I mentioned in my How to Get Kids Talking After School post that an after-school snack is a great way to prime the pump to get your kids dishing details about their days at school. Any old snack will do to get kids talking about their day, but not all after-school snacks are created equal where it really counts – their bellies!
Kids are always starving when they get home from school. It doesn’t matter what time it is or when they last ate, they will act like they are ready to eat their arms as soon as the school day is over. That makes the after-school snack crucial. But what are some great after-school snack options to have on hand that will satisfy their hunger but not ruin their dinner?
The first requirement is that your kids’ after-school snack must be easy. No one that I know has time to prepare a complicated after-school snack for her kids. Second is that it must be filling, but not too filling. The magic here is to include a little bit of fat and/or protein in your after-school snack offering but keep the serving size low. Finally, it needs to taste good! You can have the most nutritionally-balanced snack on the planet available to your kids, but it won’t do any good if they won’t eat it. Know your kids and what they will and will not eat.
I’ve been trying lots of after-school snack options with my kids and have made a list of 15 proven winners. This list includes a mix of packaged snacks and fresh snacks and flavors that appeal to a variety of kids. Truly an after-school snack for everyone!
After-School Snack Options
Savory
Some kids prefer savory after-school snack options. This is the section of the list for all those savory-loving kids.
Kid charcuterie
Charcuterie boards have been having a moment for a while. Why not let the kids have some fun with them too? Even though this might be an after-school snack with a fancy name, it certainly doesn’t have to be fancy. Our favorite version of the kid charcuterie plate is torn pieces of sliced cheese, turkey pepperoni, crackers, and whatever fruit looks like it’s getting a little dodgy. If you’re making a snack on September 7th, be sure to include salami on your charcuterie board for Salami Day, one of the many fun holidays you can celebrate in September. Otherwise, use whatever you have on hand!
Caprese skewers
Another snack that can make your kids feel fancy and grown up is an easy caprese skewer. Grab a skewer, some fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. Alternate on a skewer and offer some balsamic glaze for dipping. A real crowd pleaser!
Meat sticks
Meat sticks don’t sound very appetizing, but they’re super yummy and very satisfying. They’re also super easy to cart with you and for the kids to eat in the car if they can’t wait until they get home for their after-school snack. Chomps are a delicious option that you can find pretty much everywhere. My kids love the New Primal Snack Mates Sticks. We get them through Thrive Market, which is a great place to get a whole bunch of healthy snacks. If you’re interested in trying Thrive Market, feel free to use my referral link to get 40% off your first order! (This isn’t an affiliate link, just the referral link they give everyone who has a membership. If you do sign up through my link, I’ll get some money to spend on snacks for my family.)
Hummus
My kids are obsessed with hummus and have been since they were very young. If your kids were similarly bitten by the hummus bug, it’s a great after-school snack to offer alongside some pita or crunchy veggies. We like a soft, pillowy pita and baby carrots right out of the package. As for the hummus itself, I don’t usually have time to make it from scratch, so we go the store-bought route. The kids like the regular flavor, but I’m partial to the roasted red pepper.
Hard-boiled egg
Eggs are such a great after-school snack and easy to have on hand. I like to make a big batch of hard-boiled eggs to keep in the fridge (they’re also great on salads or avocado toast!) for easy snacking. My 4-year-old loves to dip a hard-boiled egg in Frank’s Red Hot sauce, which may not be similarly loved by your kids. Add a fruit on the side for a well-balanced after-school snack!
Turkey roll-ups
I can’t be the only one who had turkey roll-ups in my lunchbox like three days a week in the 1990s. I got sick of them after a while, but in moderation, this is an awesome after-school snack option. Simply take a slice of turkey (or really any lunch meat your kids love), top it with a slice of cheese and a squirt of mustard. Finish them off by rolling them up, and you have a filling, delicious, portable snack.
Sweet
If your kids are more partial to sweet flavors, take heart! You can offer your kids a healthy, balanced after-school snack that satisfies their sweet tooth.
Yogurt and cereal
If you don’t mind a messy snack that could end up on your kids’ shirts as much as in their mouths, yogurt and cereal is a great after-school snack option. The fat and protein in the yogurt makes this a good, substantial snack, and the cereal makes it interactive. If you have toddlers who are in their power struggle season of life, giving them an interactive snack that they can do themselves could be just the ticket to a peaceful afternoon!
Lara bar
You can’t get much simpler than a prepackaged Lara bar. But what I love about Lara bars is that it’s easy without the guilt. These snacks contain just a few wholesome ingredients that are tasty and filling. What’s not to love?
Muffins
Sure, muffins take a bit of effort to make, but it’s effort that is worth it to give your kids a near-perfect after-school snack. Need them to be gluten-free? No problem! Want to limit refined sugar? You can find a ton of great muffin recipes that don’t use any! My favorite thing about muffins is that you can use them as a great vehicle for fruits or vegetables your kids might not eat otherwise. Carrots, zucchini, spinach – all work great in muffins!
Smoothie
Smoothies are another great way to get some extra nutrients into your kids without sacrificing taste. My kids drink a smoothie almost every day, and I don’t miss the opportunity to add a whole bunch of nutrient-boosting ingredients. I like to add spinach or kale to my kids’ smoothies, along with Chia seeds for a little Omega 3 supplementation. They don’t even know they’re drinking something healthy!
Apple with peanut butter
My kids absolutely love apples with peanut butter. And I mean, I can’t blame them. I ate an apple with peanut butter almost every day while I was pregnant with my oldest kid. It’s a wonder I didn’t birth an apple with peanut butter instead of a kid. The dog also appreciates when apple with peanut butter is on the after-school snack menu. She gets to lick the bowls!
PB&J
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches probably aren’t the first thing you think of when you think after-school snack. You probably think about them more as a lunch option. But stay with me. Peanut butter gives you protein and fat, jelly gives you a little sweetness, and a whole grain bread rounds it out with a bit of fiber. It’s a great after-school snack option. If you’re worried about a whole sandwich being too filling, start with a half of a sandwich.
Mix
For me, the best snacks combine both sweet and savory flavors. If your kids are like me, try some of these after-school snacks on for size.
Roasted chickpeas
I love some crunch in the afternoon! Rather than handing your kids a bag of chips, try roasted chickpeas instead. You can easily make these yourself in the oven and customize the flavor to be whatever you and your kids want it to be. I like a sweet and spicy mix that uses some brown sugar and smoked paprika along with a bit of salt and pepper. You can also pick up packaged roasted chickpeas in sweet or savory flavors. We love the Biena brand – my favorite is the Rockin’ Ranch flavor!
Trail mix or granola bar
Trail mix is my 4-year-old’s current favorite after-school snack. There’s just something about the mix of flavors for him that just hits the spot. Again, you can go homemade or store-bought here. If you’re making trail mix from scratch, simply dump a bunch of yummy things in a big bowl and toss. Nuts, dried fruits, maybe a handful of M&Ms and you have a delicious snack. If even that takes too much time and effort, there are lots of great packaged trail mix options out there. I like the Good & Gather Antioxidant Trail Mix at Target – one word: pepitas!
We also love granola bars around here, which are basically just trail mix all formed into a bar. Again, you can make these at home or buy them pre-made. The Nature Valley ones are very satisfying!
Cheese and fruit
I’m ending the list with a classic after-school snack: cheese and fruit. When I was a kid in the 1990s, this looked like grapes and string cheese. It can still very much look exactly like that, but there are other options you can choose too. Many grocery stores now sell what they call snacking cheese, which can look like individually wrapped mini blocks of cheese or small wheels of cheese. And sure you can always go with fresh fruit, but my kids are really into the That’s It fruit bars lately, and I have to admit they’re much easier clean up than a juicy mango, for example.
I hope you got some ideas for spicing up your kids’ after-school snacks this school year. We’d love to know what else you and your kids would add to this list. Please share in the comments below or over on Instagram @sarainseason!