9 Summer Snacks Kids Can’t Get Enough of

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My kids are home from school, your kids are home from school … which means aaaallll of the snacks. And even more snacks when they get together to play! And since you might have the neighbor kids running over to play or inviting friends to bring their kids over after work to play (and have a drink), it can help to think through which supplies to keep on hand to feed everyone.

In my house, having three kids home all summer long feels a little like an endless playdate, so most of these snacks are ones we keep on hand regardless of who might pop over. But I find them to be fairly universally appealing to kids of most ages — and there are enough options here that you can adjust for any food allergy concerns as needed.

I love to have a mix of shelf-stable snacks on hand that the kids can pick and choose from at snack time, plus produce in the fridge (and freezer!). And due to my own specific job perks, I almost always have a homemade snack or two around too. Each of these ideas is easy to serve and eat. 

Which is perfect since the kids will really just want to get back to playing anyway!

Full disclosure: I love these perhaps more than my kids do, so we always have them around for snack time. They come in all a range of flavors (arguably blueberry and raspberry are the best) and pair really nicely with a glass of milk. Our favorite kind is from Nature’s Bakery. Parent tip: cut them into small pieces for easy-to-eat bites.

Summer means giant watermelons, so do yourself a favor and cut some into sticks to freeze into “pops”. These will surprise the kids and help them cool off when they’ve been outside running around in the heat.

Whether you prefer to buy or make popsicles, they are a great kids snack to have on hand in the freezer. I often dice up all of the leftover fruit from kids meals, add them to popsicle molds, and pour in just enough lemonade to cover for a delicious sweet-tart fruit pop.

We always have cheese sticks (in two flavors because my three kids refuse to all eat the same kind, of course) and they pair perfectly with Triscuits. (Opt for Triscuits Thin Crisps for kids under 2 1/2 as they are much easier to chew.)

Whether store-bought or homemade with a reusable pouch, applesauce pouches are a super easy snack to share for any age of kid. (I do not understand why these are always exciting to my kids and their friends, but whatever works!)

Sure, these do have a little less sugar than a classic granola bar, but they’re also the perfect chewy texture. They come in a few flavors, though we like the chocolate chip flavor best.

Since energy bites last for weeks in the fridge, we usually have some in our fridge. And we’ll happily share at a playdate. I like to pop each one into a mini paper cupcake wrapper since it instantly makes them feel a little more special (even though they’re really just oatmeal and peanut butter!).

If we have friends stop by and I have a few more minutes to prep their snack, I pull out some fruit and veggies to make them a little snack tray. Cucumbers, snap peas, thinly sliced carrots, grapes, berries, and the like are easy and also hydrating — which is a nice plus in the summer. (Put out some Ranch for easy veggie dipping!)

In my 9 years as a parent, I’ve discovered that there’s a reason that some kids’ snacks are so ubiquitous … they’re really good. Goldfish are delicious, there I said it. We prefer the classic ones, which are just salty enough to satisfy.