When my kids were in public school, the first thing they did when they walked in the door each day was ask for a snack. I understood why they were so hungry. Their lunch time was ridiculously early in the day, they hated most of the school lunch offerings, and they had less than 10 minutes at the table to eat. I hated to see my kids so hungry, so I came up with lots of fast and easy after school snacks, most of which were pretty healthy, too.
Quesadillas
Not much cooks up faster than a quesadilla. When I made dinner with steak, chicken or hamburger, I would often save a bit of the meat to put in a cheesy quesadilla the next afternoon. Served up with a few chips and salsa, this quick snack took only a couple of minutes to prepare and was hot and satisfying.
Apples and peanut butter
Apple slices come wrapped in a fiber filled skin that is full of antioxidants. Peanut butter has protein and carbohydrates for energy. Together they are a yummy snack that can be on a plate in a matter of seconds.
Scrambled egg biscuits
When the kids were little, we never seemed to finish off a whole can of biscuits. But I learned that if you keep them in a plastic bag, then cut them in half and reheat a bit in the toaster oven, they are delicious. Add a couple of scrambled eggs, and you have a protein filled snack that is delicious.
Popcorn and fruit
My kids love freshly popped popcorn. They love it even better if I serve it with fresh fruit. I have a big bowl for chips and dip. I like to put the popcorn in the chips section and a mound of fruit in the dip compartment, then just let the kids have at it.
Deli tray
A simple and tasty snack that requires very little preparation is a deli tray. Even if your kids aren’t gung ho about celery sticks, they’ll probably like them cut tiny and served with carrot sticks, cheese cubes, grapes and pepperoni slices. Add a few buttery crackers and you have a snack that covers all the food groups.
Cookies and milk
Seriously, there’s nothing wrong with good old cookies and milk once in a while. Whether you make some homemade favorites so they are warm and fragrant as the kids walk in the door or just open a bag of store bought cookies, this is a snack that most kids love. And the added milk is great, because much of the milk served at school goes to waste.
More by Tavia:
Homeschooling Saved Our Lunch
Why Public School Parents Should Be Friends with Homeschoolers
Back to School: Variations on the Peanut Butter Sandwich
