Almost as soon as children are off school for the summer the demand for a near constant feeding schedule starts. While breakfast, lunch, dinner and the odd snack for nine or 10 months of the year, the summer routine goes more like pre-breakfast, breakfast, snack one, pre-lunch, lunch, early dessert, snacks for half the estate, dinner, late dessert, evening snack and bedtime bits. It’s hard to keep up both in terms of ideas for what to make and how to finance it all. So we’ve done the work for you, here are some fun ideas to keep hungry tummies full that won’t break the bank.
Remember, snacks do more than fill bellies; they boost mood, concentration and energy, making long summer days smoother and more enjoyable. With Lidl quality produce and great value on your side, you’re ready to run the snack marathon with ease and keep your family smiling all summer long.
Stocking up: healthy snacks to have on hand
One of the smartest ways to survive the summer snacking marathon is to always be prepared. Having a stash of ready-to-eat, healthy and appealing snacks on hand can help you avoid tantrums, meltdowns and snack-time battles. Stocking up on fresh, quality produce and wholesome ingredients means you’ll be ready when those little mouths need feeding and the hours are long.
Fresh fruit and veggies: the foundation of great snacks
Lidl offers a terrific range of kid-friendly produce like mini cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and mini peppers – perfect for nibbling or dipping. Pair these with healthy dips like hummus or guacamole for a colourful, vitamin-packed snack that provides energy and fibre.
READ MORE
Apples are great value and perfect sliced and paired with peanut butter or yoghurt for a satisfying treat. Oranges sliced into wedges and served cold from the fridge are great on a hot day. For a fun snack your children might have spotted on US TV shows, try “Ants on a Log”: celery sticks spread with peanut butter and topped with raisins, or with cream cheese and blueberries for a twist. Use fruits to create fun faces on a plate – orange or apple slices for smiles, banana or kiwi for eyes, and berries for hair. You could make one and challenge the kids to copy yours or make their own. These not only make snacking fun but also encourage kids to eat more fibre-rich fruit, which helps keep digestion regular during the less structured holiday days.
Nutrient-dense snacks to keep everyone fuller, longer
Focusing on nutrient-dense snacks helps keep energy levels steady and hunger at bay. Pairing your fresh fruit and vegetables with dairy, proteins or whole grains is a foolproof way to create home-made snacks that hit the spot.
Dips and spreads are a convenient solution to add more nutrients to your snacks. Ready-made hummus and guacamole pair perfectly with fresh veggies or pitta chips. Chickpea-based hummus is rich in fibre, potassium, iron and B vitamins, making it a satisfying snack that keeps kids full.
Pitta chips are so simple to make. Split your wholegrain pitta breads in half, then cut them into wedges. The you want to brush on some olive oil, you could get your helpers involved here. You could add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan too. Pop them into a preheated oven or the air fryer for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool before eating. Make extra and keep them in an airtight container for a few days. These are delicious served with dips.
DIY freezer fun
Get the kids involved in the kitchen with simple, healthy projects that double as snacks. Making your own ice pops is entertaining and cost-saving, and you can get the kids involved in making them. You’ll need ice pop moulds, or if you don’t have any, you could use an ice cube tray and do little frozen bites instead. We love using Greek yoghurt and fresh fruit, simply mix them together in a blender until smooth, you can add honey or maple syrup to taste if you like. Pour the mix into your moulds, add sticks if needed and then freeze until solid, overnight is best. These refreshing snacks are a nutritious alternative to ice cream and a great way to keep kids busy.
Stocking your freezer with smoothie ingredients is another great alternative to ice cream. Lidl’s smoothie bags make prep effortless and leftover fruits such as bananas can be frozen for later use. Let the kids mix fresh and frozen fruit, and sneak in some spinach for extra nutrients – they won’t notice! Top it off with a dollop of yoghurt to make the smoothies creamy, adds protein and keeps kids fuller for longer.
Remember, for children, always use full-fat yoghurt for optimum nutrition and the best texture and flavour.
On-the-go goodness: snacks to bring out and about and for camp days
Summer outings, beach or park days and packing the kids off for various camps all call for snack ideas that are portable, mess-free and will keep the young ones energised and happy. Time to lean into Lidl then for ingredients and ideas for delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-pack snacks to make snack time a breeze wherever you go.
When it comes to prepping snacks, reusable freezer bags are your best friend. They take up less space in your fridge or freezer, and you avoid those 10 minutes you spend looking for the right lid for the right container – we’ve all been there.
Fresh and fun fruit snacks
Preparing pieces of fruit into kebabs can transform them into a colourful treat. Just get some reusable or bamboo skewers and thread bite-sized pieces of fruit – banana, strawberries, melon and apple. For an extra treat, include a small container or pot of yoghurt for dipping. You’re getting a hit of vitamins and antioxidants in, to up the energy when out and about.
Sweet treats: nutritious and delicious snacks
Everyone loves a sweet treat, and here are some delicious and nutritious sweet snacks that will satisfy cravings while fuelling little bodies for summer activities.
Healthy muffins are simple to make and pack. You can whip these up easily using Lidl’s wholesome ingredients like ripe bananas, oats, seeds and seasonal fruits. Recipes such as seedy cinnamon breakfast muffins or banana bread muffins offer a tasty, filling snack packed with fibre and natural sweetness – ideal for on-the-go or lunch boxes.
With the demands for constant snacks soon on the way here are some delicious recipes to try this summer.
Fiona’s fig and oatmeal cookies
Ingredients
12 servings
- 170g figs, dried, cut into quarters or 6
- 130g self-raising flour
- 250g oats
- 85g butter, at room temperature
- 130g brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2tsp salt
Method
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the oats, then set aside.
- In a mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until well combined, about one minute.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla and stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Stir the dried figs into the batter, then chill the dough for at least one hour or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees (gas mark 5).
- Line a couple of trays with greaseproof paper.
- Scoop tablespoon sized portions of the dough and place on to the lined tray spacing them about 4cm apart.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned.
- Cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling
Berry banana smoothie
Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 bananas
- 100g raspberries
- 1 half lemon, juiced
- 250g strawberry, fresh or frozen
- 100ml grape juice
Method
- Clean fresh berries.
- Wash and drain them.
- Thaw frozen berries.
- Bananas peeled.
- Fold the fruit smoothly with grape and lemon juice.
- The smoothie tastes best fresh, but keeps well chilled for about 24 hours.
- Shake well before drinking.
French toast fingers
Ingredients
2 portions
- 1 large egg
- 1tbs milk
- 15g butter
- 2 slices bread
Method
- Whisk together the egg and milk in a shallow, wide bowl.
- Remove the crusts from the bread. Soak the pieces of bread on both sides in the egg mixture.
- Place a frying pan over a medium heat and melt the butter. Once bubbling, add the eggy bread and cook for about two minutes on each side, until the bread is a deep golden colour.
- Remove from the pan. Drain on some kitchen paper and cut into fingers.
Strawberry rice pudding
Ingredients
4 portions
- 50g pudding rice
- 450ml milk
- 1tbs caster sugar
- 200g strawberries, roughly chopped
Method
- Place the rice, milk and sugar into a medium-sized, heavy based saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a very low heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring regularly, to ensure the rice isn’t sticking to the saucepan.
- Meanwhile make the strawberry purée by adding the strawberries to a small saucepan with one tablespoon of water. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and blitz gently or push the strawberries through a sieve into a small bowl.
- To serve, place a portion of the rice pudding into a bowl and stir through a spoonful of the strawberry purée.
The strawberry purée can be replaced with a pear purée, prepared the same way as the strawberry but simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Banana bread muffins
Ingredients
16 portions
- 3 bananas, large – over ripe
- 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 150g brown sugar
- 110g butter
- spray oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 250g flour
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, or 160 degrees with a fan oven (gas mark 4).
- Working between two 12-cup muffin tins, line 16 cups with papers and spray the insides of the papers with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add the eggs, mashed bananas and vanilla and stir to combine well.
- Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the muffin tin cups, filling them almost to the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean, rotating the tins halfway.
For more information on Lidl’s quality, freshness and value for money visit your local Lidl store or log on to lidl.ie
