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The PERFECT After School Snack

As the School Year kicks into gear lunch boxes are being packed, lunch money is being counted and thousands of parents and children are drawing battle lines over the important issue of after-school snacks.

Racing from School to after school activities doesn’t help the cause, as the simple solutions for after school snacks typically lead to a closet of unhealthy alternatives like chips, sugary juice boxes and the list goes on. 

Left to their own devices, the average grade-schooler can quickly come up with a list of items that they would dig into if not for the guidance of their parents. Now lets get realistic we aren’t gong to convince our children to head home and peel a fresh carrot or jump into a bag of granola, but it is possible to make an after snack healthy and easy.  The Perfect After School Snack.

Good News there is a middle ground when it comes to the Perfect After school snack. Yes that is right something that appeals to your child’s sweet tooth but still hits your list of a healthy menu.

Here are just a few quick ideas to fill the bellies of your school ager that will tide them over until dinner without turning them into the overweight kids we hear about every time we turn on a health-related show. Ask yourself; “Are you making your kids FAT?”  

Starting Simple

When I say “raisins,” – Don’t think boring.  There are several great ways you can convince your child to eat those little purplish dried grapes and love it.

·         How about a preparing a few stalks of celery and your favorite jar of peanut butter and add those great raisins to the top for a little sweet kick. These also travel well, provided you don’t overstuff, for school lunch packing.

·         A Healthy alternative to Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – Use Sugar alternatives and Apples Sauce as a substitute to Oil – This traditional cookie your kids love can be made healthy and they won’t even know the difference.

Who knew that Jerky could be a healthy snack – now you know.

·         Beef, chicken or turkey jerky is another great, simple snack. Watch the spice, though! Some of the big national brands specialize in “peppered” jerky that can be a bit too intense for young palates.

Meat and Cheese Roll Ups are a hit with my kids they could be with yours too.

·         Give your kid a piece of deli meat and a piece of string cheese, and they’ll  probably eat it, but roll the cheese up in the meat and slap one of those “party” toothpicks and this simple snack now becomes something special and they’ll sure to be asked for more.

·         Another great idea is tortilla rollups, with small (or halved) flour tortillas used to roll up anything from peanut butter to cheese spreads to tuna or ham salad.

Fresh Fruits

·         Weather it’s just having fresh fruits hanging around the house or creating a bit of variety by cutting the apple into French Fry slices instead of wedges. That little bit of variety can make all the difference.

Remember Get your Kids involved.  Teaching Healthy Eating Habits early can make all the difference and if you get them involved you may be surprised at the ideas they will come up with.

Another quick hint is to Hang a Food Pyramid on the fridge and remind your kids to

The updated Food Guide Pyramid offers specialized recommendations based on age, height, weight and activity levels. Go to MyPyramid.gov to get your recommendations.

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