Looking for healthy muffins for kids? Healthy muffins are one of the easiest lunch box fillers for school kids. They are easy to make in bulk and freeze for later. They also make great sandwich substitutes to give kids more variety too, especially for the picky eater who does not want sandwiches in their lunch each day.
This huge collection of recipes for healthy muffins for school lunches to give you plenty of inspiration.
Be ready to roll with delicious healthy muffin treats for snacks at home and on the go.
These recipes come from some of the best food bloggers and they don’t just have to be for the kids! Easy muffin recipes for the whole family!!
SEE ALSO:
- Yummy lunch box recipes
- After school snack ideas
- Easy lunch box food and a printable list
- Setting up a fridge snack box for kids
- Easy healthy lunch ideas for home
- Homemade baby food recipes
- Recipes that use Greek yogurt
EASY AND HEALTHY MUFFINS FOR KIDS
Get your baking essentials ready and your muffin pans prepared. You will be rushing to your kitchen ready to make some of these yummy muffin recipes. The hardest part – which muffin do you make first?
Muffins are one of the best options for lunch boxes and a perfect healthy snack at home for kids.
They are easy to hold and eat for little hands and you can easily bake them in different sizes to suit your kid’s appetites.
They are great for toddlers and baby-led weaning.
They are also perfect for adding extra fresh fruit, wholesome ingredients and vegetables into their meals without having to try too hard!
Baking up a batch or three of muffins is also a really quick and easy process, and it doesn’t take much time to bake a double batch of your favourite easy muffin recipe or make more than one flavour in one session.
Best of all, older kids can easily help you bake muffins as they are mostly some of the simplest recipes to make with kids! Teach them a few basic cooking skills while creating delicious snacks they will love.
Healthy Savoury Muffins
Savoury muffin recipes are a great alternative for sandwiches in lunch boxes.
They also make a great lunch on the go or for anyone like me who works from home and sometimes just wants a quick and easy lunch between tasks.
SAVOURY HAM, CARROT & CHEESE MUFFINS
These savoury ham, carrot and cheese muffins are a favourite lunch box filler for my daughters on the days when we might not have fresh bread or if they feel like something other than a sandwich or wrap.
They are savoury muffins and make a great quick lunch option for me working at home when I don’t feel like making anything else.
Just make up a batch and freeze, then you can pop in the microwave for 45 seconds and eat warm. They are just as good at room temperature too. Yum!
LOW CARB SAUSAGE EGG MUFFINS
These gluten free, nut free, egg free low carb sausage egg muffins are a perfect breakfast muffin for kids running late for school or for on the go, plus they make a great snack any time of the day too.
They would even be a great option to take away with you for a family camping trip or road trip for a breakfast on the move.
They are made using coconut flour however you could substitute for a different type of flour if you wanted.
VEGETABLE SAVOURY MUFFINS
These loaded vegetable savoury muffins are a great way of getting extra nutrients and goodness into your family. You could substitute with your favourite veggies, or use up the ones you need to use in a hurry.
They may even double as a great option for baby-led weaning too.
Healthy Fruit Muffins
Fruit muffins are often a favourite of kids, with the exception of chocolate of course! They get a sweet treat while also getting a serving of fruit into their daily diet, which is a great thing!
Plus using fruit in muffins means you don’t have to add much else to sweeten them, to help keep them light and healthy.
OAT BANANA APPLESAUCE MUFFINS
These oat banana applesauce muffins are so delish! They are a favourite for my eldest daughter and myself. These are the perfect breakfast muffins for busy mornings, loaded with mashed banana and apple flavour with unsweetened applesauce and that extra filling addition of oats.
They also use Greek yogurt and couldn’t be easier to whip up a batch ready for lunch or breakfast.
SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
These sour cream blueberry muffins are a quick and easy afternoon snack muffin or for a sweet treat to curb the sugar cravings. This is also a great way to use up an extra sour cream you might have left over from cooking too. How good do they look!
QUINOA AND CRANBERRY MUFFINS
For a little bit sweet and a little bit savoury, try these quinoa, orange and cranberry muffins, with fruit flavours and super grain benefits. A unique flavour combination for some extra variety in your kids lunch boxes.
LEMON YOGURT MUFFINS
Citrus flavours are always a winner for a bold flavour with some zest and these lemon yoghurt muffins will do exactly that. Fruity flavours, some dairy goodness with the yogurt. These are a great option to freeze and serve up for afternoon tea when friends drop by too.
BANANA YOGURT & MANGO MUFFINS
These banana, yogurt and mango muffins are a favourite with my kids and great with either fresh or frozen mango pieces. They are sweet enough to double as a treat too if you need something to cure the sweet tooth!
It definitely a bonus when your healthy muffin recipes for toddlers and big kids are this yum! They use coconut oil and mashed banana as well as the sweet mango pieces.
HEALTHY APPLE ALMOND BUTTER MUFFINS
Apple and muffins go together like not many other things. I don’t know what it is but it just works so these healthy apple almond butter muffins have got the goods. You can serve these up as a breakfast muffin or enjoy them as your afternoon tea when the kids aren’t looking.
CRANBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE
The sweet tart taste of cranberries is a perfect choice for some sweet treat muffins. This cranberry muffin recipe is a delicious combination of flavours and one the kids are sure to love you serving up.
This is also a great one to bake and take for morning tea with friends.
PEAR AND WALNUT MUFFINS
Don’t throw out overripe pears again. Mix them into these yummy sweet pear and walnut muffins for a sweet treat. There is brown sugar in this recipe, however, with the fruit and nuts, we will say they are a balanced treat at least!
TODDLER BANANA SMOOTHIE SPINACH MUFFINS
Spinach Muffins for toddlers are an easy healthy veggie recipe sweetened with banana and syrup. They are a perfect snack for kids and are refined sugar-free.
DAIRY-FREE BANANA MUFFIN CUPCAKES
If your child is lactose intolerant or has allergies, these dairy-free banana muffins are a perfect option.
Healthy Hidden Veggie Muffins
Getting kids to each vegetable can be all sorts of fun as a parent, and let’s be honest for a second…. how many of us are getting our daily vegetable requirement?
I am guilty of not always hitting my goal, so healthy hidden veggie movies are a sneaky but delicious way to get more vegetables into our diets.
Some of these healthy vegetable muffin recipes are sweet muffins, while others are savoury. Either way, they are perfect for school lunch boxes ideas or after school snacks!
BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN MUFFINS
Whoever would have thought – pumpkin and chocolate. Especially mixed with banana but these pumpkin banana chocolate chip muffins are everything! Hidden veggie muffins for toddlers and kids, fruit… and chocolate! Yeah, I’m totally sold!
These make a great after school treat or quick energy boosting snack for school lunches. Or for sneaky 3 pm cravings for us mums!
SPINACH CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Spinach is a great superfood, loaded with iron and all the other good stuff that greens contain. But most kids hate spinach! In our household, our eldest daughter willingly eats it, while the youngest will gag at the thought.
Meanwhile, those roles reverse when it comes to broccoli. However if I offered up a green spinach chocolate chip muffin, emphasising the chocolate chips and telling them it will give them Hulk-like strength, I’m pretty sure they’d be totally into it! Plus they sound delicious!
HEALTHY CARROT CAKE MUFFINS
Carrot cake is always a winner so having these healthy carrot cake muffins as a lighter alternative to dessert is a great option. These muffins do have sugar in them so they aren’t as healthy as some of the other kid’s muffin recipes in this roundup, but they still sure beats an icing loaded cake! Yum!
Plus let’s not forget that all important hidden vegetable!
SWEET POTATO MUFFINS
If you are looking for a savoury muffin for school lunch boxes, these sweet potato muffins are a great choice. They have parmesan and cottage cheese in the recipe, to compliment the sweet potato flavours and the added flavour of nigella seeds on top. A great sandwich alternative for school lunches!
WHOLESOME ZUCCHINI CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Yes, another zucchini chocolate chip muffin recipe, but how can I not include it! These muffins are hidden veggie loaded, plus a splash of sweet, making them kid-friendly and toddler approved tasty muffins for anytime of the day.
SWEET SULTANA & POTATO MUFFINS
These sultana and potato muffins are a sweet muffin with unexpected flavours that are delicious, just like my potato loaf recipe. Perfect for morning tea or lunch boxes. They are also a great way of using up extra mashed potato.
Healthy Gluten Free Muffins
With so many individuals experiencing gluten intolerance these days, having gluten-free muffin recipes on hand are always good! This means even if you or your family are not experiencing a gluten intolerance, you have options for entertaining that cater to different needs.
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MINI MUFFINS
These pumpkin chocolate chip mini muffins are easy healthy muffins for toddlers, although there’s no reason you can’t make larger versions. They are also gluten free muffins, which ticks an important box for many kids and adults alike.
Chocolate chip gives them a little extra sweetness, all while getting kids to enjoy some extra vegetable in a sweetened package.
PALEO BANANA NUT CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
If you are looking for a sweet treat with mostly all good stuff, these paleo banana nut chocolate muffins are a perfect option. A mostly good for you option but one that will fix those sugar cravings too thanks to those sneaky choc chips. Seriously, chocolate just makes everything better and in small doses like this, it has to be good for us… right?!
HEMP & FLAXSEED MUFFINS
For something a little different, loaded with lots of good stuff, these hemp and flaxseed muffins are gluten free, keto-approved and high in omega 3, which is going to help power little brains at school!
Mostly Healthy Sweet Muffin Recipes
Sometimes a bit of the not so healthy stuff is fine and these delicious muffin recipes are a worthy treat. They are still loaded with good stuff too, but with a little more sweetness thrown in. It’s all about balance and active kids will burn through that extra energy fast.
APPLE CINNAMON MUFFINS
When I see these apple cinnamon muffins, all I can think of is dessert! While they would be great any time of day, even for breakfast, you could definitely serve one warmed up, maybe with a sneaky dollop of light cream, for the whole family after dinner. Oh so yum!
Choc Chip Banana Muffins
These chocolate chip banana muffins are so deliciously moist and simple to make. They are perfect for curbing the sweet tooth, plus chocolate chips mean the kids will love them, all while getting an extra serve of fruit.
CHERRY CHIP SOURDOUGH MUFFINS
For something sweet yet not too sweet, this mix of dried cherries and chocolate chips in sourdough sounds delightful! These cherry chip sourdough muffins are a great way to use up some sourdough starter while making some great snacks.
HEALTHY BRAN MUFFINS
Bran muffins are always an easy go-to for a healthy choice for breakfast, school lunches or just an anytime snack so these healthy bran muffins are a great option for those times.
Make in bulk and freeze or throw together a quick batch and serve warm for when the kids arrive home from school. They include a bit of brown sugar to add to the sweetness, but otherwise a great healthy choice.
LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
These lemon blueberry muffins are sweet with the tart flavours of lemon and are made with Greek yogurt and streusel crumb taste like an indulgent dessert.
GREEK YOGHURT CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
These greek yogurt chocolate muffins are a great make-ahead and freeze treat to have on hand for when you need one. They can stay in the freezer for up to a month and take no time at all to defrost in the microwave. Or pop one in the school lunch box and it should be defrosted in time for morning tea at school.
Mixed Berry Muffins
These mixed berry muffins work with frozen berries or fresh… any berries will do. They are a quick and easy sweet muffin to make with what you already have.
HEALTHY APPLE MUFFINS WITH CINNAMON
These apple and cinnamon dairy-free muffins are soft and sweet, with cinnamon and tender pieces of apple. Featuring healthier ingredients like applesauce, oats and coconut oil, they are the perfect dairy-free and egg-free treat for morning or afternoon tea or adding to lunch boxes.
Healthy Vegan Muffins
There are loads of delicious healthy vegan muffin recipes and these ones are sure to please. There’s no reason why you can’t alter some of the other muffin recipes in this list to make them vegan-friendly too. However here are a few ready to go!
APPLE CRUMBLE MUFFINS
These apple crumble muffins are vegan as well as dairy free which means suitable for lactose intolerance as well. This makes them a great option for class parties where you need to cater to potential allergies. Plus they look so good!
EASY VEGAN PROTEIN MUFFINS
If you’re looking for a snack that will fill the kids up after school, right up until dinner, these easy vegan protein muffins are a great option. Vegan and loaded with goodness. Plus that sprinkling of chocolate chips means they will gladly eat them up!
HEALTHY CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS
You just have to look at these muffins to get that mouth-watering feeling! Look at all that chocolatey goodness and since they are banana muffins, you know they are going to be deliciously moist too! These healthy chocolate banana muffins are sure to be a hit with all ages!
Plus they are vegan too! I love that muffins are a great way to use up ripe bananas before they go bad too.
Low Carb Keto Muffins
Keto diet and meal plans are massive right now and why not when they are loaded with so many good things that you often have to skip in other diets. While kids don’t generally need to diet, these muffins are a great low carb option for the whole family. The keto-approved part is just a bonus!
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH ALMOND FLOUR
This is another great keto muffin recipe that is low carb and loaded with yum! These blueberry muffins with almond flour are a great option if you are looking at keto eating plans for your household, yet still giving the kids yummy treats they will enjoy too.
PALEO CINNAMON ORANGE KETO MUFFINS
These paleo cinnamon orange keto muffins tick a lot of boxes. They are keto friendly, paleo, and low carb. They are a good for you zesty treat with a unique combination of orange and cinnamon. Yum!
CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
These chocolate chip zucchini muffins are low carb, paleo, dairy free, sugar-free and keto-approved, so they tick a lot of boxes, even with those delicious chocolate chips added in for a burst of flavour.
Hopefully you have found loads of healthy muffin recipes for kids, and the rest of the family too, in this massive list! I can’t wait to work my way through a few more of these recipes and load up the freezer full of school lunch and after school snack ideas!
For more lunch box ideas, make sure you grab my free printable list for the fridge, so you never run out of ideas:
Muffin Making Essentials
The best part about making muffins is that you only need a few simple tools in the kitchen to make most of these recipes.
They are a relatively low mess snack idea and you usually only need a bowl and a pan plus your mixing instruments. Here are some of my favourite muffin making tools for the kitchen:
Silicone Muffin Tray
I prefer to use silicone muffin pans simply because they make it easier to get the muffins out compared to some muffin tins. I usually don’t use cupcake liners when making muffins. This means less waste and also less fussing for little fingers at school trying to peel the paper off.
Non-Stick Muffin Tin
If you do prefer muffin tins, you can get a range of sizes just as you can silicone muffin trays, with large muffins or smaller sized muffin sections.
Benchtop Mixer
Some recipes are better hand mixed with a wooden spoon, however, I do love my benchtop stand mixer. This is a later model than mine but it makes baking easier when you can go do something else while your mixer does the hard work.
Mixing Bowls
Silicone bottom mixing bowls are a must-have so you don’t have any slip when you are mixing. I love mine and use them all the time.
Muffin Storage FAQS
How Do I Store Muffins?
Store your muffins in an airtight container. Fresh muffins can be stored in a container on the bench, or store in the refrigerator for longer-lasting muffins.
Can I Freeze Muffins?
Absolutely! Muffins are perfect to freeze. You can store them in an airtight container in the freezer. Or individually bag them in freezer bags so you can easily grab a single muffin for a snack or lunch box.
Muffins are indeed a simple and delicious snack idea for all ages and the perfect size for kids to enjoy at school or home. Most of these recipes use pantry staples with most of us having the dry ingredients on hand and ready to go, adding in a few extra ingredients to complete the muffin recipe.
They can also be a great way to use up leftover fruit, veg and wet ingredients that may otherwise go to waste making them a thrifty baking option too!
Having so many yummy recipe resources on hand sure makes a huge difference to our organised school routine and packing lunch boxes in advance.
Be sure to check out my other back to school recipes for school lunches, with loads more inspiration for healthy lunch box options for kids. Plus grab the free lunch box ideas printable!
More healthy recipes to try: