Easy Fruit Animals After School Snacks

Kids aren't the biggest fans of healthy snacking, but these easy fruit animals are healthy, fun after school snacks your kids will love. You can make them ahead of time to surprise your kids when they get home after school, or provide the ingredients and let each child make her own for a fun after school activity. You also include these in your child's school lunchbox for a fun, healthy dessert. Make a whole zoo and your kids will be eating more than the recommended servings of fruits without complaint.

Start with a family of strawberry mice. Slice a small piece off the long side so the strawberry will sit flat without rolling. Stick two sliced almonds in the narrow end for mouse ears. Use chocolate icing to pipe tiny eyes and a mouse nose. Then push the end of candy rope, like Twizzlers pull-a-aparts, into the fat end for a mousey tail.

Next, open a can of pear halves to make a pair of loveable, healthy pear bunnies. Place each pear half with the flat side down on a plate. Scoop a small spoonful of cottage cheese at the large end for a fluffy bunny tail. Stick two sliced almonds in the narrow end for bunny ears. Add a tiny piece of cherry at the end for a nose and two raisins for eyes. These healthy pear snacks work as an easy after school treat or as fun Easter desserts.

Next on the healthy fruit animal menu are apple ladybugs. Slice whole apples into halves. Carve out the seeds and place flat-side down on a plate. Use chocolate icing to make black dots on the red back. Then press short, thick pretzels into the bottom, three on each side, for the ladybug's legs.

Finally, up your child's potassium intake by supplementing their diet with bugs. Slice a banana in half long-ways. Place the halves flat-side down on a place. Spread a layer of low-fat peanut butter along the top. Press in chocolate chips for small, back bugs. This recipes traditionally uses raisins, but even finicky kids may not buy them. Instead, swap a few chocolate chips for the knowledge that your child is eating half, or all, of a banana as a healthy after school snack. Depending on your child's tastes or dietary needs, you can use carrots and celery as the log bases to work in a few vegetables. You can also use cream cheese instead of peanut butter. This after school snack also makes a great breakfast as the peanut butter gives your kids a protein punch mixed with the healthy potassium rich banana. Try pairing one with your child's morning cereal for a fiber-rich, filling breakfast.