30+ Healthy Kids Snacks for After School

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With most parents being so busy today, sometimes it’s difficult to find time to rustle up healthy kids snacks.

This is particularly true during the period from when the children come home from school, and dinner time. Aside from preparing the evening meal, there are usually 101 other things which need attention, and taking time to put together something healthy when the inevitable hunger strikes in the late afternoon, is almost impossible.

However, with the right preparation, when hungry kids burst through the door after school, you’ll already have a few healthy snacks on hand to curtail their hunger until dinner.

I’d suggest designating one area of your refrigerator for your ‘healthy kids snacks‘ where anything in that area is ready to be enjoyed by your children.

But, what kind of snacks?

Well, the best snacks for kids are those that  offer a complex carbohydrate and a source of protein to keep them sustained through to dinner…

Here are my favourite healthy kids snacks:

#1 Fruity kebabs - thread pineapple, grapes, melon balls, dried fruit, strawberries, or mango chunks onto skewers or toothpicks.

#2 Crudités platter - choose a selection of veg such as sliced carrots, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, baby corn, bell pepper, and serve with a guacamole dip.

#3 Yoghurt lollipops - mix berries with natural yoghurt, place into small paper cups, with a craft stick in the centre, then freeze until ready to eat. Or, try this frozen yoghurt lollipop recipe.

#4 Celery logs - peanut butter spread onto sticks of celery with raisins sprinkled on top.

#5 Savoury kebabs - thread alternate pieces of lean ham, cucumber, mozzarella, and tomatoes onto skewers or toothpicks.

#6 Any dried fruit - cranberries, apricots, bananas, kiwi, strawberries, raisins, pineapple, or mango, served in small portions.

#7 Tuna sticks - mix tuna with natural yoghurt and herbs, then spread onto celery sticks.

#8 Healthy mini muffins - such as this carrot and muesli mini muffin recipe.

#9 Mixed food platter - with a selection of cheese cubes, fruit slices, raw veggies, suitable dip, dried fruit, nuts, mini bread sticks, and yoghurt.

#10 Mexican egg wraps - make scrambled egg as normal, add a little Tabasco sauce during cooking, then fill the warmed wholegrain tortilla wrap, roll up, and cut into diagonal shapes.

#11 Fruit sorbet - place small cups of whole orange juice into the freezer, then eat as sorbet when ready.

#12 Home made trail mix - with a selection of raisins, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a few choc chips.

#13 Fruit smoothies - made with natural yoghurt, a little milk, and any fruit such as berries, mango, watermelon, or banana.

#14 Popcorn - with added cheese, or herbs for extra flavouring.

#15 Creamy banana wrap - mix reduced fat cream cheese, with honey, spread over warmed wholegrain tortillas, arrange sliced banana on top, roll up, and slice into bite sized pieces.

#16 Yoghurt sundae - using layers of natural yoghurt, berries, nuts, and a few chocolate chips in tall glasses.

#17 Home made mini pizza - topped with tomato purée, leftover veggies, and a little grated cheese.

#18 Spinach pin-wheels - fill wholegrain tortillas with spinach and reduced fat ricotta cheese, roll up, and slice into triangles.

#19 Mini pita pockets - toast pita breads, then split open, spread with hummus, and top with grated carrot.

#20 Apple sauce dips - cut ’solders’ of toasted wholegrain bread and use for dipping into unsweetened apple sauce.

#21 Small cups of pasta salad - using leftover cooked pasta, make a salad by adding sliced cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, sweetcorn, grated carrot, pine nuts; then add an olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and herb dressing.

#22 Healthy baking - experiment with your favourite recipes by substituting some of the fat with apple sauce, and using half white flour, half wholewheat flour. You can also add some oats, dried fruit, and nuts.

#23 Creamy veggie wrap - fill wholegrain tortillas with reduced fat cream cheese and leftover veggies, then roll up and cut into triangles.

#24 Mini bread rolls - topped with tomato purée, basil and garlic, and baked for a few minutes in the oven.

#25 Healthy granola bars.

#26 Soya nuts - served in small containers.

#27 Mini wholegrain crackers - topped with lean ham, cheese, and cherry tomatoes.

#28 Pita triangles - made using wholegrain pita’s, and dunked into tzatziki or hummus dips.

#29 Toasted crusty bread - spread with peanut butter.

#30 Frozen fruit - try frozen grapes, berries, or banana for a healthy sweet treat.

#31 Home made healthy cookies - try these great recipe for oatmeal-raisin cookies or monkey bars.

#32 Quesadillas - made using wholegrain burritos, filled with baked beans and cheese, fold up, then toast in a sandwich press, and serve cut into wedges.

My Twitter friend @coachvanessa posted more creative snack ideas over at Let Your Life Bloom, check them out! To follow me on Twitter go here.

What are your favourite healthy kid snacks for after school?

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