Do your kids come home from school with growling tummies and cranky attitudes? As soon as my kids get home from school, my hungry kiddos start begging me for some healthy after school snacks (or at least whatever I’m going to give them is healthy). Shh… they probably won’t notice.
I’m just not the kind of mom who has the time to make snacks into cute animals or cut shapes out of sandwiches. I wish I did but sometimes, it’s just not possible. I do try my best to make sure that their snack is at least healthy.
What Kind Of Snack Do You Consider Healthy
You’ve probably been asking yourself: What are some good after school snacks in general? Whether you are like me and have the same go-to (boring) snack plan every day, or you just have no plan at all, coming up with a new and exciting snack plan will make those after school afternoons flow much easier (with a few less tantrums).
It’s not only for the younger kids! Some of my older kids will be teenagers soon and I’m over here asking myself: What is a healthy snack for a teenager?
That’s why I came up with a huge list of quick and easy healthy after school snacks for kids!
Now, I’m not talking snacks with cute candy eyes that you’ll find on Pinterest. Nope, I’m not putting eyes or ears on a mandarin orange or a piece of toast. It’s not happening.
Kid snacks don’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. You don’t have to go to extreme effort to get them to eat when they are already hungry.
I’m talking about snacks that require zero or very little prep and will satisfy your kids’ hunger without them begging for more in 5 minutes. When it comes to feeding kids, I believe in keeping it simple, delicious, and effective.Â
Do Kids Really Need an After School Snack?
Kids may come home from school saying they are hungry, but does giving them a healthy after school snack mean they’ll be too full to eat their dinner?
After a busy day of learning and playing with friends (not to mention their non-stop metabolism), it’s understandable that kids need a little nibble to tide them over between meals.
The idea is to keep the size of this snack small. This isn’t a meal in between a meal- it’s a tide-you-over nibble, so keep it on the small-ish size. And if you keep it healthy, your kids will be ready to eat dinner without too much complaint.
No matter what your kids are doing after school (sports, homework, activities or even just relaxing), today’s list of awesome after school snack ideas is great for keeping children satisfied until dinner time.
What Are Healthy After School Snacks?
Unfortunately, many items marketed as snacks for kids are loaded with extra sugar and chemicals; plus, they’re usually scarce in the protein department.
While they might taste good, those types of snacks can cause kids to crave more and more, sending them on a blood sugar roller coaster and still left hungry.
To keep kids satisfied, mix and match natural carbs with proteins and veggies. This will keep them fully longer for a lot longer as well as provide the ideal balance of nutrients.
1. Popcorn
Air pop some popcorn, then drizzle with a little bit of avocado or olive oil and some sea salt.
2. Trail Mix
Trail mix is expensive to buy but cheap(er) & easy to make. Mix and match in a bowl of different nuts, dried fruits, cereals, and even popcorn.
3. Nut Butter Apple Slice Sandwiches
Nut butter, peanut butter and almond butter are great sources of protein and healthy fats. Definitely a must for these bite-size sammies.
4. Greek Yogurt With Granola
Greek yogurt is full of protein and very filling. Add a dab of honey to make it less tart and throw in some delicious granola bar.
5. Frozen Banana Bites
Make these chocolate-dipped, frozen banana skewers ahead of time. Satisfying as both snacks and dessert.
6. Smoothie
Have fun making different fruit and liquid combinations while you blend up a nutritious, delicious, & filling snack. Milk, Greek yogurt or protein powder can all serve as sources of protein in your smoothie.
If you’re looking for a couple of different recipes, here are a few fan-favorite smoothie recipes my kids absolutely love.
7. String Cheese And Fruit
Light but filling! The perfect snack to serve before sports practice.
8. Crackers & Hummus
With lots of varieties of both crackers and hummus available (roasted red pepper for the win!), the flavor combination options are plentiful.
9. Pizza Toast
When making this, think of English muffin pizzas but sub out the English muffin for a slice of bread.
10. Quick Cheesy Nachos
For this snack, I like to grab some tortilla chips and add some cheese sprinkled over them. You can stick it in the toaster oven (preferred) or cook in the microwave until the cheese melts. (https://kumorisushi.com)
11. Fruit
Old-time classic but still delicious! Clementines, grapes, apples, applesauce all make a great light snack when dinner isn’t too far away.
12. Chips and Guacamole
I don’t know about your kids, but mine go crazy for some chips and guac. If you want to make it even healthier, chop up some celery, carrots and bell peppers to serve with this dip instead of chips.
13. Banana bread (or muffins)
Whip up a batch of banana muffins for an easy, healthy snack throughout the week.
14. Sliced Cheese And Deli Meat
Think homemade Lunchable. Stack the cheese and deli meat on top of some crackers if your kids need just a little more snack.
15. Veggies And Dip
A ranch dip or sour cream dip can be just the extra boost needed for a filling snack. I like to serve it with some broccoli, carrots and sliced radishes.
16. Roasted Chickpeas
These roasted chickpeas are easy to make and have lots of flavor options to create for a fun, healthy after school snack.
18. Nut butter On Crackers
Classic, easy to make, and very filling! Sometimes, I’ll take some of their favorite jam and a dollop right on top of the cracker- sort of like a smaller version of a PB& J.
19. Protein Bar
Healthy versions like Kind (AMAZON LINK) or Larabars are delicious and contain ingredients you will feel good feeding your kids.
20. Energy Balls
These small bites are great to meal prep in advance and have them ready as an on-the-go snack. There are tons of different varieties that you can choose to make. A quick search on Pinterest will provide lots of options you can try!
21. Cheese Quesadilla
Cheese Quesadillas- Fast to make and perfect for those days when cheese and crackers just aren’t enough.
Lots of great options for healthy after school snacks, right? Put some of these healthy snacks together and you won’t have to worry too much about what your kids are eating after school.
More From One Crazy House:
- Budget-friendly Snack Ideas For Kids
- Snack Ideas Every Lazy Parent Needs To Know
- Mix and Match Snack Station
Which healthy afternoon snacks are your kids favorite?Â
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