Our church is hosting its annual VBS (Vacation Bible School) starting Sunday. I'm volunteering some drinks and would also like to contribute some snacks as well. Each year the lady in charge requests certain snacks so that she can plan on making baggies of "ready to go" snacks for the children. This year she wants Doritos, and other "junk" foods. I really want to contribute something more healthy. My daughters want me to bring apples (my children are used to healthy foods and actually prefer health foods over junk any day). I'm just curious if your church prepares more healthy snacks and what are they? I'd love some fresh ideas for this years VBS. Thank you.
I think my daughter’s VBS did basic stuff like graham crackers raisins and Nilla wafers. I’m a bit surprised to hear they want Dortios and other junk food. I think kids get enough of that that we shouldn’t be promoting it at camp.
I would do maybe small packs of raisins, dried fruit, etc. You could also do snack crackers or even Teddy Grahams, which are still kind of treat, I mean they make chocolate ones! 
I probably wouldn’t do apples, unless they are pre-packaged just because it’s a hassle to wash, slice and keep them crisp with a room full of kids, but perhaps pre washed grapes, carrots or other fruit or veg, but I’d ask first.
My church did raisins, those individually packages apple slices, carrots, or grapes, and graham crackers. The VBS is very small, so they could afford to splurge on those. For large groups of kids, that would get quite pricey.
I suggest:
Watermelon & canteloupe or honeydew chunks
Agree with the apples suggestion
String cheese
Junk food is just that, junk. The kids don’t need it, and they sure as heck don’t benefit from it.
My kids are too big for VBS now, but I still remember Goldfish cracker stories. They would have Goldfish to be the fishes and the loaves and they would have goldfish to be Jonah in the whale (the goldfish crackers became “whale” crackers) they would have Goldfish to be like Peter and be a fisherman.
If you want to contribute healthy, go for those little raisin packs or some grapes. Avoid anything with nuts or dairy in case there are kids with allergies.
The probably do the junk food cause it’s much cheaper to serve an a large level.
We serve apple and orange wedges, string cheese, Goldfish crackers, raisins, Jell-o in small paper cups, celery with cream cheese or peanut butter (but have to know that none of the children are allergic to nuts), carrot sticks and water. I would send what you feel comfortable having your children eat.
I just helped when I could with our VBS a couple of weeks ago. I brought 2 cases of drinks - figured the kids would probably like Hawaiian Punch and SunnyD (they made punch w/some of the SunnyD). Not sure how it was all done since I just helped after got off work, but the lady running the food end had grilled cheese sandwiches one day, chicken nuggets one day, pizza rolls one day, hotdogs/corndogs one day - along with trail mix or such and something for “dessert” … Ours was in the evening 6:30 to 8:45 and they probably guessed some kids might not have gotten much to eat before coming. We’re a pretty small group, too!
Wow did this question bring back memories! I remember being in VBS when I was a kid and always getting cheap store bought cookies and “church kool-aid”, which tasted like it had too much water and no sugar! Ahhhh, memories…
Now I think I will fall asleep hearing “Oh you can’t get to heaven in a Kleenex box…” sung in my head!
Our church did the following snacks -
Popcorn w/ mini peanut butter cups
Pretzels and cheese cubes
Graham crackers w/ vanilla icing and a little bit of chocolate syrup
Goldfish and animal crackers
Jello jigglers w/ cool whip and sliced strawberries
And as Kate L called it ‘church kool-aid’ each day!
I’m in charge of our VBS snacks this year and ours starts Sunday too. We are doing a structured Creation theme (Genesis) and all the snacks go along with the lessons being taught that day. First day is creation trail mix with white & chocolate chips (God created light and dark), animal crackers, teddy grahams, orange cheese puffs representing the sun, colored m&ms representing all the flowers/plants God created. Second day I’m doing blue jello (ick) with gummy fish in it topped with cool whip. Third day is a fresh fruit salad. Fourth day is sherbet. Fifth day is tortilla chips with cheese dip. Drinks will vary, but will be fruit juices. I have to do all the grocery shopping for this tomorrow. I’m already exhausted.