"Mom, I'm hungry! I want a snack!"

"Moooom I'm hungry! I want a snack!" This is the dreaded phrase heard 'round the world, typically 1-2 hours before every family's scheduled dinner time. It can be so tempting to go to your kitchen's snack cabinet and pull out a quick (often-processed) snack item. I want to make clear, there is no shame in doing so. That said, these snacking moments are a wonderful way to bring your kids into the kitchen and let them take the lead on their own healthy snacks.

I've found that when my kids help prepare their own healthy snacks, something magical happens: they stop being passive (often whiney) observers and start becoming "mini chefs". They love putting on their chef's hat and apron, and using their special safety knives. When my kids slice their cucumbers or remove the greens from their strawberries, they develop a sense of ownership over that snack. The end result no longer just "Mom’s healthy food"—it’s their creation.

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What do the experts say?

• A 2022 study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior showed that younger children were significantly more likely to choose and prefer vegetables they had a hand in preparing, reporting feelings of pride and responsibility.

• According to USU Extension, kids who regularly help with meal prep tend to eat an additional serving of vegetables every day compared to those who do not.

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Getting Started

Equipped with their own cutting board, a safety knife, and a clean pair of hands, they’re ready to dive in and start creating their own snacks. We like to do snack prep once my kids get home from school. They typically munch and crunch when they are in the kitchen creating.

We always have a variety of fruits and veggies to choose from. I like to try to offer at least 2 different veggies and one fruit. Cucumbers, snap peas, tomatoes, rainbow bell peppers, carrots, and fresh garden beans are some of our favorites. We also like to include berries, apples, bananas, or orange slices (my kids call them "orange smiles").

Once the kids have finished their creations, we cover them and pop them in the fridge. Later, when the inevitable 'Mom, I’m hungry!' rolls around, I’m ready with a nourishing snack that won't ruin their appetite for dinner.

Find more nourishing, kid-approved recipes here. I’d love to hear from you—leave a comment with your favorite kitchen memories or your best strategies for healthy snacking!