HEALTH and NUTRITION

Favorite After School Snacks

AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS AMERICA PHASE IN NEW SCHOOL
nutritional policies (which limit food of minimal nutritional value such as soda and candy) why not take this opportunity to consider the way your own family eats at home. Parents can be the most influential force affecting their child's food choices; children learn from and emulate their parent's eating preferences and patterns. Is your refrigerator and pantry filled with soda, juice, candy and processed foods containing high fructose corn syrup, trans fats and salt? Maybe it is time to throw the "junk" out and focus on foods in their original form (fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk, meats) or at least one generation away (cheese, yogurt, whole grains).

Eating healthy doesn't mean depriving your family of snacks and treats. Our favorite afternoon snacks include cut up fruit and vegetables with ranch dressing, cheese and rice crackers, yogurt, edamame (fresh soybeans), nuts, mini muffins and homemade cookies. We cut fresh seasonal fruit into one or two bite size pieces. Carrots, celery and peppers are cut into sticks. We trim sugar snap peas and green beans. Then we arrange the fruit and vegetables on a platter and put it on the kitchen table. The children nosh at their leisure. When the vegetables, fruit, and nuts are almost gone we serve mini muffins or other homemade goodies. Baked goods should be fresh, made without chemical preservatives and additives. Our pumpkin muffins, a family favorite, are perfect for after school snacking- plain or with peanut butter (see recipe archive on this website).

Favorite Afternoon Snacks:

Fresh cut fruit (apples, oranges, berries, kiwi, grapes and melons)
Freshly made fruit smoothies
Fresh cut and trimmed vegetables (carrots, celery, and sugar snap peas)
Edamame
Pickles
Assorted nuts
Cheese and rice crackers
Cheese quesadilla on corn tortilla
California rolls (store–bought)
Flavored yogurt
Peanut butter with crackers or whole wheat bread
Homemade muffins or cookies

Other suggestions for nutritious snacks include:

Beverages

Fruit juices
Fruit smoothies
Milk, non-fat or low-fat, plain or flavored
Sparkling flavored or plain water

Low-fat Grain Foods (not homemade)

Fig Newtons
Animal crackers
Graham crackers
Pretzels
Baked tortilla chips with salsa
Dry cereal (such as Whole Grain Cheerios)

Additional Treats

Frozen low-fat yogurt
Frozen fruit bars
Low-fat pudding, plain or as a parfait
Yogurt splits (yogurt, banana with toppings) or parfaits
Low-fat ice cream sandwiches
Fat–free popcorn
Low-fat string cheese
Rice Pudding
Trail Mix

©2006 Claudia Pillow and Annalise Roberts

Health and Nutrition Archive
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