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40 Quick Healthy Snacks you can Pack in a Lunchbox 

Snacks are essential in a lunchbox, kids are hungry all the time, especially at school. But lunchboxes need to be filled with interesting foods, as well as nutritious foods (and if your school has a healthy lunchbox program, foods that fit within that program). 

This is a list of 40 tasty, healthy, child friendly snacks that are also budget friendly. If you are buying snacks you'll know how much they add to your grocery budget. Most of these snacks can be put together very quickly, from basic pantry and fridge ingredients - things you most likely already have on your shopping list - so they won't add to your grocery bill.
  1. Low-fat yoghurt with a bit of toasted muesli on top.
  2. Pretzels (you can dip them in spicy mustard if desired).
  3. Rice cakes – spread with natural peanut butter and top with banana slices or sultanas.
  4. Wholegrain cheese sandwich – cut it in half for a smaller snack.
  5. Chicken or turkey and cheese wrap made with a wholemeal tortilla – skip the mayonnaise and fill it up with plenty of lettuce and tomatoes instead. 
  6. Fruit salad – cut up a bunch of fresh fruit and drizzle it with a bit of lemon juice as a natural preservative. Keep the fruit handy in the fridge to make it easy to grab instead of biscuits or cake. 
  7. Fresh fruit – great portable fruit includes apples, grapes, pears, peaches and bananas.
  8. Chicken salad wrap made with low-fat mayonnaise – add sprouts, lettuce, grated carrots and tomatoes for a more filling wrap that also has some additional nutritional value. 
  9. Apple slices topped with low-fat cheese. 
  10. Ants on a log – create these with celery sticks topped with cream cheese or peanut butter and sultanas.  Ants on a log are always a favourite of adults and kids alike.  
  11. Dried fruits and nuts mix – for added interest, include a few M&Ms for your kids and call it “Trail Mix”. Low-sugar, dry cereal works well in this also. 
  12. Raw veggies – goes great with low-fat dip or hummus. 
  13. Salad (pack dressing separately) – customise it with your favourite raw vegetables, cold meats, cheeses and egg for a filling snack or lunch. 
  14. Pita chips or corn chips and salsa – easy to pack.  
  15. Low-fat cheese and wholemeal tortilla quesadilla – add some chicken or ham if desired.
  16. Pita bread – cut it open and fill it with your favourite hummus and fresh, grated veggies. 
  17. Fruit smoothie – make your own with frozen fruit and low-fat yoghurt. You can carry this with you in an insulated mug. You can buy dedicated yoghurt chiller bags now to keep your yoghurt cool. They're around $5 each and you'll find them with the lunchboxes and drink bottles at your supermarket.
  18. Cut up fruit – fruits such as apple and pear slices go great with low-fat fruit or vanilla yogurt to dip.
  19. Air popped popcorn – always a great snack, but be sure to choose a brand with low sodium and no butter. 
  20. Cup of dry, low-sugar cereal – you can package these in small sized sandwich bags as a great (almost) mess-free portable snack. 
  21. Wholemeal crackers – top these with cheese, lean cold meat, tuna or peanut butter. 
  22. Sunflower seeds – these yummy seeds make another great portable snack. For a bit of variety, you can also mix with other nuts and seeds. 
  23. Pudding cups – sold in a wide variety of flavours and available in single serving cups, these are great for those on the go snacks. Better still MOO them, they're quick and easy.
  24. Jelly and fruit cups – available as single serving cups, pick your favourite fruits. Of course you can also make your own with jelly and plenty of diced fresh or tinned fruit. 
  25. Cottage cheese – eat it plain or topped with fresh fruit.  You can choose low-fat cottage cheese for a healthier version. Mix it with a little honey and chopped mint for a delicious dip to have with fruit wedges.
  26. Bran or banana muffins – make your own and substitute the oil with apple sauce for a great healthy snack. 
  27. Low-fat cheese sticks – cheese makes another great portable snack. Eat it alone or mix it up by wrapping some thin sliced ham or salami around the cheese sticks. 
  28. Dried fruit – you can find anything from apples to pineapples dried. They make a great sweet and crunchy snack. Banana chips are also always a great option. 
  29. Edamame – these are soy beans in their shell. Steam them and top with a bit of salt or lemon juice. 
  30. Apple sauce – apple sauce is available in single serving cups, look for the no added sugar brands. 
  31. Natural, all-fruit leathers – these are a great healthy alternative to sugar snacks like fruit rollups. 
  32. Muesli bars – you can choose from all kinds of different low-sugar cereal bars or use your favourite recipe to MOO them. 
  33. Low-fat or soy milk – a cup of milk can make a very filling snack on the go. 
  34. Chocolate dipped strawberries – if you have a chocolate craving, dip some strawberries or other fresh fruit into melted dark chocolate for a yummy and healthy treat. 
  35. Tofu smoothie with fruit – get some tofu and blend it with frozen fruit into a creamy smoothie. 
  36. Crackers – kids are sure to love them with Vegemite or cheese or hummus. 
  37. Fruit and cheese kebabs – alternate chunks of fresh fruit and cheese cubes and thread them on a bamboo skewer for a fun, and of course, healthy snack. 
  38. Cooked sweet potato – just cut it up in chunks. They are delicious warm or cold. 
  39. Avocado chunks – If the avocado gets very ripe and “squishy”, spread it on some wholemeal toast, just like you would butter.
  40. Lettuce wraps – take a large leaf of lettuce and top it with raw veggies, ham or turkey and a little low-fat ranch dressing. Wrap up and serve.