Bananas are the mom trifecta of snack foods: healthy, easy, and cheap. You don’t have to decipher labels to see what terrible things may or may not be in them, they take next to no prep, and they even come in their own compostable packaging.
The problem is that kids (at least mine) get tired of bananas. After eating bananas almost every day for their first 2-3 years of life, they suddenly claim to not like them.
What?!
No. Just no. They WILL love to eat bananas, which is where these super easy snacks come in!
What I love about these banana snacks is that they all use the same ingredients, so each kid can have whatever one they want, and I don’t have to get out anything new to make it.
If you’ve got bananas, raisins, honey, and nut butter (we like almond and peanut), you are good to make all three snacks. You could sub chocolate chips if raisins will be a hard sell.
Banana Train
The Banana Train is by far the easiest. I spread the nut butter track on the banana, and the kids line up their raisins as the train cars. Easy as can be! They can get in some good counting practice as well.
Banana Man
Banana Man is almost as easy as the train, it only involves some additional cutting and arranging. The good thing is that an older kid could do it themselves or make it for a younger sibling. Sometimes, when a kid is crabby, I make him frowning and then talk to him in front of them. “Why are you so grumpy today, Mr. Banana? Are you afraid someone will bite your nose off?” That usually does the trick!
Banana Nachos
Banana Nachos are my toddler’s favorite. Spread the nut butter along the banana just like the other two snacks. Slice, sprinkle raisins, and drizzle a tiny bit of honey over it.
Ahhh…satisfaction! Cheap, easy, and healthy snacks for the win!
So the question to your kids is not, “Do you want a banana for snack?” but “How would you like your banana for snack?”