Healthy Snacks for Camp

It’s every child’s favorite time of year: summer!  No school, no homework, and most importantly, it’s time for camp!  Make sure you send your kids off to their favorite day camps with the nutrition they’ll need to fuel all of their daytime activities.  Healthy snacks that are high in protein and have a good balance of healthy fat and carbohydrates will give your kids the boost of energy they need to keep on playing all day long.  Of course, some fruits and vegetables thrown in for some added vitamins and nutrients never hurt either!  Below are some of our favorite kid and camp-friendly snacks- what others can you think of?

1. Fruit and Cheese Kabobs 

Fruit and cheese are a classic combination, and making them into a kabob turns them into a fun snack for kids!  The natural sugars in the fruit will give a burst of energy, while the protein in the cheese will help sustain that energy throughout the day.  You and your kids can even make these together the night before and discover your favorite fruit and cheese combinations.

2. Hummus and Vegetable Slices

The perfect go-to summertime snack, hummus, is cool, protein-packed, and delicious.  And with so many recipe options, even the pickiest of eaters will find one they love!  Pair any hummus with carrots, celery, cucumbers, peppers or whichever vegetables you want for the perfect camp snack!

3. Homemade Popcorn

There are little snacks as fun as popcorn!  The sugars in the corn will perk up any sluggish camper, and it’s super easy to pack up.  Want to spice things up?  Create different blends of spices and seasonings to flavor up the popcorn.  Get your kids’ input and have them help come up with combinations until you find your perfect blend! 

4. Meat and Cheese Rollups

Talk about a protein punch!  When your kids need an energy boost that will last all day, this should be their go-to snack.  Simply have them pick out their favorite lunchmeat and sliced cheese and roll them up- you can even add in a leaf of spinach if you want to sneak in some greens!  Then pop in a pretzel stick to hold everything in place.  Juice Plus+ tip: We recommend getting your lunchmeat and cheese sliced fresh from the deli section of the grocery store.  It has far less sodium than the pre-packaged brands, and far more natural ingredients.

5. Apples and Peanut Butter

For a quick and easy snack, you can never go wrong with apples and peanut butter.  (Squeezing some lemon juice on the sliced apples will help them from turning brown throughout the day).  You can even use a different nut if you prefer, or make your own peanut butter at home.  The sugars in the apple will give an immediate burst of energy and the protein from the peanut butter will keep your kids fueled all day long.

6. Juice Plus+ Complete Nutrition Bars

Made from wholesome ingredients, you can trust that by giving your kids Juice Plus+ Complete nutrition bars, you’re providing them whole food nutrition.  Packed with protein and fiber, these bars are not only delicious, but are made with the nutrients necessary to keep your kids playing all day long.  Plus, the convenient on-the-go packaging makes it the perfect summer camp snack.

What healthy snacks do you send with your kids when they go to camp?  Share with us in the comments!

References:

http://www.howdoesshe.com/40-healthy-snacks-for-kids/
http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/13-different-ways-make-hummus
http://www.themakeyourownzone.com/2013/12/homemade-gifts-popcorn-seasoning.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-peanut-butter-recipe.html