Whether it’s cozying up for a family movie night, participating in the YMCA’s online family activities or just playing a board game together, it’s always comforting to enjoy a healthy snack during these quality family moments. With that in mind, here are five easy-to-make snacks to make your family time fun time! 

5-Minute Hummus
Yields: 4 cups
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients

• ¼ garlic clove
• Juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup
• 1 (16-ounce) jar tahini
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 to 1 ½ cups ice water
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions

• Drop the 1/4 garlic clove into a food processor and add the lemon juice. Pour the tahini on top, making sure to scrape it all out of the container, and add the salt and cumin. Process until the mixture looks peanut-buttery, about 1 minute. Stream in the ice water, a little at a time, with the motor running. Process just until the mixture is smooth and creamy and lightens to the color of dry sand.
• Add the chickpeas and process for about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go, until the chickpeas are completely blended and the hummus is smooth and uniform in color.
• Enjoy with vegetables, pita wedges or whole-grain tortilla chips.

Tortilla Chips & Guacamole
Yields: Enough for Eight
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients

• 2 large avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
• 1 medium roma tomato, seeded and diced
• ½ red onion, minced
• ½ jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• fresh cilantro, chopped, optional
• Whole grain tortilla chips or veggie sticks, for serving

Directions

• In a medium bowl, combine the avocado, tomato, red onion, jalapeño, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Mix together until fully incorporated. Top with cilantro, if using.
• Serve with tortilla chips or veggie sticks.

Pro Tip: As with veggie chips, keep an eye on fat and sodium and look for tortillas made from real and recognizable ingredients, starting with whole-grain corn—you might also see multigrain wheat, barley, or rye.)

Homemade Fruit Smoothie
Yields: Two servings
Preparation Time: 7 minutes
Ingredients

• 1 cup of liquid (you can do ½ cup of water or ½ cup of pineapple, apple or orange juice)
• 1 cup frozen fruit (your choice or combination of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, oranges)
• 8 oz. of yogurt (any flavor, but vanilla is always a good base)
• Tablespoon of honey for more sweetness if needed

Directions

• Place liquid in blender.
• Mix in frozen fruit and yogurt (and honey if needed)
• Make sure you place the lid on blender before blending.
• Blend for a few minutes until smooth.
• Serve with a lime wedge (for extra fun, serve with a reusable straw!)

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Yields: 40 bites
Preparation Time: 5 minutes (additional 1 hour for refrigeration)
Ingredients

• 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup of steel cut oats
• ½ cup of shredded, sweetened coconut
• 1 cup of crispy rice cereal (Like Rice Krispies or Rice Chex or store brand versions of either)
• 1 cup of peanut butter (you can use any nut butter)
• 1 cup of ground flaxseed ground)
• 2/3 cup of chocolate chips
• ¾ cup of honey
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before forming 1-2 inch balls. (if mixture is not holding together well enough, just add a bit more peanut butter or honey to help it bind). Keep refrigerated for an easy snack on the go.
• Feel free to include other add-ins such as chopped almonds, raisins, etc.

Trail Mix Combos
Yields: Plenty to share!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients

Option 1

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Raisins
• Walnuts
• Peanuts

Option 2

• Peanuts
• Raisins
• M&Ms

Option 3

• Almonds
• Banana Chips
• Peanuts
• Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chips

Directions

• Mix equal amounts (standard 12 oz to 16 oz) of ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and enjoy!