An after school snack can be as easy as a piece of fresh fruit with cheese.
After school time is often a rush for many families with activities going on. Having time to prepare a gourmet snack is usually out of the question. Prepackaged cookies, crackers and granola bars are the usual norms in such cases. However, if you have five minutes to spare at home, you can make an easy, healthy, homemade kid-friendly snack with a few ready-made ingredients.
Vegetables and Dip
Raw vegetables are a good snack for after school as you never know for sure what your child did or didn't eat during lunch. Veggies provide a nutritious boost to get homework done or go outside and play before dinner. Dips are usually necessary to get the child interested in vegetables. Raw, precut mini carrots, slices of celery, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, sugar peas and slices of red bell peppers are ideal for dipping into ranch salad dressing, onion or spinach dip, peanut butter, cream cheese or hummus.
Crackers and Spreads
Crackers with spreads is a super-quick, moderately healthy and tasty snack that you can adapt to your child's taste preference. You can use any type of packaged cracker such as saltines, table water crackers, butter crackers, graham crackers or whole wheat seed crackers. Spreads include peanut butter, jelly, a combination of both, cream cheese, honey, goat or other soft cheese or Nutella. Spread the crackers before giving them to the child as it will be both quicker and less messy.
Yogurt and Granola
Breakfast foods are good choices for after school snacks as they provide adequate nutrition and you know whether or not your child likes it. A small cup of yogurt mixed with granola or cereal with milk are both quick and will hold the child's appetite until dinner. If the weather is warm, freeze individual yogurt cartons or tubes and serve as a frozen snack treat.
Popcorn Snack Mixes
Many children love both popcorn and snack mix, and mixing the two together increases the volume, allowing for more snacking occasions. Mix a large batch and use it as a quick after school snack throughout the week. Pop popcorn and mix with pretzels, mini crackers, peanuts and small chocolate candies. Keep in an airtight container.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bagels
To avoid doubling the lunch sandwich with an after school sandwich, make bagel sandwiches or halves with peanut butter and jelly to provide a substantial snack full of protein and energy. You can use large or mini bagels substitute the peanut butter and jelly with honey or .
Tortillas
Tortilla snacks are fun quick snacks the kids can help you prepare without making too much of a mess. Classic cheese quesadillas make hearty snacks, as do toasted tortillas spread with butter, cinnamon and sugar. They can dip nachos, plain tortilla chips or oven crisped tortillas into mild salsa and sour cream.
Cheese and Fruit
Quick out of the package string cheese, cheese wheels or cut up cheese cubes are handy finger foods that are both healthy and enjoyable to children. Accompany a cheese snack with fresh fruit such as cut up apples, bananas, pears or grapes. Serve cottage cheese or yogurt as a dip for the fruit.
Smoothies and Milk Shakes
Nothing is quicker than throwing everything in a blender and whirling together. Fresh fruit smoothies or milk shakes are filling and attractive to children and they can take them on the go if necessary. Blend yogurt, milk or ice cream smoothies or shakes with fresh fruit, powdered chocolate or cookie and candy bits.
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