Looking after your family's health is a full-time job. One of the best ways to ensure your family is getting the vitamins and nutrients they need is through tasty and fast snacks. As we welcome fall here are 8 fall snacks packed with probiotic goodness to serve your little ones this season.

1. Blueberry Banana Smoothie

The live culture yogurt provides the probiotics in this tasty, energizing smoothie. The blueberries provide proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins are a naturally-occurring plant chemical found in certain foods, including berries. Coconut milk offers three different kinds of medium chain fatty acids (caprylic, lauric, capric), which aid in energy conversion. This is a great snack to give your kids before school or a sports event. Ingredients:
  • 1 cup yogurt with live cultures
  • 1 cup fresh or canned coconut milk
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • ½ fresh or frozen banana
  • 1 Lovebug Probiotics Tiny Tummies 12-4 packet
Toss everything into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

2. Orange Creamsicles

For this recipe, you’ll need those popsicle molds that you can find in grocery stores, gift shops and craft stores. This snack is a fantastic alternative to those chemical-laden orange creamsicle bars from the frozen dairy section. Ingredients:
  • ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews or almonds
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 1 Lovebug Probiotics Tiny Tummies 12-4 packet
  • 4 Clementine oranges, peeled and deseeded
  • 1 cup fresh or canned coconut milk
  • 2 fresh Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
  1. The night before, blend the cashews and coconut milk. When combined, add the Lovebug probiotics Tiny Tummies packet and pulse. Cover and allow to ferment overnight.
  2. In the morning, blend the cashew mixture with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Pour into the popsicle molds, add the sticks and set in the freezer.

3. Blackberry and Blueberry Ice Cream

For this recipe, you’ll need to use your ice cream maker. This scrumptious berry ice cream concoction is dairy free and loaded with Vitamin C. The blackberries provide an essential phytonutrient called ellagic acid, which helps especially to protect the skin from UV rays. Blueberries have an assortment of phytonutrients, such as catechins and quercetin. Ingredients:
  • ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews or almonds
  • 1 Lovebug Probiotics Tiny Tummies 12-4 packet
  • 1 cup each, blackberries and blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1-1/4 cup coconut milk, fresh or canned
  • 2 small or 1 medium apple, peeled and cored
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
Directions: Blend everything thoroughly together and pour into your ice cream maker. Follow manufacturer’s instructions and process about 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to set in freezer.

4. Fermented Carrot Sticks

If your kids love pickles, they’ll enjoy these dill-infused fermented carrot sticks. For this simple recipe, all the extra equipment you need is a small Mason jar. A note about the carrots. Avoid using baby carrots because they are processed in chemicals that are not biotic-friendly. Ingredients:
  • 2 medium, fresh carrots, peeled and quartered
  • 1 tablespoon fresh or dried dill weed
  • ½ tablespoon sea salt, coarse
Directions: Clean and sterilize your small Mason jar. Drop the dill weed into the bottom of the jar. Add the correct amount of salt for your size of jar (use a ratio of 2 tablespoons to one quart). Add the carrot sticks. Fill with filtered water. Allow to ferment unrefrigerated for 5-10 days.

5. Kimchi Chicken Wrap

Kimchi is a superfood for probiotic health that originates in Korea. It can be made in many different ways, but they all involve fermented vegetables. In this recipe, you’ll make the Kimchi and then use it as an ingredient in a chicken wrap. Note: If you don’t want to make the Kimchi yourself or you’re pressed for time, you can substitute store bought Kimchi. However, it’s worth making at least once, especially if you can involve your kids in the process. Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt, coarse
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 radish, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons red onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ fresh ginger
Instructions:
  1. Stir the salt and water together until the salt is dissolved. In a separate bowl, stir the cabbage, radish and onion. Pour the brine over the vegetables and tightly cover. Allow to ferment overnight.
  2. In the morning, pulse the onion, garlic and ginger until a paste is formed.
  3. Partially drain the vegetables and thoroughly stir the onion paste into the vegetables. Tightly cover and allow to ferment on the countertop for one week.
  4. To make the chicken wrap, lay out a tortilla. Spoon a thin layer of Kimchi down the center of the wrap. Lay down strips of broiled chicken tenders. Sprinkle with shredded lettuce. Roll up and serve.

6. Kefir Fruit Smoothie

Kefir is similar to yogurt, in that it is a cultured milk product. Many people consider kefir as a drinkable form of yogurt. However, kefir has up to three times the number of probiotics of yogurt, as well as up to 20 different kinds of bacteria and yeasts. This recipe is easy to whip up anytime you and your kids are rushing out the door. Just blend a cup of kefir with any fresh or frozen berries, such as raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. For added health benefits, add flax or chia seeds to the blender.

7. Stuffed Celery Sticks

This fun and tasty probiotic snack for kids is an excellent choice for your child’s lunchbox. Cottage cheese is a great source of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum, and the raw celery is a source of fiber. Be sure to use cultured cottage cheese. Most brands are, but be sure to check the label just in case. To make, just cut fresh, washed celery into sticks. Use a knife or spoon to stuff the celery sticks with prepared, cultured cottage cheese.

8. Chocolate Covered Bananas

You can make this recipe in a large batch and store in your freezer to save time. Not many people realize, but dark chocolate is very probiotic friendly. Gut bacteria break down the dark chocolate to form anti-inflammatories which your body needs to fight free radicals. The banana is a prebiotic, so this tasty kids’ snack packs a on-two punch. To make, melt organic dark chocolate bar in a double boiler. Make sure the chocolate is at least 70% cocoa. Once the chocolate is melted, dip one end of a peeled, fresh banana in the chocolate. Lay the banana on a sheet of wax paper atop a baking sheet. Once you’ve filled the sheet, place inside the freezer to chill. Once the chocolate sets, you can transfer the treats to a freezer friendly container and keep them there until you’re ready to enjoy! For even more benefits, involve your child with the preparation process in these recipes. Your kids will love one or more of these healthy, probiotic snacks. And you’ll enjoy knowing that you’re giving your child the best possible nutrition, even at snack time!