Dealing with fussy eaters is a struggle for most parents, and nothing you do seems to make them like their food. But these easy and tasty finger foods for kids might do the trick for you. When it comes to developing healthy eating habits, you need to inculcate in them the habit of eating independently at an early age. Force fed children tend to grow up disliking certain foods, which can turn into an eating disorder (1). Therefore in this post, we bring you some delicious finger food recipes that will encourage your children to eat heartily without any help.
Quick And Easy Finger Foods For Kids On The Go
Replace the addictive finger chips with these healthy, yet easy to make finger foods at home.
1. Spinach Calzones
Kids hate greens. But they will love these cheesy spinach calzones! You will need:
10 oz. fresh spinach 2 eggs 1 pack ricotta cheese (15 oz.) 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups mozzarella cheeseburger 1 package frozen bread dough (32 oz.) 1 tbsp Italian seasoning A pinch of salt and pepper
How to make: Preparation Time: 1 hour Cooking time: 30 min Servings: 8
2. Flapjacks
This is a sweet snack that you can pack in your kid’s lunch box or serve as breakfast. You will need:
3 cups oats ½ cup margarine or butter ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup raisins
How to make: Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking time: 30 min Servings: 10
3. Banana Bread
Banana bread is easy to make and one of the best ways to get the goodness of banana to your kid. You will need:
2 cups flour 2 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas ¾ cups brown sugar 2 eggs ½ cup butter 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ tsp salt
How to make: Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking time: 1 H 5 min Servings: 12
Yummy Finger Foods For Kids’ Lunch
While finger foods are the best for mess-free eating in the car or at parties, they can also be served for lunch if you have a fussy eater. Here are a few quick and easy finger foods for a crowd that you can make for their lunch.
4. Mini Meatballs
Meatballs are packed with proteins, but not all kids may like them. Here is a recipe for child-sized mini meatballs that taste and look yummy too. You can also hide veggies like carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower in these delicacies. You will need:
2 pounds ground beef 8 oz. ground pork 2 cups breadcrumbs 1 medium onion 2 eggs 1 cup milk 2 minced garlic cloves ½ cup finely chopped parsley leaves Salt and pepper to taste
How to make: Preparation Time: 60 min Cooking time: 30 min Servings: 30
5. Fish Fingers
If your kid loves seafood, fish fingers are an excellent choice for lunch. You will need:
14 oz. sliced skinless white fish 1 egg ¼ cup bread crumbs 1 lemon juice and zest 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon oregano 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 1/3 cup young leaf spinach ½ cup cooked peas
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 Min Cooking time: 20 Min Servings: 4
Tasty Finger Foods For Kids’ Dinner
Finger foods are also a good idea for dinner parties, if your kids fuss about mashed potatoes, pasta or rice, you can serve them these healthy finger foods that are easy to eat.
6. Nachos
Do you think that nachos can’t be healthy? We’ll change your mind with this recipe for dinnertime nachos. Read on to learn how to make healthy vegetable nachos for dinner! You will need:
1 cup tortilla chips ¼ cup shredded cheese blend (Mexican) ¼ cup seasoned ground beef (refrigerated) from a can ¼ cup refrigerated taco saucepan For nacho topping – diced avocados, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sliced olives, salsa or sour cream
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 Min Cooking time: 1 Min Servings: 1
7. Sprouted Lentils And Veggie Patties
Sprouts are mostly not liked by children. But how about serving them in a burger? Sprouted lentil patty burger can become your kid’s favorite snack or dinner. You will need:
4 potatoes (boiled) 1 cup of boiled mix vegetables (carrots, onion, capsicum, peas, corn, and beans) 1/2 cup whole red and yellow sprouted lentil 1tbsp ginger garlic paste ¼tsp black pepper powder 1tbsp Italian seasoning 1 cup chopped parsley 1tbsp lemon juice Salt to taste
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking time: 30 min Servings: 10-15
8. Mini Quiches
Quiches are easy to make for a quick dinner, or for your kid’s lunch box! They also do well as on-the-road snacks for children. You will need:
12 bread slices ½ cup grated cheese 4 eggs 1 grated onion 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon mustard, dry 1 pinch black pepper
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking time: 20 min Servings: 12
Simple Cold Finger Foods
Don’t have time to cook? Try these easy cold finger foods for kids.
9. Fruit On A Stick
If your kid hates eating slices of fruit, try fruit-kebabs, fruits on a stick, or rainbow skewers! Whatever the name, your child is more likely to eat fruit this way. You will need:
1 apple, cut into chunks 5 strawberries, cut into half ¼ cantaloupe diced 2 bananas, peeled and cut into slices 20 skewers
How to make: Preparation Time: 15 Min Cooking time: NA Servings: 5
10. Ham-And-Cheese Pinwheels
The ham-and-cheese pinwheels aren’t just good to look at. They taste good too! You will need:
4 tortillas (8-inch) ¼ cup sweet pickle relish 3 oz. Soft cheese 8 slices Deli Ham (1 oz.) 8 slices Deli cheese (¾ oz.)
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking time: 2 hours for refrigeration Servings: 36
Fall Finger Foods For Kids
Fall is the time for fresh veggies and fruits. Here are a couple of kids’ finger foods that you can make at home with Fall produce.
11. Pumpkin Muffins
Make the most of the Fall vegetables with this yummy muffin recipe. You will need:
1 small pumpkin, seeded 3/4th cup sugar 3 cups flour 3 eggs 2 teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder 2 teaspoons ground cloves 2 teaspoons nutmeg powder 1 teaspoon allspice 2/3 cups vegetable oil
How to make: Preparation Time: 20 min Cooking time: 25 min Servings: 12
12. Pigs-In-A-Blanket
Pigs-in-a-blanket are mini hot dogs that your little one can eat without getting messy! Here’s the recipe for this tasty finger food. You will need:
8 frankfurters 1 package refrigerated biscuit dough (10 oz.) 8 slices cheese
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking time: 20 min Servings: 6
Fun Finger Foods For Kids
Serve familiar foods in a new way at your kid’s party. If you’re serving a crowd, below are the few ideas for fun finger foods for parties.
13. Cauliflower Nuggets
Rich in vitamin C, cauliflower is an excellent ingredient to make kid-friendly snacks. Here is how you can make tasty, healthy cauliflower nuggets. You will need:
2 cups cauliflower florets (1-inch) 2 egg whites ¾ cup mozzarella cheese grated 1 cup shredded cheddar cheeseburger ½ cup breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried parsley
How to make: Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking time: 17 min Servings: 20
14. Cheesy Popcorn
Kids love popcorn anytime, movie or no movie. Here is how you can make it tastier. You will need:
6 tablespoons unpopped corn 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup grated cheese 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning 1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt ¼ cup olive oil
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking time: 5 min Servings: 6
Five Birthday Party Finger Food Ideas
If your child’s birthday is just round the corner, you have no time to waste contemplating what to serve the guests. Following is a list of quick and easy finger foods for a crowd that can make your life a lot simpler!
15. Tacos
You can put anything you want to make the tacos delicious! What’s more, they are fork-free too! Here is the recipe for finger-licking cheeseburger tacos. You will need:
4 six-inch tortillas 1 pound ground sirloin (lean) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 4 green lettuce leaves, small 1 big red tomato, sliced 1 large red onion, sliced and pulled to rings 12 slices of dill pickle Salt and pepper to taste
How to make: Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking time: 10 min Servings: 4
16. Veggie Bites
Crispy, fine pieces of vegetarian finger foods that your kids will love munching on at the party, veggie bites are easy to make and taste good too. You will need:
2 cups fresh vegetables diced – broccoli florets, carrots, red and yellow bell peppers, cauliflower florets, zucchini slices ½ cup flour 1 egg 1/3 cup melted margarine 2 teaspoons water Grated cheese (optional)
How to make: Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking time: 27 min Servings: 4
17. Mini Corndog Muffins
These easy-to-make savory muffins bring the goodness of corn and meat together, and the best finger food for kids birthday party. You will need:
1 pack corn muffin mix (8.5 oz.) 4 beef franks, each cut into 6 pieces 2 oz. soft cheese (like Velveeta) cut into 24 cubes ½ cup honey mustard Cooking spray
How to make: Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking time: 27 min Servings: 24 Nutritional Value: Calories – 86, carbohydrates –9.1g, protein – 2.4g, fat – 4.5g, cholesterol -9mg
18. Kale Chips
Kale chips are crunchy, tasty, and filled with nutrition that the kids need. You will need:
1 bunch fresh kale 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon vinegar Salt to taste
How to make: Preparation Time: 15 Min Cooking time: 35 Min Servings: 2
19. Chicken Fingers
Baked crispy chicken fingers are crispy, healthy, and easy to eat. You will need:
2/3 baking mix, like Bisquick 3 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips (½ inch wide) 1 egg, beaten ½ cup grated cheese 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon paprika
How to make: Preparation Time: 20 min Cooking time: 35 min Servings: 4
Tips To Make Finger Foods For Kids’ Party
One of the key aspects of planning a kid’s birthday party is deciding what foods or snacks to offer to the guests. Sure, kids would love cake and chips. But what if you can make something healthy and tasty for a birthday party? Here are a few tips that help you make healthy finger foods parties for a crowd.
Make Healthy Finger Foods For Kids At Home
Potato chips, fries, popcorn, cookies, biscuits, and other packaged foods are readily available in the market, so why fret about making kid-friendly finger foods at home? Here is why:
Processed foods have added preservatives for a longer shelf life, which means that they contain chemicals that are harmful to the body. Packaged finger foods have added sugar and salt. Several fried foods contain high amounts of trans fats. Packaged finger foods such as chips are just empty calories with zero nutritional value. Chances are, your child can gain more weight with packaged foods than they would with homemade foods. Most importantly, packaged foods are expensive and addictive too.
