In my house growing up there was very little, if any, sugar. I remember only having soda pop on “special occasions,” Sugar Puffs Cereal on Sunday mornings and Spirulina when I was sick. Ughh! My Mom was definitely a very healthy cook. She knew what was good for all of us! So, by the time I was in high school I was craving things like green, leafy salads for after school snacks. You heard me right—I said “salad.” Mom wouldn’t just put in the lettuce, but she’d fill the bowl with all kinds of crunchy vegetables and colorful, seasonal produce. I loved it! Then again, I was kind of turning into a health nut too! I used to eat her whole wheat pancakes and pick plums right off the tree for my lunch in 10th grade. I might have been missing a few key ingredients for a wholesome lunch, however.
Fast forward to today, and I am always wracking my brain to look for hearty alternatives to the “After School Snack” craze for my 5 kids. My kids are hungry enough for a full meal so I try to find things that will fill them up until nearly dinner, at least!
Now, I don’t shy away from sugar quite as much as my Mom did, but I do try to have it sparingly. That being said, one of my favorite things to do is bake cookies and share them. In fact, I love making cookie dough balls and freezing them—then later we can enjoy fresh baked cookies anytime!
So, here are some tasty ideas that we love to eat at our house after school (or anytime, really).
Cinnamon Coconut Granola
This is, by far, our FAVORITE granola recipe! We make it almost weekly. It is very filling and great for breakfast too.
You can find this recipe at: www.foodiegonehealthy.com
Muffins are also a wonderful snack! They are one of my favorite foods because you can pack so many flavors and healthy surprises into one thing! And they’re quite filling! Plus, you can have them for breakfast, lunch and even dinner! They also freeze great too. Here are just a few of the many cookies and muffins we have tried from www.melskitchencafe.com:
*Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
* Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Double Chocolate Greek Yogurt Cookies
* Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins
* Whole Grain Peanut Butter and Honey Banana Muffins
* The Best Blueberry Muffins
Other Options for After School Snacks adapted from www.parents.com include:
1. Hard Boiled Eggs: high in feel-full protein. Yolk is rich in Vitamins E & B. Keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
2. Veggie Snack cup: Ranch or other choice of salad dressing with celery, carrot sticks or tomatoes.
3. Popcorn: A natural whole grain snack. Much better when you make it yourself so you can avoid extra additives from microwave popcorn.
4. Turkey roll-ups: Spread hummus or pesto on tortilla and layer with slice of cheese, turkey and roll up
5. No-bake energy balls: There are many different recipes online to choose from that include: mini chocolate chips, honey, oats, almonds, flax seed, & peanut butter.
6. DIY trail mix: whole grain cereal pieces, nuts, dried fruit, mini chocolate chips, pretzels, pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
7. Toast: top with nut butter, layered bananas, mashed avocado, soft cheese or an egg.
I’ve learned that if there is something for my kids to eat after school they’re more willing to talk to me about their day. They’re in a better mood, too; and sometimes I even get lucky and they say “Thank You! “ And just for the record, I still take Spirulina
