Want to stop your kids from reaching for chips or cookies when they come home from school? Here are 18 ideas for healthy afternoon snacks for your kids.
1) Tortilla Roll-Ups and Pinwheels
Spread a tortilla with just peanut butter, or with peanut butter and jelly. Roll it up, then slice into one inch pieces to make pinwheels. Or spread cream cheese and add turkey or ham slices, then layer with spreadable cheese and various vegetables. Roll it up and eat.
2) Granola or Cereal, and Yogurt
Granola or cereal make great snacks on their own, but you're adding protein when you stir it into yogurt.
3) Trail Mix
Make your own with peanuts, raisins, granola, grapes, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and any other balanced mix of savory, salty, sweet, and healthy snacks.
4) Fresh Fruit, Applesauce or Dried Fruit
Consider raisins, dates, apricots, prunes, cranberries, plums, as well as mangos and other tropical fruits. They are sweet like candy.
5) Greek Yogurt with Berries
Greek yogurt brings the protein. And fresh berries add the sweetness.
6) Apple Slices and Dip
Dip in peanut butter, fat-free whipped topping, yogurt, and sugar-free caramel or other dips.
7) Banana “Ice Cream”
The texture of blended blueberries and frozen bananas is delightfully similar to ice cream, only better and healthier.
8) Smoothies
Try mixing and matching flavors. Consider almond or soy milk, different frozen fruit and flavored yogurts.
9) Fruit-Nut Treats
Make Rice Krispies Treats according to the recipe. Then add 1/4 cup sesame seeds and 1/2 cup each chopped dried fruit and sunflower seeds.
10) Vegetable Sticks with Plain Yogurt Dip
Try raw vegetables like carrots, snow peas, cucumbers, jicama, zucchini and bell pepper slices.
11) Pita Wedges and Hummus
Black bean, edamame or white bean hummus are other options.
12) Boiled or Steamed Edamame
Dunk the edamame in soy sauce or tamari.
13) Toast, Bread, Bagels, English Muffins, Crackers or Rice Cakes
Top with nut butter, cheese, cream cheese, deli meat or sliced fruit.
14) Popcorn
Make unbuttered popcorn and sprinkle — while it’s hot — with Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, cinnamon sugar, or anything else you want to spice it up with.
15) Graham or Animal Crackers
Both are a tasty substitute for cookies.
16) Nutty Pretzel Wands
Take pretzel rods and spread peanut butter on the top few inches. Then roll in chopped peanuts, dried fruit, or both.
17) No-Bake “Pitzas”
Put a spoonful of ricotta cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, sea salt, dried oregano and fresh basil in mini-pitas.
18) Cheese Sticks
Try pre-cut Colby or cheddar sticks. Or cut your own from any other cheese.
Sources:
"50 After-School Snacks." 50 After-School Snacks. Web. 17 Aug. 2015.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-after-school-snacks.html
Bilow, Rochelle. "Healthy Snacks for Kids - Bon Appétit." Bon Appétit. Web. 17 Aug. 2015.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/healthy/article/after-school-snacks
Formaro, Amanda. "FamilyCorner.com®." 30 Healthier Snack Ideas for Kids. Web. 17 Aug. 2015.
http://www.familycorner.com/parents-nutrition/30-healthier-snack-ideas-for-kids.html
"Healthy Snacks & after School Snacks Children." Netmums. Web. 17 Aug. 2015.
http://www.netmums.com/family-food/food-for-kids/school-meals/after-school-snacks.
Reviewed August 24, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith