A few years ago, I had the honor of teaching a “Healthy Snack Making” workshop at the West Virginia State PTA Convention.

The convention was held at Lakeview Golf Resort on Cheat Lake in Morgantown, WV. While the adults attended meetings, the youth had their own schedule filled with workshops and activities—and I was invited to be part of that experience.

Since I’m usually known for baking cookies and sweet treats, this was a bit of a new challenge for me—but one I was excited to take on. Today, I’d love to share some of the highlights and ideas from that workshop in hopes that they inspire you to create fun, healthy snacks with the children in your life this summer.

Getting Ready for the Healthy Snack Workshop

I gathered ideas from Pinterest, watched videos on creative lunchbox meals, and even asked my grandchildren for suggestions. I must admit—I learned quite a bit myself along the way!

Because we didn’t have access to a stove or oven, everything needed to be simple, no-cook, and hands-on.

To keep things organized, I:

• Gave each child their own plastic cutting board sheet
• Prepared Ziploc bags with plastic utensils and napkins
• Set up different “stations” for interactive snack-making

After introductions, we were ready to get started! I had planned 4 areas of healthy snack ideas.

Popcorn Bar

This turned out to be a favorite!

I found these cute Popcorn containers at the dollar store and set up a large container of popcorn along with a variety of fun toppings:

• Granola
• Dried fruit
• Mini candies
• Goldfish crackers
• Mini pretzels
• Teddy Grahams
• Yogurt-covered raisins

We talked about portion control, and the kids used measuring cups to add toppings to their popcorn.

They loved getting creative—and we also talked about fun occasions to make popcorn mixes, like:

• Working on school or scout projects
• Movie nights
• Pool days
• Parties
• Playing games

 

 

 

 

HEALTHY SNACK STATIONS

Next, we talked about creating grab-and-go snack stations at home.

These can be as simple as a basket in the pantry or a bin in the refrigerator filled with ready-to-eat snacks. They’re perfect for busy days when kids are heading out the door to:

• Ball practice
• Summer activities
• Playing with friends

Preparing snacks ahead of time makes it so much easier for kids to make healthy choices on their own.

 

Example of one done for pantry and one for the refrigerator.

Parfait Bar at the Healthy Snack Workshop

This was my personal favorite—and a big hit with the kids too!

Each child received a clear plastic parfait cup, and I demonstrated how to layer their ingredients.

 

We included:

• Vanilla and strawberry yogurt
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Vanilla wafer crumbs
• Granola options
• Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, pineapple, bananas)
• Whipped topping
• Honey

The kids had so much fun building their own creations—and I discovered that I love strawberry yogurt parfaits myself!

 This is a healthier option when you are really wanting something sweet.

 

 

 

 

Rockin’ the Lunch Box

For this station, we focused on building a balanced lunch. We discussed how many take their lunch, who packs it for them, and what foods they like to take.

Each child received a bento-style lunch box and was asked to include items from four food groups:

• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Protein
• Whole grains/carbohydrates

Food Options Included:

Fruits:

• Apple slices, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, banana, orange, pineapple
• They could eat them as-is, make kabobs, or add yogurt for dipping

Vegetables:

• Carrots, celery, peppers, broccoli, cucumbers
• Many already loved adding peanut butter to celery

Proteins & Grains:

• Used to create wraps, sandwiches, and kabobs
• We also had turkey and cheese slices 

The kids were incredibly creative—especially with wraps, which were definitely the biggest hit!

I was amazed at how much the children actually knew about packing a healthy lunch, and how many of them did like the right kinds of foods.  

They were so creative!

They did a great job and the wraps were certainly the biggest hit!

The children were eating their foods as fast as we were putting things together and I really enjoyed watching them.  I believe that children will always eat better and healthier if they are involved in making the choices of food and they are helping to prepare it.

Here are some other snack ideas to try with your children:
After School Snack Board
Trail Mix Cookie Cups

I had a lot of fun,  and  admire the PTA members that included their children in this convention.