If you’re a busy parent, you can never have enough vegetarian kid’s snack options! But sometimes it’s easy to have the same couple of snacks on rotation.
Especially when they are following a vegetarian or plant based diet, options can feel limited. But giving your child as much variety as possible is the best way to prevent deficiencies in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
That’s why I’ve created an endless list of vegetarian kid’s snack ideas, including fruits, vegetables, salty snacks, and sweet treats. Some are quick store bought options and others are simple recipes. Something for everyone!
What makes a healthy vegetarian kid’s snack?
When choosing healthy vegetarian or vegan snacks for your child, try to look for one or more of the following:
High protein (5 grams or more per serving)
Protein is an essential part of a child’s diet. And many kids, especially picky eaters, aren’t getting enough!
I always recommend trying to pack protein into snacks because it takes some of the pressure off of meal times. Kids can often get overwhelmed with large serving sizes of non-preferred foods at meals, so snacks are a perfect way to increase the variety in their diet!
To make it a “high protein” snack, look on the nutrition label for 5 grams of protein per serving or more.
Fiber
Kids need fiber to keep their gut healthy, but also because fibrous foods hold many of the vitamins and minerals kids need to thrive!
Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains. For kids older than 2, use their age + 5 to determine their daily fiber needs (1). For example, a 6-year-old needs 11 grams of fiber per day.
Variety
This is a simple, but super underrated tactic when picking snacks. We want to look for as much variety as possible. The more variety offered to a child, the less likely they are to develop picky eating behaviors.
We especially want to avoid serving the same brand consistently. If a child starts to create brand dependency (ie they will only eat cheese if it’s a particular brand), this could be a red flag for worsened picky eating.
Now that we know what to look for, let’s check out 45 examples of Vegetarian Kid’s Snacks.
45 Vegetarian Kid’s Snacks
Salty Snacks
Trail Mix
This is one of my favorites because it’s easy to bring on the go and adaptable to your child’s taste buds. Depending on the ingredients, it can be a great source of healthy fat and plant-based protein. My favorite store-bought options are Omega-3, Target Good & Gather, and Planter’s Nutrition Packs.
Popcorn
Packed with 3 grams of fiber per serving which makes it a great filling snack. Try to look for varieties without butter, but that use healthier fats like olive oil or sunflower oil.
Rice Cakes with Nut Butter
Takes less than 1 minute to make and can be a sweet or salty snack. Use any nut butter that your child prefers on top of a salty rice cake.
High Protein Guacamole
Guacamole is a great way to boost your child’s calorie intake in a healthy way. And adding protein-packed chickpeas makes it a well-rounded vegetarian option! See the recipe here.
Bean & Cheese Quesadilla
Beans and cheese offer a great source of vegetarian protein. Plus, if you use a high-fiber tortilla, you’re squeezing in even more fiber and protein into this great snack!
Harvest Snaps
These are delicious baked green peas with the texture of veggie straws. Crispy, salty, and easy to pack on the go!
Pretzels with Peanut Butter
Peanut butter (or any nut butter) is a quick and easy way to get vegetarian-based protein. If your child doesn’t like peanut butter – almond butter, cashew butter, or sun butter are all great choices.
Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is a perfectly balanced snack, and can be eaten on your kid’s favorite piece of bread or some crackers.
Dried Seaweed
Don’t be intimidated by these! They are crispy, salty, and have a very similar texture to a thin potato chip. Try them with your kids!
Roasted Chickpeas
These are incredibly easy to make at home! Season and bake chickpeas for 30 minutes at 400F until they turn crispy! Or you can skip the prep and buy them pre-made.
Black Bean Hummus
Packed with protein and fiber! You can use hummus as a dip for vegetables and crackers or as a spread on sandwiches and wraps.
Fruits & Veggies
Vegetables with Hummus
Pick your child’s favorite vegetable and serve with my quick 5-minute hummus recipe!
Frozen Grapes
These are a new take on a fruit they already know and love! Offering kids their current “accepted foods” in a different way is a great method to help prevent picky eating.
Apple Nachos
Another great way to re-invent apples for your kids. Start with apple slices laid out on a plate, and drizzle melted chocolate or caramel. Top with their favorites – nuts, coconut flakes, sprinkles, cinnamon, etc.
Dried Fruit
Simple, yet effective! Keep several dried fruits on hand for a quick energy boost.
Cherry Tomatoes with Mozzarella
Cherry tomatoes and bite-sized mozzarella are a great source of protein and vitamin C. For a kid-friendly snack, have your kids help you skewer them on some fun toothpicks.
Carrots and Ranch
A classic, for a reason! Feel free to use whatever ranch you’d like, or make your own ranch-style dip like this green goddess herb dip.
Edamame
Kids love a snack that comes with a built-in activity. Learning how to get the edamame from its shell is also a great way to practice oral-motor skills.
Dried Fruit Strips
Several brands do a great job of simplifying the ingredients to just dried fruit! Some of my favorites are Thats It, Bear Fruit Rolls, and Good and Gather Fruit Strips.
Dairy
Yogurt Parfait with Granola and Berries
Lots of variety and plenty of nutrients – protein, fiber, and calcium 🙂 Read more here to identify some dietitian-approved yogurt brands for kids.
Siggis Yogurt Pouches
These are a great store-bought option for on the go! They have great flavor variety and a great nutrition profile.
Frozen Yogurt Bark
This is one of my favorite quick snacks to make-ahead the night before. Freeze one container of plain yogurt on a lined baking tray and top with your child’s favorite toppings. Freeze overnight and enjoy the next day.
Cottage Cheese with Pineapple
A great alternative to yogurt! If your child does not like the texture of cottage cheese, try blending it! Use a couple of tablespoons of water and a dash of honey to thin it out and give it a sweet flavor your kids will love.
Cheese Stick
Plenty of flavor variety and a great source of calcium and protein. Plus, pulling off each part of a string cheese stick encourages “play” during snack time, which might pique their interest in trying a new food!
Yogurt with Cereal
Using yogurt as a base for cereal instead of milk helps boost the calories, protein, and calcium! Read here for dietitian-approved yogurt brands.
Stonyfield Yogurt Pouches
These are another great option for on the go! They are also low in added sugar and come in great flavor varieties.
Cheese Pinwheels
Wrap 2-3 slices of cheese in a tortilla and slice into 1-inch pieces. For more flavor, spread the tortilla with hummus first!
Yogurt-covered Frozen Berries
Dip berries into yogurt and place on a lined baking tray. Freeze overnight and enjoy the next day!
Bagel with Cream Cheese
Bagels with cream cheese are a great way to expand a picky eater’s diet because there are endless flavor combinations to work with. Use these mini bagels for a vegetarian protein-packed snack.
Cheese & Grape Skewers
Use whatever cheese cubes and grapes your child likes! For a kid-friendly snack, have your kids help you skewer them on some fun toothpicks.
Chobani Probiotic Drinks
These are an easy way to get probiotics into your child’s diet!
Sweet Treats
Madegood Granola Minis
An easy sweet treat to bring on the go! Plus, its lower in sugar and high in fiber than most other kid’s granola bar brands.
Chocolate Chip Baked Oats
This is one of my favorite recipes for a late-night snack for kids. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and you likely have all the ingredients already in your pantry!
Fruit & Yogurt Smoothie
Again – SO interchangeable based on your child’s food preferences. My go-to baseline recipe for a kid’s smoothie is fiber + protein + calcium.
Fiber: any fruit or vegetable
Protein: yogurt, protein powder, cottage cheese, nut butter
Calcium: milk or calcium-fortified non-dairy milk
Applesauce
Quick and easy! Applesauce is a good source of calcium and potassium.
Oatmeal Energy Bites
This recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes and your kids can help you make it! I love to prep these ahead to have a nutrient-dense snack option ready any time!
Peanut Butter & Berry Roll Up
Spread peanut butter and smashed berries on a tortilla and roll. Cut into 1 inch size pieces to serve. This is another good example of serving an old favorite in a new way – which prevents picky eating!
Larabars
Full of fiber and a huge selection of flavors to choose from! See other dietitian-approved granola bars here.
Peanut Butter-Stuffed Dates
This is an easy sweet treat to make at home that takes less than 5 minutes. Split a date in half and remove the pit. Fill with peanut butter (and some chocolate chips)!
Perfect Bar
Another great bar option for kids. They just came out with the mini version which is great for snack time!
Blueberry Oat Muffins
A simple make-ahead recipe to have for busy moments throughout the week.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Bars
One of my favorites! This recipe is a sweet take on a kid’s favorite.
Mini Zucchini Muffins
Zucchini Muffins are a great way to introduce zucchini into your child’s diet! They might not be interested in the vegetable by itself, but having them taste it in the muffins creates a known positive experience in the food, making them more likely to try it down the road.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
This recipe follows my basic smoothie equation, fiber + protein + calcium. The fiber comes from banana, protein from peanut butter, and blend using your favorite milk as a source of calcium.
GoMacro Kids Bars
These bars come in tons of flavors and have WAY less sugar than most kid’s granola bars
That rounds off our list! 45 dietitian-approved vegetarian kid’s snacks. They all have something to contribute to your child’s nutrition – protein, fiber, variety, or all three! Looking for more information about kid’s snacks? Check out 50 Healthy Snacks to Eat with Braces.
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