Got a teenager who is constantly hungry? Check out this mega list of healthy snacks for teens (and tweens) for ideas they’ll love.
“I’m basically always hungry.” That’s what my 15 year old said to me the other night as he stood in front of the open refrigerator searching for something to eat–approximately 10 minutes after he last ate something.
The teen (and tween) appetite surge is real.
And it can be crazy! Like eating-a-yogurt-and-banana-immediately-after-two-platefuls-of-dinner crazy.
With one teen in the house (and a tween whose appetite is growing too), I’m always looking for things to buy and make so we have plenty of healthy options.
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For ideas, I cast my net out to the always-helpful Real Mom Nutrition Facebook community. I got so many good suggestions, I decided to share them in one giant list, along with my own favorites too (plus recipes!).
So if you’re looking for healthy snacks for teens, I hope this list will help. You can also get a free printable of this list by tapping the button below.
Print it out, ask your teen go through it and mark what sounds good, then take it to the store so you can stock up!
And here’s an article I wrote about how to create a self-serve snack station, so your kids can make their own snacks.
Get the list100 Healthy Snacks For Teens Who Are Always Hungry
Protein-Rich Snacks
- Eggs: Hard-boiled, deviled, scrambled
- Veggie burger or nuggets
- Jerky (beef or turkey)
- Meatballs (frozen or homemade)
- Tofu (baked or air-fried)
- Shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, or grilled chicken
- Chicken nuggets
- Roasted chickpeas
- Nuts (pistachios, almonds, cashews)
- Edamame
- Energy balls/bites
- Tuna or chicken salad
- Sunflower seeds or sunflower seed butter
- Quiche
- Protein-rich bars or shake
- Refried beans
- Bean dip
DAIRY SNACKS
- Cheese stick or cubes
- Milk (dairy or non-dairy, plain or flavored
- Yogurt w/ fruit + granola
- Yogurt smoothies or kefir
- Cottage cheese
- Pudding
FRUITS & VEGGIES
- Applesauce
- Fruit bowl w/ easily grab-able fruit
- Banana w/ peanut butter or Nutella
- Apples w/ peanut butter
- Pre-cut melon
- Grapes
- Individual fruit cups
- “Banana split” with yogurt + granola or nuts
- Sliced cucumbers + carrots
- Celery sticks stuffed with cream cheese or peanut butter
- Carrots + peppers w/ hummus
- Homemade Kid Friendly Kale Chips
- Broccoli + cauliflower florets w/ dip
- Smoothies w/ fruit + spinach
- Olives
Grain Snacks
- Whole grain toast
- Whole grain crackers
- Popcorn
- Quick oats w/ favorite toppings
- Whole wheat pasta w/ sauce or pesto
- Whole grain cereal
- Homemade muffins & quick bread
- Mini bagels
- Muesli
- Tortillas
- Potatoes (baked, mashed, etc.)
- Pretzels, hard or soft
- Sweet potato, baked or fries
- Granola
- Tortilla chips
- Trail mix w/ dried fruit, nuts, seeds, cereal
- Pancakes
Packaged & Frozen Foods
- Frozen samosas or pierogi
- Frozen fish fillets
- Frozen potstickers
- Frozen peas or corn w/ butter
- Frozen waffles
- Homemade or packaged frozen burritos
- Frozen pasta (ravioli, tortellini)
MINI-MEAL SNACKS
- Quesadillas
- Breakfast sandwich on bagel or English muffin
- Charcuterie plate w/ cheese, meat slices, crackers + fruit
- Tortilla wrap w/ turkey, hummus, cheese & veggies
- Pizzas on English muffin, Naan, or french bread w/ favorite toppings
- Mac-n-cheese, boxed or homemade
- Slider buns w/ BBQ pulled pork or chicken
- Pita + hummus
- Rice cakes w/ nut or seed butter
- Nachos w/ beans, cheese & veggies
- Toast w/ baked beans & cheese
- Pita wraps w/ leftover meat, lettuce & Tzatziki sauce
- Tacos (breakfast-style or regular)
- Taquitos, homemade or store-bought
- Canned soup or ramen
- Rolled cold cuts w/ cheese & fruit
- Tortilla rolled w/ peanut butter & banana slices
- Sushi/California rolls
- Pasta salad
- Whole grain toast w/ avocado & everything bagel seasoning
- Overnight oats w/ milk, nut butter & chocolate chips or fruit
- PBJ or Sunbutter & jelly
- Mini meatloaves (baked in muffin tin)
- Grilled cheese sandwich & fruit
- Rice bowls w/ prepped veggies
- Toast w/ eggs
- Chips and guacamole or salsa
My advice: Print out this list
If your kids are like mine, they’ll say “I don’t know” when you ask them what snacks they want from the store. My advice:
Print out this list
and hand it to them. Have them circle what sounds good, then use that to plan out your grocery list and snacks for the week.
Don’t tell your kids about this, but when my brother was a teenager, he would get the biggest bowl in the house, the biggest spoon that would fit in his mouth, and proceed to eat an entire box of cereal with an entire half-gallon of milk EVERY DAY after school. It wad insane! And then he taught the kid next door! What cured him was getting his first job and having to buy his own things.
Im struggling with finding healthy things to eat. Im a picky eater and I dont like ground meat of any kind, I dint like cheese unless its on pizza or macaroni. I dont like anything with red sauses like spaghetti and I dont like any lunch meats. I do love vegetables but I csnt just eat vegetables all the time and fruit I love fruit to. Please let me know of any recipes you know that dont include the things above.
Cheyenne–Check out my other post of 40 lunch ideas, you might find something there (including recipes): https://www.realmomnutrition.com/lunch-ideas-for-kids-at-home/
This is the best, and most reasonable list for teens I’ve found yet! Thank you the tremendous help!
-Mom of a 16 year old
Thank you so much! š
I’m 17 and have been struggling with the fact that I eat easy go-to snacks after school a lot that aren’t very healthy. I’m trying to find some healthier and nutritional alternative ideas that I’d still enjoy eating often along with regular meals I can make at home myself as I’m learning how to cook. Can you help?
Hi Avery–Try some of the snacks on this list that you can make ahead, so when you get home from school and want something right away, there will be something ready–things like the trail mix, hard-boiled eggs, snack bars/bites, or hummus can be grabbed quickly when you’re hungry. Hope that helps!