5 Healthy After-School Snack Ideas For Kids
Libby Smith
Along with learning their A, B, C’s and 1, 2, 3’s, children all across America build up an appetite during the early afternoon. It won’t be long until they arrive home from school asking the age-old question, “What can I have to eat?” If this sounds like your child, you are not alone. The key is to offer them a variety of healthy snacks that will help sustain their appetites until dinnertime. The following recipes are not only jam-packed with filling nutrients, but they are also fun to make with children of any age!
When you think of snack food, popcorn is number one on the list. Dried apricots and cherries are combined with pecans and other popcorn ingredient staples to produce an outstanding (and healthy) after school snack. Children of all ages will enjoy munching on this treat while working on their homework. Cook’s Tip: Omit the pecans if there are nut allergies in the family.
Summer Fruit with Honey Velvet Sauce
Made with four fruit types of your choosing, this recipe does not fall short in the nutrition department. The fruit is mixed with a concoction of honey, lemon and Hellmann’s®/Best Foods® to produce a wonderful sauce that compliments each serving.
This homemade version of fruit salad will have your children wanting seconds and maybe even thirds. Grapes, bananas, and strawberries are combined and married into a medium-sized bowl. Individual servings are then embellished with a dollop of sour cream, lime, and honey. Cook’s Tip: To save on time, make these the day before and store separately in the fridge. Chill until ready to consume.
This recipe is a favorite in our house this time of year, due to the abundance of zucchini at our local farmer’s market. Potatoes are replaced with zucchini sticks for an unexpected (and healthy) twist on your normal French fries. You can serve these with marinara sauce or ketchup. Our family likes to eat them with ranch dressing.
Berry Nutty Whole Wheat Banana Bread
This is not your regular run-of-the-mill recipe for banana bread! It’s chock-full with fresh assorted berries that complement the bananas wonderfully. The utilization of whole wheat flour into the mix will keep your child’s appetite at bay until dinnertime. Homework time may be the best time to serve them a piece of this lovely quick bread.
All of us here at Operation in Touch hope you and your family have a safe and successful school year! Don’t forget to make these recipes to help stave off your child’s ravenous food cravings until dinnertime.
