Healthy After School Snacks
January is here and we are all (hopefully) back into our routine after the Holidays. Whether your kiddos are in preschool or middle school, after school snacks are still a necessity after a long day of learning! In this blog post we want to share seven easy and healthy after school snacks that your kiddos (and you!) will enjoy!
Fresh Fruit Cups
This snack is great because it can be prepared and refrigerated for up to two days making it easy to pull out for those hungry kiddos after school!
Ingredients:
2 cups of your kids favorite fresh fruit washed and diced
8 ounces of lemonade
Start by washing and cutting/dicing your fruit and then fill your containers about ¾ full. Pour the lemonade atop the fruit and once the lid is closed shake the fruit a bit to make sure it is all covered with the lemonade. (The citric acid in the lemonade helps slow down the oxidation (browning) process)
Helpful Tips: We suggest prepping this recipe in a small, leak-proof, lidded container to prevent any lemonade spill. Also you don’t have to fill the containers all the way full with lemonade;just enough to cover the fruit!
Chocolate and Avocado Pudding
This super simple pudding recipe is a great way to sneak in some extra fruit and some super food avocado into your kids diet!
Ingredients
3 bananas
2 avocados peeled and pitted
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Use a blender or food processor to blend the bananas, avocados, cocoa powder, honey and vanilla together until smooth. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving and then enjoy!
Homemade Pizza Rolls
This recipe takes a little bit more prep but makes for a yummy savory snack for everyone.
Ingredients:
13.8 oz tube, refrigerated pizza dough
20 pieces turkey pepperoni, quartered
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 tablespoon marinara or pizza sauce (1 tablespoon per roll up)
2 tablespoon butter, melted
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
nonstick spray or olive oil
flour (for dusting the pizza dough)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and then Coat a muffin tray with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil. Roll out the pizza crust rectangle to about 14" by 12" on a lightly floured surface. Cut 8 even strips using a pizza cutter, then put 1 tablespoon marinara or pizza sauce onto each strip. Distribute the pepperoni evenly across each strip of dough before topping with the mozzarella cheese. Roll the strips up like cinnamon buns and place them in the prepared muffin tin. Brush the tops of the pizza roll-ups with melted butter and garlic powder! Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops of the rolls are brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Veggie Dip
Trying to get more veggies into your kids' diets? Try this easy homemade veggie dip recipe for a quick five min snack!
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp dried onion powder
1 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried dill)
2 tsp lemon juice
Directions:
Whisk together all of the ingredients until creamy and then refrigerate until you are ready to eat! Serve with your kiddos favorite fresh veggies (carrots are our favorite!)
Homemade Fruit Leather
This one needs to be made the day before but what a healthy alternative to store bought fruit leather!
Ingredients:
4 cups strawberries hulled and halved (or any other fruit)
2 tablespoons honey optional
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 150-200°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (do not use wax paper). In a blender or food processor, purée the berries and honey until smooth. Once blended, pour the berry mixture onto a 913-inch pan (21cm x 31cm) prepared with parchment paper and distribute evenly with a spatula. Pour it through a sieve or ring it through a towel to remove the berry seeds. Bake for 6 hours, or until the leather easily comes away from the parchment paper. Allow to cool for 4 hours or overnight on the counter before cutting the parchment paper off the edges into strips and roll them up with the parchment paper.
Helpful Tips: If you pour it too thin, you'll get fruit crisps instead of fruit leather; if you pour it too thick, it will take longer to leather. Temperatures in the oven will vary. After 3.5-4 hours, start checking it. If you leave it in for too long...crisp fruit.
Roasted Chickpeas
Maybe chickpeas are not a usual part of your family's diet or maybe it is one of the staples. Either way check out these super easy recipes for making roasted chickpeas three ways!
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 cans, rinsed and drained.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Seasonings (Choose one per batch.)
Cinnamon Sugar:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cool Ranch:
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Barbecue:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Rinse and drain chickpeas, and spread on a cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, shaking the pan once in the middle.
Remove the chickpeas from the oven, transfer to a bowl, and toss with oil and seasonings of choice.
Return the seasoned chickpeas to the cookie sheet and bake 5-10 more minutes, until they become crisp and fragrant.
Enjoy immediately.
Recipe found here: Roasted Chickpeas 4 Ways
Mini Fruit Pizzas
Ingredients
4 medium tortilla, whole wheat
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 tablespoon orange juice
Toppings
1/4 cup strawberries
1/4 cup kiwi
1/4 cup mandarin oranges, canned in juice
1/4 cup blackberries
1/4 cup grapes, green
Directions:
Use a cookie cutter or even a drinking glass to cut small circles into the tortillas. Fully blend together the yogurt, honey, vanilla, and orange juice and then set to the side. All of the fruits you intend to use as toppings should be sliced (we recommend peeling the kiwi and draining the oranges before slicing). Top the pre-cut tortillas with the yogurt mixture and sliced fruit! Enjoy!
Tried any of these recipes or have any other after school snacks that your family loves? Dm us on Instagram; we would love to hear them!
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