From Woodside Director of Wellness Dr. Chaney –
School is just around the corner and one of the questions I hear often is “What’s a good and easy after school snack I can feed my children?” Good question.
First off, let’s define what a “snack” is: dictionary.com words it as, “A small portion of food or drink or a light meal, especially one eaten between regular meals.” Now, let’s look at what a “treat” is: “Entertainment, food, drink, etc., given by way of compliment or as an expression of friendly regard.”
The reason I’m looking at the distinction between these terms is that we’ve gotten caught up in serving “treats” as “snacks.” Kids are snacking more than ever, and as a parent, you’ve got the power to make those snacks healthy. But some snacking can be good for kids. Snacking can help kids keep their energy up, make up for skimpy or skipped breakfasts, and provide fuel before after-school sports or other activities.
The following are some examples of tasty and nutritious snacks for all ages:
Grab and Go
- Sliced apple with nut (almond, cashew, peanut) butter
- Celery stalks or carrots with nut butter
- Dried fruit
- Salmon or turkey jerky
- Hummus and cucumber slices
- Plain yogurt with berries and a squeeze of raw honey or grade B maple syrup
- Sliced banana and honey
- Toasted gluten-free waffle with nut butter
Pre-made Snack
- Roasted veggies – Try this
- Kefir “milkshakes” – blended with frozen berries
- Baked sweet potato fries
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Banana Split Bites
- Frozen grapes
- Frozen Fruit Pops
- Yogurt with gluten-free granola
- Other healthy recipes
