Top 7 Indian Winter Snacks That Provide Essential Nutrients for Kids

Keeping your youngster warm and healthy becomes crucial when the temperature drops. Winter brings a variety of seasonal foods packed with nutrients essential for children’s growth and immunity. Warm winter snacks for kids offer comfort and satiety while maintaining the body temperature, building energy levels and supporting the immune system with vital nutrients. These are the advantages of eating Indian winter snacks.¹

Including easy winter snacks for kids in their diet guarantees that they get the essential vitamins, minerals, and good fats required for general growth. Let’s explore some healthy winter snack ideas, their advantages, and how to make them more kid-friendly while maintaining optimal nutrition.

Table of Contents

1. Why Winter Nutrition is Crucial for Kids
2. Healthy winter snack ideas
3. Top 7 Easy Indian Winter Snacks for Kids
4. Tips for Making Easy Winter Snacks for Kids Appealing
5. Benefits of Seasonal Indian Ingredients if added in winter snacks for kids
6. Conclusion

Why Winter Nutrition is Crucial for Kids

Due to weakened immunity, children are more vulnerable to illnesses, colds, and the flu throughout the winter². Children need:

• Vitamin C, for promoting immunity which is present in guavas, amla and citrus fruits.
• Zinc and Iron, which are present in lentils, nuts, and seeds. These are important for immunity and cognitive development^3,4
• Healthy fats, such as those found in dairy, almonds, and ghee, can keep them warm and provide them with sustained energy⁵

Easy winter snacks for kids help them stay healthy and avoid seasonal infections by eating these Indian winter snacks that are nutrient-dense.

Healthy winter snack ideas:

• Seasonal fruits and vegetables should be included as winter snacks for kids to maximise nutritional consumption.
• It should be high in protein, fibre, and healthy fats while being low in refined sugar.
• It should also be simple to digest and make kids feel fuller for longer⁶

Top 7 Easy Indian Winter Snacks for Kids

1. Pinni

• Edible gum (gond) for joint and bone health
• Nuts like almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios for brain function⁵
• Organic Jaggery as a natural sweetener rich in iron

Tip: Whole wheat flour can be replaced with bajra flour to add to the nutritional value of the ladoos. Bajra contains minerals like iron, calcium and zinc which are essential for immunity, cognitive development and bone health^3,4,7.

2. Moong Dal Vegetable Chilla

• Moong dal offers plant-based protein
• Fenugreek leaves (methi) contribute iron and fibre
• Batter made with buttermilk instead of water adds to a combination of plant and animal protein that makes it a complete protein

Trick: You can add all the vegetables that your child dislikes eating in the grated form in the batter. This is an easy way to make sure your child eats all vegetables.

3. Til Chikki

• Sesame seeds are high in good fats and calcium⁸.
• Jaggery provides energy along with its function of a sweetening agent

Tip: Sesame seeds can be replaced with Peanuts as they both are packed with energy and healthy fats.

4. Boiled Corn Bhel

• Corn kernels are low in calorie, contain good amount of fibre and is a source of Vitamin A that is good for vision and eye health⁹.
• Mixed with ghee, salt and pepper this bhel becomes a wholesome warm snack that is filling and also a good alternative to packaged snacks

Tip: Can be used to make variety of snacking options like popcorn, corn tikkis, corn paneer chaat, corn fritters etc.

5. Sweet Potato Chaat

• High in beta-carotene (Vitamin A) that develops vision¹⁰
• Helps develop immunity as they are antioxidant rich¹¹

Tip: Can be used to make variety of snacking options like baked sweet potato fries, sweet potato toast, sweet potato halwa, sweet potato chaat etc.

6. Carrot Halwa

• Rich in essential minerals such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E, carrots are a very nutrient-dense root vegetable.
• Their high fibre content aids in digestion and helps avoid constipation.
• Carrots are considered as functional foods because of their numerous health advantages¹².
• Milk is a nutrient-dense beverage which not only is a fantastic way to help kids stay hydrated, it also contains vital elements such as vitamin B12, potassium, vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Milk contains calcium, which promotes healthy bone growth, and along with phosphorus, which is essential for dental health^13,14.
• Ghee for healthy fats and almonds for brain health

Tip: Can be used to make variety of snacking options like baked carrot chips, carrot cake, carrot sticks with dips, carrot soup etc.

7. Ragi Porridge

• Ragi contains calcium for strong bones, iron for cognitive growth and fibre for supporting digestion⁷.
• Milk is also considered a complete protein because it contains all nine necessary amino acids required for the body to function at its best¹⁵.

Tip: Serve warm with nuts and jaggery for added nutrient density.

Tips for Making Easy Winter Snacks for Kids Appealing

• Make it colourful – Bright foods like carrots, pomegranates, and beetroot attract kids.
• Get them involved – Let kids participate in making ladoos or mixing vegetables
• Use fun shapes and presentations – Cut snacks into star or heart shapes to make them more exciting.
• Pair snacks with warm drinks – Serve with nutritional drinks like warm turmeric milk¹⁶.

Benefits of Seasonal Indian Ingredients if added in winter snacks for kids

1. Develops Immunity

Winter foods like sesame seeds, jaggery, and carrots are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.

2. Supports Growth and Development

Calcium-rich foods like bajra, ragi and milk help in building strong bones.

3. Aids Digestion

Traditional spices like ginger, cumin, and black salt supporting digestion and prevent bloating.

4. Keeps Kids Warm and Energetic

Healthy fats from ghee, nuts, and dairy help maintain body warmth and provide sustained energy⁵.

Conclusion

Kids can stay warm, active, and healthy with these healthy winter snack ideas. Indian winter snacks offer vital nutrients for development and immunity. A nutritional drink such as Complan, when combined with healthy winter snacks for kids helps provide nutrition, promoting general growth and development with 34 vital nutrients in every sip.

Source

¹Sidnell A. (2014). The role of beverages in childhood nutrition. Nutrition bulletin, 39(1), 137–140. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12079

²American Heart Association. (2023). Healthy eating for kids. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org

³ Maggini, S., Wenzlaff, S., & Hornig, D. (2010). Essential role of vitamin C and zinc in child immunity and health. The Journal of international medical research, 38(2), 386–414. https://doi.org/10.1177/147323001003800203

⁴ Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (n.d.). Nutrition for growing bodies. Eat Right. Retrieved [date], from https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/meals-and-snacks/nutrition-for-growing-bodies

⁵ National Institutes of Health. (2011, December). Weighing dietary fats. News in Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2011/12/weighing-dietary-fats

⁶ American Heart Association. (2023). Healthy eating for kids. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org

⁷ Mokal Asawari (2024). Nutritional Benefits of Millets in Early Childhood: A Review . Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research. 43(4): 638-642. doi: 10.18805/ajdfr.DR-2221.

⁸ Mostashari, P., & Mousavi Khaneghah, A. (2024). Sesame Seeds: A Nutrient-Rich Superfood. Foods, 13(8), 1153. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081153

⁹ Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2025). Health benefits of corn. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/health-benefits-of-corn

¹⁰ Johra, F. T., Bepari, A. K., Bristy, A. T., & Reza, H. M. (2020). A Mechanistic Review of β-Carotene, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin in Eye Health and Disease. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 9(11), 1046. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9111046

¹¹ Tanaka, M., Ishiguro, K., Oki, T., & Okuno, S. (2017). Functional components in sweetpotato and their genetic improvement. Breeding science, 67(1), 52–61. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.16125

¹² Sharma, K. D., Karki, S., Thakur, N. S., & Attri, S. (2012). Chemical composition, functional properties and processing of carrot-a review. Journal of food science and technology, 49(1), 22–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0310-7

¹³ Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Review Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Requirements; Murphy SP, Yaktine AL, West Suitor C, et al., editors. Child and Adult Care Food Program: Aligning Dietary Guidance for All. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2011. 5, Nutritional Considerations for Adults. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209825/

¹⁴ Månsson H. L. (2008). Fatty acids in bovine milk fat. Food & nutrition research, 52, 10.3402/fnr.v52i0.1821. https://doi.org/10.3402/fnr.v52i0.1821

¹⁵Nehete, J. Y., Bhambar, R. S., Narkhede, M. R., & Gawali, S. R. (2013). Natural proteins: Sources, isolation, characterization and applications. Pharmacognosy reviews, 7(14), 107–116. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.120508

¹⁶ Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (n.d.). Meals and snacks planning. Eat Right. Retrieved [date], from https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/meals-and-snacks