9 Easy Bedtime Snack Ideas for Kids

The bedtime snack: should you, or shouldn't you?! This is a question that comes up often when working with families. If you're offering the "right" snacks, there are a lot of benefits to adding a bedtime snack to your child's routine. Benefits of a bedtime snack include:

an extra few minutes to connect with your child during the bedtime routine (note: no phones allowed!)
a reduction in bedtime battles - your child won't ask for a snack as a way to delay bedtime if you've already built this in
a boost of protein and healthy fats will set your kids up for a full night of sleep (more on this below!)

In today's blog post, Misa Pignataro, of Misa's Clean Kitchen shares some great info about the benefits of a nutrition-packed bedtime snack. She also gives us ideas for 9 easy to prepare, delicious snack ideas that your kids will actually eat.

Misa shares, "When it comes to after dinner snacks for kids, it is important to focus on including protein and healthy fats with minimal to no sugar in order to set your kids up for a successful night sleep. Protein and healthy fats are key to stabilize blood sugar, which will help slow the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream, preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes in the middle of the night. If your child is waking regularly, it could be because of a blood sugar spike and crash.

Here are some protein-rich, healthy fat snacks that are great for kids, provide minimal effort to make, and are mostly whole foods which can help balance blood sugar while promoting a good night's sleep:"

Cheese and pepperoni: We love Applegate for clean ingredients. For cheese, ideally you are looking for goat or sheep cheese or grass-fed cheese.

Meat Stick: Primal Snack Mates meat sticks are the perfect size for little ones and are made with simple ingredients. I love that they come in a variety of flavors too, My daughter's favorite flavor is pizza.

Nut Butter and Banana: Spread almond or peanut butter on a banana. You can also sprinkle some shredded coconut, hempseeds, cacao nibs, or cinnamon on top for extra nutrition. We call these banana nachos!

Cheese and apple slices: String cheese is great for convenience.

Hard-Boiled Eggs: A classic protein-packed snack! Serve a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning or a pinch of sea salt for added flavor.

Plain yogurt with frozen wild berries: Full fat, plain Greek yogurt is a great option because of its high protein content. Ideally look for organic and grass-fed.

Rice cake with nut butter: We love the Lundburg Thin stackers with peanut butter. Add some fresh fruit on top and ground flaxseed, for added nutrition. Make sure your nut butter is just nuts and salt.

Trail Mix: Make a homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, raisins and a few dark chocolate chips, if desired. This combo provides protein, healthy fats, and a little sweetness. Make sure to look at the ingredients and look for nuts, seeds, and dried fruit without added seed oils or sugar.

Two more great ideas from Misa (not pictured)

Protein Smoothie: Blend Greek yogurt with a banana, spinach, and a tablespoon of nut butter. You can also add some flaxseed or chia seeds for healthy fats.
Plain Cottage Cheese with Fruit: Serve cottage cheese topped with berries.

These snacks are not only nutritious but also tasty and appealing to kids, helping them wind down and feel satisfied before bed!

Thanks for these awesome ideas, Misa! If you're ready to add a bedtime snack as part of your routine, be sure to check out my post, "What to Do When You're Child Demands a Bedtime Snack" for some important do's and don'ts. The tips in this article will ensure that having a bedtime snack helps your child go down more smoothly instead of creating more bedtime battles.

Also be sure to check out Misa's website! Misa is an amazing resource for helping families establish healthy eating habits in really fun ways. My family did one of her programs, and it changed the way our kids eat and think about food in so many ways.

If your child's bedtime battles are about so much more than bedtime snacks, I can help! Book your free 20 minute Discovery Call and we'll talk about why your child is struggling with sleep and how I can help you totally transform your child's bedtime and nighttime sleep.