January 20, 2024 fifteen Comments
These 25 healthy after school snack ideas will keep you from scratching your head when your kids come running through the door.
If you don’t have kids and work outside the home, check out my list of the best healthy office snacks.
I love this list of snacks because we all have most of the ingredients in our pantry (or can easily get them). Additionally, a teenager can easily prepare any of the snacks on the easy list and the more complicated snacks with recipes (below the obvious list).
The perfect snack is a combination of fruits or vegetables and protein of around 150 calories. They’re not all perfect like apples and peanut butter, but they’re pretty close.
Obviously, we don’t want our kids to snack on chips, soda, or candy every day. That’s what they’re going to ask for but we have to be creative and give them something they like just as much as junk food. This is a very difficult task because it means that someone will have to prepare something instead of opening a bag.
I understand that opening a bag is easier than spreading peanut butter on an apple, especially when you’re hungry and tired. But you can do it!
Healthy after school snacks are completely possible once you get into the habit of not eating junk.
My kids are always changing what they want after school. My son recently asked me for ramen noodles (they’re not healthy), but I’m trying to find a way to turn them into a healthy snack. Add an egg and some broccoli? Why not? Add only half the sodium? It could work!
The most important factor is not to give up because if your kids are anything like mine, they are constantly demanding fast food, chips, cookies, and ice cream. Do I give you these things? Of course! But not every day or after school.
Good luck with this snack list and let me know how it goes!
Below is a list of 25 easy and healthy after school snacks, plus 12 more complicated healthy snack recipes.
- Plain or flavored yogurt or cottage cheese with sliced fruit and granola
- Whole grain cereals or oats, dry or with milk, yogurt or raisins
- Trail mix or granola bars and healthy fruit bars (look for high fiber and no trans fats)
- Peanut Butter Sandwich with Raspberry Jam and Cashews
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Graham Crackers
- Quesadillas (melted cheese on whole wheat tortillas)
- Rice cakes, plain or topped with peanut butter or cheese
- Popcorn, homemade or store-bought (look for brands low in sodium and fat)
- Tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole or topped with grated cheese and grilled
- Muffins or breads, such as banana, pumpkin, corn, or zucchini (you can make a healthy batch and freeze them)
- Mini-bagels with cream cheese and sliced cucumbers
- Hummus dip with pita, crackers or vegetables
- Sliced avocados with wheat crackers
- Boiled eggs
- Celery stuffed with cream cheese, Boursin cheese or peanut butter
- Edamame in shell, lightly sprinkled with sea salt
- Chickpeas or other beans, eaten with fingers or chopsticks
- Canned olives, pickles, artichokes or hearts of palm
- Frozen peas (not thawed!)
- Apple Slices with Cheese, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate or Honey Chips
- Fruit Skewers (Fruit cut into sticks and dipped in vanilla yogurt)
- Smoothies: combine fresh and/or frozen fruit, fruit juice and yogurt or soy milk
- Dried fruits such as mango, apricots, raisins, plums.
- Ice cream cone or waffle filled with yogurt and chopped fruit
- Bananas and/or strawberries with semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate syrup
1. Fruit Dip Recipe with Yogurt and Peanut Butter
Get the recipe here: Peanut Butter and Yogurt Fruit Dip Recipe
2. Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
Get the recipe here: Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
3. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
Get the recipe here: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
4. Peanut Butter Banana Waffledillas
Get the recipe here: Peanut Butter Banana Waffledillas
5. Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes Recipe
Get the recipe here: Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes
6. Banana bread with waffles
Get the recipe here: Iron Waffle Banana Bread
7. Fruit and nut bars
Get the recipe here: Fruit and Nut Bar Recipe
8. Baked apples with a waffle iron in one minute
Get the recipe here: One-Minute Waffle Baked Apples
9. Pumpkin sauce for apples
Get the recipe here: Pumpkin Apple Sauce Recipe
10. Chocolate pudding recipe with chia seeds
Get the recipe here: Chia Seed Chocolate Pudding Recipe
11. No-Bake Vegan Brownies
Get the recipe here: No Bake Vegan Brownies Recipe
12. Homemade granola
Get the recipe here: Homemade Granola Recipe
Please share your ideas for after school snacks.
Other posts you may like:
The best healthy snacks for the office
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