Tired of crackers, cheerios and raisins? Try one of our snack suggestions from countries like Palestine, Brazil and Morocco for some new ideas to jazz up your snack repertoire.

1. Mexican Paletas ^[1] (popsicles)

With flavors like coconut pineapple, cucumber chili and banana milk, these blow your average popsicle ^[2] out of the water.

2. Middle Eastern Nut-Stuffed Dates

Slice a date in half, remove the pit and stuff each side with a pecan, walnut or almond. The nut offsets the sweetness of the date and this snack is action packed with vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and more.

3. Brazilian Pão de Queijo ^[3] (cheese bread)

This one is even gluten flee, using tapioca flour instead of wheat. Cheesy and moist, your kids won’t eat just one.

4. Moroccan Hard-Boiled Eggs

Slice the eggs and sprinkle with cumin. Cumin is said to aid in digestion and is a source of iron, when eaten in larger quantities.

5. East Asian: Dried Seaweed

Roll it with some brown rice for a heartier snack.

6. German Sandwich

Take a thin slice of hearty bread, or even a hearty cracker, spread some cream cheese on it and top with thinly-sliced cucumbers (only one piece of bread required—this is an open sandwich).

7. Colombian Arepas ^[4]

Another gluten free option using cornmeal instead of flour, stuff with cheese, veggies or try cheese and corn.

8. Palestinian Pita Bread with za’atar ^[5]. It even passed the two-year-old taste buds over here.

9. Japanese platanos ^[6], a salty snack, or on the yellow to black side (blacker is better) to make maduros ^[7], a sweet snack. Slice ‘em and fry ‘em (lightly), and they’re ready for munching.

© 2011 – 2013, Stephanie Meade ^[8]. All rights reserved.