Kid-Friendly Apple Recipes for Snacks, Lunchboxes or Parties

To help keep little ones entertained and well-nourished, boring sandwiches are out, fun bento-worthy eats are in! And what better way to celebrate the flavors of fall than a few kid-friendly apple recipes that can travel to school, be prepared quickly for afternoon snacks, or provide healthy delicious fun at festivities. Plus, all three of the kid-friendly apple recipes shown here are safe for most – they’re dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free and optionally vegan.

Apple Treasure Chest

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Lil Snappers

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 kid size apples (like Lil Snappers)
• 1 can (6-ounces) white albacore tuna*, packed in water, drained
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise*
• ½ teaspoon honey mustard*
• ½ carrot, finely diced
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Slice off the top one-third of each apple. Using a small teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, core-out the center of each apple base (working outward from center-most part of fruit), leaving ¼-inch outer edge.
2. In a small bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, mustard and carrot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Spoon ¼ cup of the tuna salad into each apple, top with the top one-third of apples, tilted slightly to resemble a chest being opened.
4. Use playful, pirate-themed cupcake holders and flagged toothpicks to make for fun presentation and easy clean-up, if desired.

Notes

*For a vegan version, substitute mashed chickpeas (drained) for the tuna and use a vegan mayo and lightly sweet vegan mustard.

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Apple Kabobs

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Lil Snappers

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 kid size apple (like Lil Snappers)
• 3 ounces dairy-free cheese alternative (like Daiya blocks or Follow Your Heart blocks)
• 1 slice oven-roasted turkey, cut ¼ to ½-inch thick

Instructions

1. Core the apple and slice in half vertically.
2. Place the two halves on a cutting board, flesh side down, and slice each into 3 to 4 slices, from stem end to bottom to resemble half-moon.
3. Cut 2 to 3½-inch slices from the cheese alternative, depending on dimensions, cut each slice again to create square or triangle shapes, as preferred.
4. Cut cubes of turkey from the slice, or use a 1½ to 2-inch round cutter to cut rounds of turkey from the slice, and cut each round in half.
5. Thread pieces onto 2 skewers, alternating between apple slices, cheese alternative and turkey.

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Sweet Apple Bagels

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

The pictured version is made "donut-style" with Hail Merry Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Macaroon bits, but you can keep it simple or add your toppings of choice.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 2 medium organic apples

Instructions

1. Place the cashews in a spice grinder or food processor*, and process until finely ground and beginning to clump. Add the coconut oil, vanilla, and salt, and process again until smooth and creamy.
2. Core the apples and slice horizontally into ¼- to ½-inch thick rounds.**
3. Spread the cashew butter onto one side of each apple round. If toppings are desired, add them now and press lightly into the cashew butter.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The coconut oil will help the cashew butter set up like a rich, creamy glaze.

Notes

*If using a medium to large food processor, you may want to double the batch of cashew butter. This would be 1 cup cashews, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and a big dash of salt.

**If you are concerned about browning, you can toss the apple rounds with citrus juice (lemon, pineapple, or orange).

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More Kid-Friendly Apple Recipes

• Apple Fries (better than McDonalds!)
• Hemp ‘n Apple Muffins (fruit sweetened!)
• Eskimo Kiss Cider (with pomegranate juice, too)
• Apple Smile Sandwiches (a more inviting sammy)
• Lil Critters (fun for children to make)
• Apple Pie Smoothies (our kid testers voted them better than chocolate!)