26 DIY Lunchbox Snacks That Kids Will Absolutely Love

By MyRecipes
Updated August 20, 2019
Credit: Jen Causey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Pam Lolley

From granola bars to homemade trail mix, and so much more, kids will be delighted when they open up their lunchbox at school to see one of these easy, make-ahead snacks. 

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Apple Chips with Honey-Lemon Mint Yogurt Dip

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Styling: Blakeslee Giles and Audrey Davis

Apple Chips with Honey-Lemon Mint Yogurt Dip Recipe

With less sugar and processed ingredients than in store-bought varieties, these DIY lunchbox snacks are made with wholesome ingredients from your own kitchen. From popcorn to fruit bars to trail mix, we have the best healthy make ahead snacks for kids (and you, too!). First up—there's no need to buy pre-packaged apple chips when the real thing is so easy to make at home. These easy baked apple chips make a satisfyingly sweet—and nutritious—snack.

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Nuts and Bolts Trail Mix

Credit: Grant Cornett; Styling: Alistair Turnbull

Nuts and Bolts Trail Mix Recipe

Nuts and Bolts Trail Mix satisfies a sweet and salty craving while giving you an energy boost throughout the day.

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Cranberry Oat Bars

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Cranberry Oat Bars Recipe

Kids will love to snack on these oat bars filled with a sweet cranberry mixture.

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Puppy Chow

Credit: Emma Crist; Styling: Emma Crist

Puppy Chow Recipe

A chocolate-coated, powdered sugar-doused cereal treat is the perfect, portable dessert for shareable snacking. Classic Puppy Chow comes together in under 10 minutes using just a few simple ingredients. It's always a fan-favorite dessert, but if sharing isn't your style, curl up with your remote and a gigantic bowl and indulge all by yourself. Either way, we're not judging.

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Peach-Strawberry Fruit Leather

Credit: Oxmoor House

Peach-Strawberry Fruit Leather Recipe

This kid-friendly fruit snack recipe requires just 4 ingredients. 

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Cheddar Cheese Snack Crackers

Credit: Oxmoor House

Cheddar Cheese Snack Crackers Recipe

Skip the store-bought version and create your own cheesy snack crackers for afternoon snacking. 

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Cheesy Pita Chips

Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen

Cheesy Pita Chips Recipe

Pair these herby, cheesy baked pita chips with your favorite homemade hummus recipe. If you don't have Manchego cheese, you can also use Parmesan cheese.

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No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

These bars are a perfectly portable snack you can prep on Sunday and enjoy throughout the week. Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. The bars will continue to firm up as they chill.

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Sea Salt Soft Pretzels

Credit: Greg Dupree; Styling: Rachel Burrow and Claire Spollen

Sea Salt Soft Pretzels Recipe

Twisted, buttered, and salted. Ball park soft pretzels can be enjoyed at home for a light snack or a crowd-pleasing party appetizer.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Bars

Credit: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Ivy Odom; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Bars Recipe

They’re everything you love about a classic PB&J sandwich, but in cookie form (i.e. way better). These peanut butter and jelly bars feature a chewy peanut butter cookie layer, topped with a sweet-tart jammy layer, and finished off with a crunchy peanut butter streusel. While they would make for a perfect lunchbox treat to send with your kiddos (particularly if you’re not already packing them a PB&J sandwich), these nostalgic, deliciously balanced cookie bars are also a huge hit with the grown-up crowd. Pack them up for your next tailgate or potluck, and ready yourself for rave reviews. We went with grape jam for our bars, but feel free to use your favorite flavor instead. 

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Fruit and Nut Chewy Bars

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Fruit and Nut Chewy Bars Recipe

These homemade fruit and nut bars are a refreshing alternative to packaged granola bars.  Be sure to use Medjool dates — the bars will be too dry otherwise. 

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Microwave Sweet Potato Chips

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Paige Hicks

Microwave Sweet Potato Chips Recipe

When the chip craving strikes, look no further than these healthy, homemade chips. Pro tip: You'll need a mandoline to slice the potato thin enough to crisp.

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Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas Recipe

Dry your chickpeas as thoroughly as possible before cooking to ensure a satisfyingly crisp result. If you're planning to pack these flavor-coated, fiber-filled poppers as a to-go snack, be sure to allow them to cool completely on a flat surface first.

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Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Credit: John Autry

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

This crowd-pleasing recipe is chocolately but not too sweet -- making these muffins perfect for breakfast or any other time of day.

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Smoked Paprika Popcorn

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Smoked Paprika Popcorn Recipe

Inspired by the explosion of pre-popped popcorn on the market, we came up with some fresh and easy snacks of our own. The key to flavorful popcorn is to toss it very well with the butter first, then with the seasonings.

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Peanut Butter and Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Credit: Marcus Nilsson; Styling: Robyn Glaser

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Dipped Pretzels Recipe

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Dipped Pretzels are a  salty, sweet pick-up dessert that's just as ideal for a snack as it is for a party.

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Pistachio-Apple Bars with Chia Seeds

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin

Pistachio-Apple Bars with Chia Seeds Recipe

These homemade bars combine fruit and nut flavors to make a tasty snack. 

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Marshmallow Popcorn Treats with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Credit: Jason Varney; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Marshmallow Popcorn Treats with Dark Chocolate Drizzle Recipe

Reminiscent of classic popcorn balls, these salty-sweet treats make for awesome low-fat, lunch box-friendly snacking. Make a batch with the kids this weekend to enjoy throughout the week.

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Miniature Corn Muffins

Miniature Corn Muffins Recipe

Savory corn muffins are a delicious accompaniment to any lunch and a healthy alternative to high-calorie packaged muffins. Plus, the size makes them easy for little hands to manage.

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Homemade Applesauce

Homemade Applesauce Recipe

Applesauce is a lunchbox staple. And when you make your own, you can customize the flavor by varying the spices, types of apples, and amount of added sugar.

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Apricot Streusel Bars

Apricot Streusel Bars Recipe

These are a delicious alternative to boxed cereals and granola bars. You can tuck them in a lunchbox or carry in the car for an on-the-go breakfast. Play around with different nuts and preserves for an endless variety of flavor combinations.

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Best Fudgy Brownies

Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Pam Lolley

Best Fudgy Brownies Recipe

Meet your new go-to recipe for homemade brownies. These decadent treats are extra rich and fudgy, thanks to a double hit of baking chocolate and bittersweet chocolate morsels. They’re incredibly easy to make, plus you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. And while we’re definitely not above boxed brownie mixes, these homemade brownies would certainly steal the show at any party or get-together.

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Pimento Cheese Puffs

Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Sarah Epperson

Pimento Cheese Puffs Recipe

Classic French gougères with a Southern remix. These airy pimiento cheese puffs make an impressive addition to virtually any party spread. While the choux pastry dough may seem intimidating to make, trust us—success is just a matter of not walking away from the pan. As long as you can stay put and keep stirring (so that your dough doesn’t burn), you can make gougères. 

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Copycat Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pies

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey

Copycat Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pies Recipe

Is this recipe an exact replica of Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pies? No. These are better. Rather than thin cakes, we went for oatmeal cookies that pack an almost peanut-butter-like flavor without any nuts. The crème filling completely nails what we love about the prepackaged pies, but takes things further with an almost airy, marshmallow-based consistency. If that doesn’t convince you, preparing these at home is just as quick (if not faster) than a grocery run.

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Raspberry, Sumac, and Almond Snack Cake

Credit: Annie Campbell

Raspberry, Sumac, and Almond Snack Cake Recipe

Featuring a delightfully crunchy almond topping along with the delicate sunny brightness of sumac, this cake is effortlessly impressive. And given how easy it is to whip up, it’s a perfect go-to recipe for any occasion that calls for a special treat. Lightly toasting the almond flour before incorporating it into the batter imbues the cake with a delicious toasty depth; however, if you’re in a hurry, rest assured, the overall success of the recipe is not incumbent on this step. Serve as-is or with lightly sweetened whipped cream. 

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Chai Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Credit: Jen Causey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Pam Lolley

Chai Swirl Cheesecake Bars Recipe

These eye-catching dessert bars taste like your favorite chai latte, reimagined in cheesecake form. Featuring flavorful swirls of chai-infused cream cheese filling, each bite offers richly aromatic, spiced flavor set against a cool and creamy vanilla cheesecake backdrop. They’re a simple dessert to make, but undeniably impressive. 

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