Fun and Filling After School Snack Ideas

Vanessa M. said:  Kids universally love popsicles, and parents can feel good about giving these popsicles to their children. They are made in popsicle molds with chunks of fresh fruit and apple juice, and you can adjust the recipe to whatever types of fruit and juice you'd like! Fresh fruit popsicles are a fun and healthy after school snack that kids are sure to love. From One Little Project

Vanessa M. said:  Peanut Butter Energy Balls make great fuel for busy bodies. On days when my kids stay after school to run in track meets or cheer for basketball games, I make sure to pack a few of these in their backpacks for them to eat after school. The no-bake recipe only takes a few minutes to make; just mix the ingredients together, roll them into balls, and chill! Feel free to substitute sun butter and omit crushed peanuts for nut allergies. From Home Made Interest

Vanessa M. said:  This is one recipe my whole family cannot get enough of. I feel good about making these Flourless Banana Oat Blender Muffins because they come together in a snap, and they satisfy our sweet tooth while still being a healthy snack. They are great for taking on the go, for before sports practice or any after school activity. From Mother Thyme

Vanessa M. said:  These healthier "donuts" are fun to make together, and are sure to put a smile on your child's face. Apple rounds are topped with cocoa powder and peanut butter (or substitute sun butter for nut allergies) to create donut "frosting". Kids will enjoy spreading the frosting on their donuts and topping with sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, granola, or chopped nuts or seeds. From Fork and Beans

Vanessa M. said:  This is a green (but not green) smoothie! This high fiber, whole foods fruit smoothie packs a powerful yet tasty punch! Frozen blueberries, banana, Greek yogurt, flax seed, spinach, honey, and milk are blended together for the perfect after school pick-me-up. Unlike other green smoothies, this is one kids will love to drink because in spite of being made with vitamin rich spinach, it keeps its purple color and little ones will only taste sweet blueberry goodness. From Create Kids Club

Molly Weber said:  I love this healthy treat for my little one. It's literally only two steps to make and can be prepared in large batches to have on hand in the freezer for when you need a quick snack. This is definitely something that your kids can help make since it simply requires dipping the frozen grapes in yogurt and placing them back in the freezer. Plus, when they get bored of it, you can mix things up by picking a new yogurt flavor or adding a topping. From Super Healthy Kids

Vanessa M. said:  Pantry Popcorn Mix is sure to be a hit with kids, and is easy to bring along for after school snacking on the go. It has that sweet/salty combination that kids and grownups alike crave! This recipe mixes kids' favorite pantry staples, like popcorn, mini pretzels, Goldfish crackers, and peanut M&Ms. From The BakerMama

Vanessa M. said:  This delicious dip only uses 3 ingredients and takes only about 2 minutes to put together! This tasty dip is great for dipping fresh apple slices, banana, berries, graham crackers, pretzels, or whatever you'd like! From Cooking Classy

Vanessa M. said:  Healthy Candy Bracelets are a fun after school project and snack in one. Kids can use string or elastic cording, along with a large needle with a dull tip, to string their favorite O shaped cereal, dried fruits, yogurt covered blueberries or raisins, banana chips, or whatever they like into yummy bracelets or necklaces. From One Little Project

Vanessa M. said:  You've heard of ants on a log? This version is called Fish in the River, and it couldn't be any cuter! Fill celery in with cream cheese and top with Goldfish crackers. Mix it up with different flavors of cream cheese and Goldfish crackers to find your kids' favorite flavor combinations. From Food.com

Vanessa M. said:  Whoooo's hungry? These Owl Rice Cake Snacks are incredibly cute, plus they are a healthy snack for growing kids too! Kids will delight in snacking on rice cakes spread with peanut butter (or substitute sun butter for nut allergies), with banana and blueberry eyes, apple slice wings, cantaloupe beak, and Cheerio body. From A Few Shortcuts

Molly Weber said:  My whole family loves pop tarts but they contain so much added sugar and other less than desirable ingredients. This recipe includes mostly ingredients that you would already have on hand. It has been a big hit in our house and can be made ahead and kept in the freezer for a quick afternoon snack or even just for busy mornings. From 100 Days of Real Food

Jennie Utsinger said:  If I'm going to let my kids have chocolate chips for morning snacks at school, at least I know that they're getting a hearty serving of whole grains as well. The beauty of this recipe is that you can play around with decreasing the sugar or swap out the chocolate chips for raisins. You can also substitute coconut oil for the canola oil. Last but not least, these bars freeze beautifully, so that you can always have one ready for a quick snack. From Weelicious

Vanessa M. said:  What a quick and easy recipe! Simply cut apples into thin slices, sprinkle with a little cinnamon and sugar, and microwave. Apple chips make a great after school snack when the kiddos want something sweet. It's like eating little slices of apple pie! From The Cookie Rookie

Jennie Utsinger said:  We eat a lot of muffins in our house, and these spinach muffins are one of my kids' favorites! They love the bright green flavor and the spinach keeps the muffins from tasting too dry. Made with whole wheat flour, banana, and spinach, they're nutritious as well as delicious. From Super Healthy Kids

Vanessa M. said:  Whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt make these snack bars as healthy as they are delicious. Banana and milk chocolate chips make them irresistible to hungry little ones. This is a great recipe for kids to help with; they can smash bananas, help stir, and sprinkle (and sample) the chocolate chips. It's the perfect way to use up overripe bananas! From Together As Family

Molly Weber said:  If your kids prefer salty to sweet for their after school snack, this is a simple healthy recipe for them. All it takes is a can of chickpeas and some seasoning. Then you toss them in the oven until they are nice and crunchy and serve! As a bonus, you can save any leftovers to use as salad toppings. From Super Healthy Kids

Molly Weber said:  It seems every kid (understandably so) is hooked on the popular goldfish snack. If you want to switch things up with a healthier version of this, then check out this recipe. Time is precious, so these can be made in larger batches and stored in airtight containers so you always have some to throw in the diaper bag or bring along in the car when you need a snack on the go. Feel free to experiment with different cheese to add some variety! From Super Healthy Kids

Vanessa M. said:  This is a fun hands-on learning activity plus snack rolled into one! Encourage healthy eating and work on building fine motor skills as kids enjoy the challenge of building creative structures using their imaginations and cubes of fruits, veggies, cheese, and toothpicks. (Try to find rounded toothpicks for younger children). From Hands On As We Grow

Vanessa M. said:  Hot Dog Nuggets is a great recipe for kids to help make. They can use a plastic knife to cut hot dogs into chunks, then wrap each piece in crescent dough. Bake and serve warm with ketchup and mustard for dipping! Yum! From Lil' Luna

Molly Weber said:  I don't know about your kids, but the word 'pizza' will definitely spike the interest of my toddler. So when I offered her these fruit pizzas she was more willing to give them a shot. And once she tasted them she was hooked! This is a great way to add some variety to the fruit your kids experience. And, if you let them add the 'toppings' themselves, you might find they are willing to be more adventurous. From Super Healthy Kids

Vanessa M. said:  These fun pizza rolls are easy to make! You can use any kind of dough you'd like (canned crescent dough, bread dough, or homemade pizza dough if you have the time!) and your favorite pizza toppings (small bits of chopped pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, ham, or veggies). From What Lisa Cooks

christadiserio said:  Ants on a Log - talk about a throwback snack! Ants on a log are an easy and healthy snack that most kids will love. You can even pre-make them the night before so that they're ready for the next day. The peanut butter is a great way to get protein in and even disguise the taste of the celery, if your kid isn't a veggie-lover. From Food.com

Molly Weber said:  Ok, I know this looks like it would take some serious skills to make (that's what I thought anyway), BUT, I gave it a shot and it's really only a couple extra steps than slicing the pepper traditionally would take. I skipped peeling the zucchini and simply sliced those and added a border to the plate. I love this one because I struggle with getting my daughter to eat vegetables and this made the experience a lot more fun for her. From Super Healthy Kids

Vanessa M. said:  Banana splits can be a healthy snack when yogurt is used in place of ice cream and fresh berries and nuts are used instead of sprinkles! This makes a great after school snack for kids of all ages. We like ours with a little drizzle of honey on top. From Clean Food Crush

Kelly R. said:  This filling snack idea tastes like a sweet treat, but the fruit is swirled with Greek yogurt for a healthy after school snack that will keep kids satisfied until dinner. They're great to keep on hand in the freezer! From Sally's Baking Addiction

Sarah Calamita said:  Of course you can buy larabars in the store, but they taste fresh and it's inexpensive to make them on your own. Your kids will love to help you. This recipe has a variety of different flavors to make! From A Mind "Full" Mom