Quick, easy and healthy after-school snacks

Let your kids use their imaginations to conjure up a new trail mix. Photo via Flickr commons.

It’s been a struggle in our house to provide healthy snacks that our kids will actually eat. Kids tend to gravitate towards fatty, sugary snacks and shun what’s good for them. One way we manage the onslaught of hunger while trying to instill good eating habits after school is having healthy snacks readily available when they walk in the door.

Quick tip for younger kids: Keep a list on the refrigerator of acceptable snacks. Make the list as long as possible, giving your child more choice in the matter.

After all, if you’re saying no to most of their choices, they’re inevitable response is gonna be, “Well, what can I have?”

Here are 10 easily, quick and relatively healthy snack choices for your starving after-schooler:

1) Mini bagel with a schmear of Nutella
Although high in fat, 2 tbsp. has 11 grams of fat, it has 4% of the iron needed per day and 3 grams of protein

2) Power bar or Slim Fast drink
Chalk full of nutrients, this can be a great on-the-go solution to fill up your kids while offering something fortified

3) PB&J Sandwich
Peanut butter has been given a bad wrap in the last few years as peanut allergies rise, but for kids who aren’t allergic, peanut butter is a great source of protein and also contains folate, vitamin E, magnesium and resveratrol

4) Cereal
Not just for breakfast anymore. Cereal with some milk and a glass of juice can offer a lot as far as nutrition, just try to stay away from the sugary cereals that are best suited for a dessert than a snack.

5) Pre-made jello with banana
Although jello in and of itself has little nutritional value, it does add to hydration and couples with a child’s favorite fruit, is filling and fun.

6) Muffins
Not just any muffin. Muffins are a great way to disguise fruits and vegetables. You can puree them and stick them in your favorite muffin mix and pretty much disguise anything.

7) Yogurt
Let your kids pick out the kinds they like. Great source of protein.

8) Trail mix
You can mix up anyway you like. Add your child’s favorite breakfast cereal, yogurt covered raisins, pretzels, nuts and dried fruit. If you let your kids pick what goes in, they’ll be much more likely to want to try it.

9) Whole grain waffles with bacon and eggs
A great protein source and sure to satiate the most hungry student.

10) Popcorn
Air popped, natural popcorn is a good source of fiber and very filling. Kids love it.