add hooks for utensils
  • Add open shelves to store dishes
  • Build a spice rack
  • Hook up a working sink
  • Attach a chalkboard or paint part of it with chalkboard paint
  • Extend the mud kitchen by adding extra storage shelves for pots and pans

Mud kitchen knobs + cooker rings

Stove burners and knobs are one of most fun additions. You can make the burners different sizes for different pots and give them knobs to turn them on and off.

What mud kitchen tools and utensils do kids need?

Stock your mud kitchen with all sorts of fun tools and equipment. Keep an eye out at garage sales, thrift stores and dollar stores for things like:

  • Pots
  • Pans
  • Muffin tins
  • Plates and cups
  • Spoons
  • Ladles
  • Spice jars
  • Pitchers

and more!

How To Build A Mud Kitchen For Kids

mud kitchen materials

Materials For Outdoor Play Kitchen

  • (7) cedar 2x4s
  • (8) 6′ cedar fence boards
  • 1.25-inch deck screws (approx 54) and 2.5-inch deck screws (approx 50)
  • exterior stain (a great way to use some up if you have it laying around! We used what we had leftover after staining our screened porch)
  • sharpie
  • Rubbermaid 10 gallon plastic tub 

Dimensions:

Frame: 2 feet tall x 4 feet long (depth is dependent on the container you’re using for your “sink”)
Tub: We used a 10-gallon plastic Rubbermaid tub. Measuring just under the lip, it was 14.5″ wide x 20.75″ long. (We had to cut off the handles to make it fit down in the frame which was a pain so we recommend looking for one without handles.

man and son building mud kitchen cooktop

Directions For How To Build A DIY Mud Kitchen

**Scroll down for a link to a free PDF blueprint and printable directions**

Step 1: Assemble the frame for the cooktop using 2x4s.

  • Cut one 2×4 in half for the long sides, which will be almost exactly 48″.
  • Measure just below the lip of the tub you’re using to get measurements for the opening for your sink. Ours was 14.5″ wide x 20.75″ long.
  • Cut the 4 shorter pieces of your frame to the length of your tub.
  • Drill pilot holes and then use 2.5-inch deck screws to build your rectangular frame with two pieces in the middle to hold the tub between them.
How to build a mud kitchen - top frame

Step 2: Add legs.

  • Front legs are 24 inches, back legs are 48 inches to extend up and make the backsplash.
  • Front legs go inside the frame and the back legs go outside the frame.
  • Attach the front legs, then have someone hold it level while attaching the back legs.

Step 3: Make the lower shelf frame.

  • Cut two 45″ pieces of 2×4 for the front and back. 
  • Cut three pieces that are three inches shorter than your side pieces for the cooktop. Ours were 17.75 inches since the sides to our cooktop were 20.75 inches. You can also just measure the distance between the front and back legs and subtract 3 inches.
  • Drill pilot holes and use 2.5 inch deck screws.
how to build a mud kitchen - man measuring for lower frame

Step 4: Attach the lower shelf frame. 

  • Attach lower shelf frame to the back of the front legs and the front of the back legs about 6 inches from the ground using 2.5 inch deck screws.
mud kitchen with cedar fence boards and 2x4s

Step 5: Add cedar top, shelf top, and backsplash with fence boards

  • Do the bottom shelf first. Measure from the outer edge to outer edge sides of the shelf frame. Cut 3 cedar fence boards to that length. Evenly space boards and attach with 1.25-inch deck screws to make a shelf.
  • Do cooktop next. Cut 3 cedar fence boards after measuring from backsplash to front edge of 2×4. Start closest to tub on both sides and work out. There may be a little overhang on the outer pieces. 
  • For backsplash: Use fence board as a spacer when installing. We did 3 cedar fence boards and then a 2×4 level with the top

Step 6: Add 2×4 topper on the backsplash

  • We added another 2×4 across the top, connecting it to the 2×4 running horizontally across the top of the backsplash and the top of the back legs.
sanding a mud kitchen

Step 7: Sand the cooktop

  • The cedar fence boards are rough sawn so we sanded them until smooth with 120 grit paper and a power sander. 
  • Hubby also rounded the edges and corners. Smooth surfaces are easier to keep clean and allowed us to draw “burners”.

Step 8: Draw the “burners”

  • Draw cooktop burners by tracing circles and painting them black. 
staining a mud kitchen

Weatherproofing the mud kitchen

Step 9: Stain

  • We used leftover stain from our porch to seal the wood. 
  • We also added a coat of exterior grade polyurethane to the countertop area to hold up better against mud and water. In addition, the black paint for the burners won’t accept the stain so the poly helps seal it in.
mud kitchen details

Step 10: Add the details

  • We made knobs out of a leftover 2×4 to “turn the burners on”
  • Add hooks, baskets etc if you want to!
  • After we took the picture, we also added a cheap brass hose bibb to look like a faucet over the sink. (It was $5)
  • Furnish with old pots and pans, pie tins, tupperware, old spice containers, spoons and ladles. Thrift stores and garage sales are great places to find supplies.
mud kitchen blueprint

Since we didn’t have the best step-by-step photos to share, my husband sketched out a visual of each step of the process to help show you how we measured, where we put our screws etc.

CLICK HERE FOR A FREE BLUEPRINT PDF and PRINTABLE DIRECTIONS

DIY Mud Kitchen FAQs

What age is a mud kitchen suitable for?

The best thing about this mud kitchen is that young toddlers can use it and older kids still find it fun. My youngest was 2 when we built ours and my oldest still plays with it occasionally at age 10!

If you take care of it, a mud kitchen can provide years of entertainment for your family.

How much does it cost to build a basic mud kitchen?

This one cost us just under $100 to build!

What are the best materials for building a mud kitchen?

We recommend using cedar as your wood because it’s naturally resistant to decay without any chemicals and it smells good. Cedar 2x4s can be a bit expensive but cedar fence boards are cheap so it balances out. Use whatever outdoor stain you’d like, plus some polyurethane for an extra layer of protection.

How do I protect a mud kitchen from weather?

We live in Ohio and we leave ours out year round. Staining and sealing it when you build it will help, but you will likely need to restain it every couple of years. You could also throw a tarp over it in the winter when it’s not getting much use.

What’s the best location to place a mud kitchen in the yard?

Totally up to you. We’ve had ours on the driveway, and on our brick patio. If you’re using a lot of water, the ground under it will get saturated and muddy so take that into consideration, and make sure you find somewhere flat!

Can a mud kitchen be used in the winter or cold climates?

Sure! Bundle the kids up and let them play outside all year round. They’ll be able to find different natural elements to use no matter the season and you don’t have to worry about keeping the pots and pans looking pristine. Snow can be a fun addition too. You can even add some paint to color the snow!

How do I make a mud kitchen safe for toddlers?

When they’re little, use smaller pots and pans and consider plastic items so they won’t hurt if they drop them onto their feet. Keep an eye on them around the sharp corners if they’re just learning to walk. In the summer, try not to leave a sink full of water for several days as it can be a breeding ground for mosquitos.

DIY Outdoor Mud Kitchen For Kids

Learn how to build a mud kitchen that's perfect for keeping the kids entertained outside. Here are step-by-step directions for making an outdoor kitchen for under $100. They'll be cooking up nature soup and mud pies in no time.

Hope this helps! Happy playing!

IKEA Hack Mud Kitchen

PS. Do you love IKEA? Check out this Mud table as an easy IKEA hack.


–Lindsay–

 

Crispy Baked Green Bean Fries

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This recipe for Crispy Green Bean Fries is a fun way to change things up at dinner! They’re easy to make and kid-friendly too!

crispy oven baked green bean fries served with dipping sauce

*Published 4/2016. Updated 5/2025*

Hi friends!

If you’re looking for an easy green bean snack recipe, these Green Bean Fries just might be your new favorite dinner side dish! They are a healthy veggie snack that can be seen as more appetizing and kid-friendly than traditional green beans and they’re a fun alternative to french fries. I’ve been making them for 10+ years now and they’re still one of my go-to recipes.

I know many parents struggle with getting their kids to eat veggies, so I’ve been sharing some of my quick and easy vegetable recipes lately including:

You can find more ideas in these posts as well: 20 Easy Carrot Recipes and 20+ Easy Broccoli Recipes.

Green Bean Nutrition

Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables and they’re a good source of Vitamins C and A and even contain some minerals like manganese and calcium.

These green bean fries are dairy-free, vegan if you skip the parmesan and you can make them gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs. My favorite is to actually just smash up some plain rice chex and use those as breadcrumbs.

Green Bean Fries Dipping Sauces

My absolute favorite combo is green beans with Italian dressing so that’s what I often use. But you could also dip them in ranch or eat them without a dip.

For a sweet and spicy version, try dipping them in a mix of plain Greek yogurt, sweet Thai chili sauce and sriracha.

How To Make Baked Green Bean Fries

While it does take a little time to make these, once you get in your groove, it’s not bad. And these are actually great for letting kids help in the kitchen! They might even be tempted to take a bite of a veggie!

To make it even easier, I just hold each bean by one end, run it through the hummus and roll it in the breadcrumbs. I leave the end I’m holding plain and don’t worry about trying to cover the entire bean. It’s much less work…and less mess 🙂

Parmesan Green Bean Fries Ingredients

Crispy green bean fries on a sheet pan

You only need 4 ingredients and one of them is optional!

  • Fresh green beans – fresh is really the only type of string beans that work for this recipe. Frozen and canned are great options for other recipes but will be too soggy for this recipe.
  • Hummus- I’ve tried making these by dipping in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and have found hummus to be way easier.
  • Breadcrumbs – panko works best!
  • Parmesan cheese- Adds flavor. Feel free to skip if you want or add some additional seasonings to the breadcrumb mixture.

Green Bean Fries Recipe

Here are your directions:

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Green Bean Fries

This recipe for Crispy Green Bean Fries is a fun way to change things up at dinner! They're easy to make and kid-friendly too!
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This recipe for Crispy Green Bean Fries is a fun way to change things up at dinner! They’re easy to make and kid-friendly too!

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimed
  • 1/3 cup hummus
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • optional – mix 1/2 tsp garlic powder and paprika into breadcrumb mixture

Instructions

  1. Place hummus on one plate.
  2. Mix breadcrumbs and parmesan (if using) together on another plate.
  3. Holding onto one end a bean, run it through the hummus to coat, then roll in breadcrumb mixture.
  4. Place on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet (so they don’t stick!) or baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  5. Repeat with remaining beans.
  6. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until beans reach desired level of doneness.

Green Bean Fries FAQs

Are green bean fries healthy?

Yes! These fries are a great way to add some extra vegetables to your plate!

Can I make green bean fries in the air fryer?

Yes, you can make these in the air fryer. Just make sure to put the fries in a single layer so they get crispy. You may have to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Cooking time will vary depending on how you like your beans cooked. Cook at 400 degrees and start checking them after about 8 minutes.

What are the best seasonings for green bean snacks?

I love to add paprika and garlic powder to my breadcrumb mixture to add little more flavor. You can also add a bit of salt or give them an Italian spin with some Italian seasoning or oregano and dip in marinara.

Can I use frozen green beans to make fries?

No, fresh green beans are best for this recipe. Frozen beans contain too much water.

How do you keep green bean fries crispy after baking?

These fries are really best served immediately after baking. You can try crisping them back up again by adding them to the air fryer for a few minutes to reheat.

Are green bean fries gluten-free?

These fries are gluten-free if you use gluten-free breadcrumbs!

Can I prep green bean fries ahead of time?

These are best prepped right before baking so the breadcrumbs don’t get soggy in the hummus.

Can I serve green bean fries as an appetizer for parties?

Yes! These would make a great party appetizer for people to snack on while they’re chatting at a party. Plus then you can serve them right as they’re made and don’t have to worry about them getting soggy!

These Green Bean Fries are an easy, kid-friendly snack or dinner side dish.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

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This peach cobbler dump cake couldn’t be easier! Just dump a few ingredients into a 9×13 pan, stick it in the oven and dessert is served!

easy peach dump cake

Hi friends!

If you’re looking for a recipe that screams summer, this peach cobbler dump cake is a must try! I love the combination of peaches and ice cream and this dump cake just adds a little something extra with a crisp buttery top layer that I love so much.

Why You’ll Love Peach Dump Cake with Canned Peaches in Juice

The best part about this dump cake is that it’s made with just a few simple ingredients and can be made right in the pan you bake it in! No need to dirty up any mixing bowls – just dump, stir and bake!

It’s an easy way to feed a crowd and can even be customized to use a different fruit if you wanted to give that a try!

Healthy Peach Dump Cake

While this is definitely still a dessert, this recipe is a lighter version of a classic peach cobbler dump cake from Ree Drummond and Paula Dean. Recipes like theirs use peaches canned in heavy syrup as well as more butter than mine calls for.

But I think my lightened-up version tastes just as good. I use peaches canned in 100% juice, plus vanilla and cinnamon- no extra added sugar as the base layer. And by grating the butter over the top you can get away with using just one stick instead of a stick and a half like many recipes call for.

peach cobbler dump cake with ice cream

Peach Dump Cake 3 Ingredients

If you count the main ingredients, you technically just need 3 ingredients to make this recipe:

  • Peaches- look for slice peaches canned in 100% juice
  • Yellow cake mix – grab a box of your favorite brand of yellow cake mix
  • Butter – one stick of unsalted butter

For added flavor, I like to add cinnamon and vanilla to the peaches.

How To Make Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

Making this dump cake couldn’t be easier. Here’s how you do it:

  • Dump two cans of sliced peaches into a 9×13 pan. Add some vanilla and cinnamon and stir to combine.
  • Sprinkle a box of yellow cake mix over the top of the peaches.
  • Use a hand grater to grate a cold stick of butter over the top of the cake mix.
  • Bake and enjoy!
3 ingredient peach dump cake recipe

Can you make peach dump cake in the slow cooker?

There are lots of recipes out there for making this recipe in the crockpot. My personal preference is to use the oven because I feel like it does a better job of giving you a crisp-type topping. But if you’re looking to try a slow cooker version, try this Crockpot Peach Dump Cake or this Three-Ingredient Slow Cooker Dump Cake.

Can you make fresh peach dump cake with yellow cake mix?

Yes you can use fresh peaches for this recipe. Just peel and slice about 4 cups of fresh peaches. I would not recommend using frozen peaches for this recipe because they will release more liquid when cooking and your dump cake will likely end up too mushy or won’t cook through.

Peach pie filling vs canned peaches

I recommend using peaches canned in 100% juice for this recipe, not peach pie filling. Peach pie filling contains added sugar that isn’t necessary for this recipe.

Southern Peach Dump Cake Variations

Peach Blueberry Dump Cake

To add blueberries to the mix, you can follow this same recipe and add a cup of fresh blueberries to the peach mixture. Or try this recipe for Blueberry Peach Dump Cake.

Peach and Pineapple Dump Cake

If you’re a fan of pineapple you could try adding some canned pineapple to the mix or try this recipe for Insanely Good Peach Pineapple Dump Cake with Walnuts.

Topping Ideas

Looking to dress up the top a little bit? Try adding a cinnamon and sugar topping to make it more like a coffee cake, add some chopped pecans or walnuts or drizzle with a maple glaze. Here’s an Easy Maple Glaze recipe.

I also highly recommend adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt on top!

Easy Peach Cobbler Dump Cake Recipe

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Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

easy peach cobbler dump cake with vanilla ice cream
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This peach cobbler dump cake couldn’t be easier! Just dump a few ingredients into a 9×13 pan, stick it in the oven and dessert is served!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Yield: 9x13 pan 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (15 oz) cans sliced peaches, in 100% juice
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 box yellow cake mix **
  • 8 Tbsp unsalted butter (one stick), cold

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Dump peaches (with juice) into a 9×13 pan. Add cinnamon and vanilla, stir and spread into an even layer across the pan.
  3. Sprinkle the box of cake mix across the top. Use a spatula to gently flatten cake mix down into the peaches a little bit.
  4. Use a hand grater to shred butter over the top of the cake. Use your fingers to make sure the butter spreads cover the top evenly.
  5. Bake for 45- 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and cake is cooked through in the middle.
  6. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Notes

**A standard box of yellow cake mix is about 15 ounces. If you’re using a gluten-free cake mix, check the weight. If it weighs more than 15 ounces you’ll need to remove some and discard before sprinkling over the peaches. 7 ounces of cake mix is about 1 cup. 

This King Arthur Gluten-Free Cake Mix weighs about 22 oz so I removed and discarded one cup before using the remainder in the recipe.

Super Easy Peach Dump Cake FAQs

Can I make peach cobbler dump cake with canned peaches in syrup instead of juice?

Yes! If you prefer a bit of a sweeter cake, feel free to use peaches canned in syrup.

What’s the difference between a dump cake and a cobbler?

Dump cake gets its name from the fact that to make it you simply dump ingredients into a pan and bake. Cobblers are topped with a dough-type topping that spreads out and bakes whereas in a dump cake, the butter simply melts on top of the cake mix.

If you’re in the mood for more similar desserts try:

What cake mix works best for peach cobbler dump cake?

I prefer yellow cake mix. But you could also use white cake mix or even change things up a bit and try a boxed spice cake mix!

gluten free peach cobbler dump cake

Can I make a gluten-free version of peach cobbler dump cake?

Yes! You can make this cake gluten-free using a boxed gluten-free yellow cake mix. My favorite is King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix. One important thing to note is that gluten-free cake mix tends to be more dense than regular boxed cake mixes. Whereas a box of regular cake mix tends to weigh about 15 oz, gluten-free options can be closer to 18 -22 oz. If this is the case, you’ll need to remove and discard some of the gluten-free cake mix or you’ll end up with dry spots on top of your cake.

How do I prevent my peach cobbler dump cake from being too runny?

Be sure not to add extra liquid. This is why I don’t recommend frozen peaches as they release too much moisture. Also be sure to cook it long enough. It may need up to an hour depending on your oven.

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

This peach cobbler dump cake couldn't be easier! Just dump a few ingredients into a 9x13 pan, stick it in the oven and dessert is served!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–