We all know that the school year can be busy and filled with chaos and after-school brings it’s own level of rushing around. With little time to eat, do homework and have time to wind down after a busy day at school, the after-school rush is filled with kids coming home tired, hungry and ready to refuel. Having a few go-to snacks ready that are quick and satisfying will help smooth the transitional part of the day. Bonus points because these snacks can be prepped ahead of time or thrown together in just minutes!
After-school snacks are important because they bridge the gap between lunch and dinner. These snacks can help to boost the mood, energy and focus for the kiddos and help them through homework time, sports practice or this lull in their day. On nutritional note, this is a great time to sneak in a little extra nutrition into their diets and from a parenting aspect, a great time to encourage independence in the kitchen without too much (or any) supervision and guidance.
Wondering what to make? Here are some easy ideas to prep ahead of time to make your snack time easy and even fun!
DIY Snack Trays: Fill a muffin tin with a mix of crackers, cheese cubes, fruit, mini pretzels and veggie sticks. This is a great item to put on the table while the kids are doing their homework. They can graze, or snack, while getting the work done.
Frozen Banana Bites: Slice bananas and sandwich them with peanut butter. Dip in melted chocolate and freeze. This is a fun treat that feels like dessert, but is still packed with nutrition. This is also a fun treat to prep together so that the kids can be part of the making!
Mini Pizzas: Top English Muffins (or mini pita rounds) with pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your kid’s favorite toppings, then toast or bake until the cheese is melted. This is a great snack that the whole family can enjoy and the toppings are endless. A great way to refuel the kids before practices and play-dates.
Fruit & Veggies: Cut up and wash your fruits and veggies over the weekend. It is an easy snack that is good for you! My mom used to keep celery and carrot sticks in water in the fridge. It was an easy snack for us that we could just reach in and grab for if we needed a bite. Such an easy way to get in some nutritional snacking and a much healthier option than potato chips!
Quick and Easy Options: Slice some apples and have yogurt or peanut butter ready for dipping. Have a jar of trail mix ready with small cups to fill for easy snacking. Yogurt parfaits with granola and berries in the fridge that are ready to grab make for a fun treat that is good for you! So many options for grab and go easy treats!
Banana Protein Muffins: These muffins are an easy bake over the weekend to enjoy throughout the week for a quick breakfast or snack. Get the recipe in our blog post at: Banana Protein Muffins
There are so many ideas to keep your kiddos fed and happy throughout the after-school times of the week. To make it easier on you, remember to keep snack ingredients stocked and prepped in bins or containers. Get the kids involved in snack prep to help build their independence and those healthier snacks front of mind. Make sure to balance convenience and nutrition; remember that snacks can be fun AND healthy!
We hope that this has helped motivate you to get prepping for after-school (or work for the big kids) snacking. Remember that these snacks don’t need to be fancy, just easy, tasty and ready to go! Have any go-to snacks in your house? Let us know in the comments. As always, thank you for reading and joining us on this journey. We love learning and growing with you. Simply, Beth