Aug 04th 2021

Healthy After School Snack for Kids

Written by

Karen Roth, MSNC

Karen is a Certified Nutrition Consultant with a Master’s Degree in Holistic Nutrition. She enjoys sharing her knowledge to empower her clients to take control of their health with food and lifestyle choices.

Parents have witnessed their kids coming home after school, dropping their books, and making a b-line to the kitchen looking for snacks. While it’s easy to stock the pantry with chips and crackers, there are easy ways to make healthy snacks that will give them more energy and not drag them down before they’ve had a chance to start their homework. Here are some easy, quick and delicious snacks to hold your kids over until dinner time.

Healthy Snacks for Children

Veggie Dipping Cups
Use a short glass. Fill halfway with plain Greek yogurt, seasoned with dried dill and parsley. Stir in fresh chopped chives. Stand a medley of cut vegetable spears upright in the glass of yogurt to make dipping fun and easy. Use carrots, celery, jicama, cucumber, or bell pepper spears.
Crispy Kale Chips
Take a bag of destemmed and cut pieces of kale, toss in a large bowl, and coat evenly with 1 ½ Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil and ½ tsp. of salt. Layer evenly on a sheet pan and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. If the kale pieces are not crispy, bake for another 5 minutes. The baking takes the bitter bite out of kale, and the kids will love these crunchy snacks. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Cucumber Sandwiches
Slice a cucumber into rounds. Layer one round with a smear of hummus, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and top with another cucumber round. These crunchy, creamy snacks will delight.
Sweet Pepper Boats
Use sweet mini bell peppers that you purchase in a bag. Slice in half and remove the seeds and stem. Mix equal parts of cream cheese and plain Greek yogurt, and fill each boat with the mixture. Sprinkle with nuts or seeds of your choice. Chia and sesame seeds work nicely.
Turkey Roll Ups
Use turkey lunchmeat (Applegate or True Story are my favorite) and lay out flat. Layer with mayonnaise or mustard, sliced cucumber, and carrots and roll up tightly. These protein-packed snacks are a winner.
Fruit and Nut Cups
Prepare in advance several containers of fresh cut fruit and nuts. Pine nuts go well with watermelon, while mixed berries are great with slivered almonds. Sprinkle with feta cheese.