Healthy After School Snacks

Kids usually eat an early lunch at school. After school, they need something in their stomach to tide them over until dinner. It is important that they do not snack on junk food during this time. Having healthy snacks on hand and ready for kids to munch on will provide them with the nutrients they need until dinner.

Finger foods taste better, so keep cut up veggie sticks in sight and on hand. Kids do not like to cut them up themselves. Keep plenty of packaged snacks in refrigerator. Orange wedges, grapes, cheese cubes, carrot sticks, celery sticks and mini boxes of raisins are some examples. Other healthy snacks are low fat yogurt, low fat pudding, bananas and fruit smoothies.

Snacks high in protein, fiber, and calcium are good healthy choices. These are snacks such as whole grain pretzels, crackers, fresh or dried fruits, nuts and fruit kabobs. Size and portions are important. Do not give your children large portions of anything.

There are many fun snacks for kids, such as ants on a log. Cut celery stalks into five inch sticks, spread on peanut butter, and add raisins on top. Another fun snack is mini pizzas. Take some tortilla chips, add salsa, and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Pop it in the toaster oven or microwave. Fruit smoothies made of real fruit are more nutritious than fruit juice, which contains too much sugar. The old fashioned snack of milk and cookies snack can still be healthy, when using a low fat milk and raisin cookies that are low in sugar.