25 ideas for Healthy After-School Snacks

January 20, 2024   15 Comments

These 25 ideas for healthy after-school snacks will stop you from scratching your head when your kids run in the door.

If you don't have kids and work outside the home check out my list of Best Healthy Office Snacks.

I love this list of snacks because all of us have most of the ingredients in our pantry (or we can get them easily). Also, a teenager can easily make themselves any of the snacks on the easy list and the more complicated snacks with recipes (below the obvious list).

The perfect snack is a combination of fruit or vegetable and protein around 150 calories. Not all of these are perfect like apples and peanut butter but they come pretty close.

Obviously, we don't want our kids grabbing chips, soda, or candy as a snack every day. That is what they are going to ask for but we have to be creative and give them something they will like as much as junk food. This is a super tall order because it means that someone is going to have to prepare something as opposed to opening a bag.

I get how opening a bag is easier than spreading peanut butter on an apple especially when you are hungry and tired. But you can do it!

Healthy after-school snacks are completely achievable once you get into the habit of not eating crap.

My kids are always changing what they want after school. My son recently asked me for ramen noodles (not healthy) but I am trying to figure out a way to make them into a healthy snack. Add an egg and some broccoli? Why not? Add only half the sodium? It could work!

The most important factor is not giving up because if your children are anything like mine, they constantly demand fast food, chips, cookies, and ice cream. Do I give them these things? Of course! But not every day and not after school.

Good luck with this list of snacks and tell me how it goes!

Below is a list of 25 easy and healthy after-school snacks plus 12 more complicated recipes for healthy snacks.

1. Plain or flavored yogurt or cottage cheese with sliced fruit and granola
2. Whole grain cereals or oatmeal, dry or with milk, yogurt, or raisins
3. Trail mix or healthy granola bars and fruit bars (look for high fiber and no trans fats)
4. Peanut butter sandwich with raspberry jam and cashews
5. Chocolate graham crackers with peanut butter
6. Quesadillas (melted cheese on whole wheat tortillas)
7. Rice cakes, plain or topped with peanut butter or cheese
8. Popcorn, homemade or store bought (look for brand that is low in sodium and fat)
9. Tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole or topped with shredded cheese and put under broiler
10. Muffins or breads, such as banana, pumpkin, corn, or zucchini (you can make a healthy batch and freeze them)
11. Mini-bagels with cream cheese and sliced cucumbers
12. Hummus dip with pita, crackers or veggies
13. Sliced avocados with wheat crackers
14. Hard-boiled eggs
15. Celery filled with cream cheese, Boursin cheese, or peanut butter
16. Edamame in the shell, sprinkled lightly with sea salt
17. Chickpeas or other beans, eaten with fingers or toothpicks
18. Olives, pickles, canned artichokes or hearts of palm
19. Frozen peas (not thawed!)
20. Apple slices with cheese, peanut butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips, or honey
21. Fruit Kabobs (Cut fruit on a stick and dipped in vanilla yogurt)
22. Smoothies: combine fresh and/or frozen fruit, fruit juice and yogurt or soy milk
23. Dried fruit such as mango, apricots, raisins, plums
24. Ice cream cone or waffle bowl filled with yogurt and chopped fruit
25. Bananas and/or strawberries with semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate syrup

1. Peanut Butter and Yogurt Fruit Dip Recipe

Get the recipe here: Peanut Butter and Yogurt Fruit Dip Recipe

2. Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

Get the recipe here: Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

3. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Get the recipe here: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

4. Banana Peanut Butter Waffledillas

Get the recipe here: Banana Peanut Butter Waffledillas

5. Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes Recipe

Get the recipe here: Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes

6. Waffle Iron Banana Bread

Get the recipe here: Waffle Iron Banana Bread

7. Fruit and Nut Bars

Get the recipe here: Fruit and Nut Bar Recipe

8. One Minute Waffle Iron Baked Apples

Get the recipe here: One Minute Waffle Iron Baked Apples

9. Pumpkin Dip for Apples

Get the recipe here: Pumpkin Dip for Apples Recipe

10. Chia Seed Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Get the recipe here: Chia Seed Chocolate Pudding Recipe

11. No Bake Vegan Brownies

Get the recipe here: No Bake Vegan Brownies Recipe

12. Homemade Granola

Get the recipe here: Homemade Granola Recipe

Please share you after-school snack ideas.

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