It’s about that time again! I know I’m not the only mom who greets her children (and quite often, her children’s friends) after school and is met with the “I’m staaaaarrrrrvvviiinnnggg” plea. That’s if I don’t get bypassed in a beeline to the kitchen.
If I don’t want to have supper ready at 4:00, and I don’t, healthy after school snacks are a must at our house.
Here are some of my standbys:
- cheese and crackers
- muffins (several of my favorite recipes are right here)
- string cheese
- cream cheese apple dip with sliced apples
- fresh fruit
- veggies and dill dip or ranch
- snack lunch tray
- green smoothie or any other fruit combination smoothie
- smoothie popsicles (freeze your smoothie in popsicle molds)
- homemade applesauce or apple fruit leather
When I put out an After School Snacks all-call on Twitter, here’s what some of my friends had to say:
- @sandwiched serves Banana Boats, Blue Monkey Smoothie, PB & G crackers (How fun are those snacks?!)
- @jenpenm‘s son likes fruit (grapes, apples, bananas), goldfish, cinnamon grahams, cereal, cheeze-its, juice, mini-cupcakes, and cookies. (Sounds like a boy after my own simple pleasures heart!)
- @MonthlyManner ‘s favorite after school snack is Rachel Ray’s banana on a stick, rolled in peanut butter, honey, and then ground granola. (Um, if I make those… they’re all mine!)
- @TakeBkUrKitchen suggests fresh apples, but remembers enjoying pretzels and fruit as a kid. (Keep it simple!)
- @MomsToolbox spreads peanut butter on graham crackers, sometimes adding Nutella. She often pairs this with a smoothie. (Kid favorites!)
What about you? Do you have dinner ready at 4:00? Are your children starving when they walk through the door? What healthy, kid-friendly snacks are served at your house?
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I remember being given very wholesome snacks as a kid–celery and PB, apples, grapes, etc.–the pretzels came in HS.
These days, a set plate of hummus and crackers would be so dynamite–satisfies immediate protein and carb needs without feeling too hungry afterwards, and if you control the portions, they will still be hungry enough for dinner. It’s almost like “tapas” time, kid-style.
Great ideas. thanks!
Thanks for the shout-out! Adn I’m definitely bookmarking this page…I’ll need it desperately in about a month!
Thanks for the great snack ideas! I’m always looking for new ones.
I bookmarked the apple dip recipe–yum! Actually, peanut butter and apples is one of our standard snacks. I have an apple wedger, so it is quick, too.
Yum! We like cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers, fresh fruit, veggies and homemade ranch, muffins, etc. Thanks for all the great ideas! Even though we homeschool, we still snack! LOL!
One of my kids’ favorite after school snack is popcorn. They also like smoothies, dinner leftovers, or even the standard cookies and milke.
I’m writing all this down! My girls love popcorn and hot cocoa especially when it’s cold.
We do eat at 4:30, so it is hard for me. The kids get home at 3:30 and have had an afternoon snack at school. What I try to do is have a small appetizer before dinner. Veggies and dip, chips and dip, cut up fruit. This seems to keep them happy until dinner is served.
Great post Amy! This gave me lots of ideas for snacks that don’t just come out of the box and onto a plate. Jeremy loves dip (and so do the rest of us), so I think I’ll be trying your cream cheese apple dip soon. And those Rachael Ray bananas sound like a delicious special treat!
What great ideas! I’m always looking for new snack or homeschool lunch ideas, and these sound perfect! I’ll definitely be trying some of them. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome snack ideas! Thanks for sharing these!
I like the Nutella on graham crackers idea…sounds yummy!
you are so right about needing a snack for after school appetites we have teens and it is no different here so having a prepared snack is a wonderful idea
I like to have things cut up and ready to go too! I know I’m hungry when I get home from school, just like the kids
My kids love peanut butter on banana slices.
Another list of some great ideas! You rock:-)
great ideas! I love making muffins for my kids for afterschool snacks. I might have to steal some of your ideas though. ;o)
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
I usually start making dinner at 4. Makes things hard because the kids holler I’m hungry the whole time I’m cooking. We’ll all get on the same eating schedule one day.
LOL! 4pm is definitely too early for dinner around here, but my 3 are definitely famished when they walk through the door. I try not to load them up on too many carbs because it tends to spoil their dinner (we eat around 5-ish). Here’s what we like as snacks…
*any kind of fruit
*banana-yogurt pop (spear half banana on popsicle stick, dip in strawberry yogurt, roll in chopped walnuts (opt) and lay on parchment lined baking sheet to freeze)
*yogurt
*nuts and bolts snack mix (cheerios-nuts, chowmein noodles-bolts, craisins and/or raisins, goldfish pretzels)
*cheese and sausage cubes
*homemade chewy granola bars or wonderballs (did I get that recipe here? It’s wonderful!)
*hummous (or any creamy dip) and veggies
Hey, I’m heading over to your place this afternoon for a yummy, healthy, satisfying snack to give me a boost!
Great ideas–if I start making some of these snacks, my kids will rise up and call YOU blessed!
My oldest son actually asks for salad after school. Well ooookay, if you insist… LOL. I also do popcorn (topped with cinnamon sugar or the cheese from mac and cheese sometimes) and fruit. Homemade muffins get gobbled up too.
YoCrunch Greek yogurt is a quick and easy after-school snack option also! Twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt without the “sour cream-y” aftertaste. Plus, all the kids we know *love* mixing in their own toppings!