Smarter After School Snacks

As the summer vacation draws closer to an end, and parents are excited about sending children back to school (now our vacation begins!) I'd like to focus on some of the classic recipes for after school snacks... light snacks that help kids focus on their homework instead of asking "what's for dinner" when they walk through the door.

The most important element of an after school snack is to serve up something healthy that will satisfy hunger cravings-while giving a powerful mental boost in the middle of the day when video games or TV are more appealing than math questions.

At the same time, after school snacks should also be tasty and satisfying, otherwise you will find your cookie jar being raided whenever you aren't looking. Work with your child to choose after school snacks that they want, after eliminating the junk foods (like chips or pizza rolls.)

Finally, the third most important thing about after school snacks is that they must be bite sized, non messy portions of food, something a child can snack on with a free hand while solving challenging homework questions. If an after school snack requires both hands to eat, it can be too distracting.

Instead, try offering these smarter after school snacks:

Ants on a Log

There are many variations on this classic celery snack. Not all children like ants on a log, but those who do will have a favorite version. Your choices include peanut butter or cream cheese for the filling, and raisins, dried cranberries, or other dehydrated fruit, for the optional topping.

Tea Sandwiches

A simple one handed snack is the tea sandwich, that is a small sandwich with the crusts removed that has been cut into halves or quarters. All you need for a simple after school snack is wheat (or white) bread, light mayo, and tomatoes or cucumbers with salt and pepper to taste.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Bananas

• Apples (optional- slice apples and serve with peanut butter, yogurt, or another healthy fruit dip.)

• Grapes

• Oranges or nectarines

• Mango

• Kiwi

• Baby carrots (can be served with ranch dressing)

• Raw broccoli

• Cherry tomatoes

• Cucumbers

Encourage your child to eat fruits and vegetables, by offering a variety of options. Let your child choose their favorite, but set a positive example by snacking on these fatigue fighting foods yourself. When all else fails, all it takes is a tasty dip to eliminate the "yuck factor" of eating healthy.