After School Snacks

Summer is over! My son came home from the first day of school, completely exhausted and cranky. I was surprised because he was so excited to get back to school and see all his buddies.

But then I thought back to my days of returning to school and remembered that going from a state of "play" to a state of highly structured activity WAS exhausting. And he was grumpy because he was hungry! What kind of nutritious, great-tasting after school snacks could I give him?

I didn't want to give him sugary stuff that would ruin his dinner, not to mention add to his already grumpy attitude. I needed to know what of snack would work after expending all the mental and physical energy he does during a regular school day.

Typically, whatever is convenient and readily available in my cupboard is what I would let him have. And I try really hard to find good, nutritious after school snacks that are easy, but let's face it. Any kind of snacks you buy in the store are processed, full of sugar usually, and the fat content can be, or is quite high.

I realized I needed to put a little more thought into making his after school snacks not just convenient for me, but definitely nutritious and healthy for him. And not just for after school, but for the snacks I need to pack for during school.

In doing some research, I found out that anything I can make at home is going to be so much better nutritionally for him than anything I can buy at the store already processed, packaged and ready to go. This is not rocket science, but we do get so caught up in doing what seems to be faster instead of what is better.

Not that I don't cook, but I do have a heavy work load and kid load and husband load to handle everyday. And I do it with joy. So, out of that joy, I started making some of these fantastic after school snacks recipes that really didn't take that much more time out of my day and the results are long lasting and I have a happier kid and hubby!

Some of the ideas for after school snacks don't need an oven, just your imagination for variations on the theme. Other ideas you can make ahead and store, like the sweet breads and snack mixes. Try out different combinations of ideas to see what fits with your child. Kids love variety and you can do so much more with a lot less effort than you think you can. If you put love first, everything else is easy!

For non-cook ideas for after school snacks try combining apples and bananas with various spreads:

• Apples and cheese - cut apples in slices and serve with a small slice of cheddar cheese.

• Apples and peanut butter - spread peanut butter on a slice of apple.

• Apples and apple butter - dip sliced apples in apple butter

• Apples and cream cheese with raisins - spread cream cheese on an apple slice and dot with a couple of raisins. Make a happy face with the raisins.

• banana slices with chocolate sprinkles or any kind of sprinkles - my son loves this. Slice up bananas and put on a small plate. Sprinkle chocolate sprinkles or any kind of edible sprinkles that you have handy over the slices.

• banana slices and peanut butter - put a dab of peanut butter on each banana slice. For a variation, try almond butter.

• banana slices with apple butter and raisins - put a dab of apple butter on each banana slice and dot with a raisin

• banana slices in milk and sugar - an old-fashioned favorite of mine. My mom used to serve this to me, her Mom used to serve it to her. Slice up bananas and put in a bowl, cover slightly with milk and top with a sprinkling of sugar or sprinkles. Kids love it!
  
  
  
  Return from After School Snacks to Easy Appetizer Recipes home page.