Make-ahead snacks for play dates

Photo credit: Sycamore Stirrings

Experts recommend serving a variety of fun and interesting foods to help expand kids' palates. We recommend getting crazy creative with muffin tin snacks. Cereal? You bet. Chocolate chips? Heck yeah. Leftover chicken nuggets? Go for it. Set out the smorgasbord and let the little ones dig in.

Source: Fun Finds For Mom

You may have heard the expression "Eat the rainbow" (eating fruits and vegetables in every color of the rainbow) but what if you literally served a rainbow? This rainbow fruit plate can be made ahead of time and unveiled when the kids are ready to take a break from the action.

Photo credit: Popsugar

Snack stations are great for play days and for every day! Designate a snack bin filled with healthy snacks and let kids help themselves.

Photo credits: unison, Mott's

In preparation for your guests, fill a plastic tub with ice and toss in juice and water bottles. Invite thirsty kiddos to grab a cold one.

Photo credit: Carla's Confections

Popcorn, pretzels, nuts and chocolate candy are all you need to create an epic snack mix to please even the pickiest of play date mates.

Photo credit: For the Love of Cooking

Before the little munchkins wreak havoc on your home, take a moment to relax and breathe deeply while you spread cream cheese on graham crackers and top with assorted berries. Pop in the refrigerator and relax. Snacks are made. Bring on the chaos.

Photo credit: My Little Celebration

Get out the baking supplies and bake a batch of crowd-pleasing banana chocolate chip muffins. On second thought, bake two or three batches and put the extras in the freezer for breakfasts and lunches all week long.

Photo credit: Food, Fun and Life

Peanut butter, yogurt, honey and cinnamon — otherwise known as "snack crack" — can be a little hard to walk away from. Serve with sliced apples and hope the kids love it as much as you do.

Photo credit: Laura's Sweet Spot

If your mouth isn't watering just looking at these pretzel bites, go ahead and wipe the kids' fingerprints off your screen. Make your pretzel dough the day before the play date and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Take the dough out the morning of the play date, let sit for 30 minutes, then boil and bake.

Photo credit: snackpicks.com

So simple, yet always a winner, good old cheese and crackers are easy to prepare ahead of time and always get gobbled up immediately. Up the nutrition by adding sliced apples and berries.

This post was sponsored by Mott's.

More fun and healthy snack ideas:

Appropriate play date snacks
Snacks kids don't know are healthy
Tips for prepping the lunchbox the night before