Hands up if the number one after school question from your little people is “Can I have a snack?” Aaaah, after school hunger. #soblessed
Put an end to the pestering and be prepared with plenty of after school snacks for kids. You don’t need to keep the whole supermarket snack aisle in your kitchen, but it’s good to have options!
The clincher in the snack prep deal: kids are lazy. They want their after school snacks to be easy (and let’s be honest, so do parents). Take some time a couple of times a week to cut that watermelon into ready-to-eat slices and store in the fridge. Same for oranges and vegetable sticks. Prep and store! Then they can just grab and go!
Easy after school snacks for kids
- Apple slices (add a nut butter if your kid is into that)
- Banana
- Mandarin segments
- Pear slices
- Nectarine
- Orange quarters
- Mango cheek
- Bunch of grapes (freeze them for an icy cold snack!)
- Strawberries
- Mini quiches
- Zucchini slice
- Blueberries
- Kiwi fruit cut in half, spoon to scoop out the flesh
- Vegetable sticks (carrot, celery) sticks with a dip
- Cherry tomatoes & cheese
- Sultanas
- Dried mango
- Dried apricots
- Dried apple
- Dried banana chips
- Tinned fruit (tinned pears and crushed Weetbix!)
- Crumpets (top with their fave spread)
- English muffin (ditto)
- Tortilla chips and guacamole dip
- Sweet spiced gherkins and cheese on cracker biscuits
- Watermelon slices
- Cheese slices
- String cheese sticks
- Yoghurt
- Chewy mini muesli bar bites
- Trail mix (Woolies make an awesome trail mix!)
- Homemade ice blocks (juice or cordial in moulds)
- Smoothie
- Cold boiled egg
- Cold sliced meat and cheese (mettwurst, kabana, ham)
- Noodles
- Pretzels
- Savoury biscuits
- Apple and muesli muffins
- Rice Cakes or Corn Thins with hummus
- Muesli bars
- Nuts
- Homemade muffin pizza
- Pinwheels
- Yoghurt and cereal cups
- Banana bread
- Savoury muffins
- Waffles (make, freeze and toast when required)
- Nutella and banana sushi (Wrap spread with Nutella, wrap around a banana and slice)
- Cucumber slices topped with cream cheese
- Muesli bar slice
Storing tips for after school snacks
- Store cut fruit in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Group snack food items together in the fridge in a clear container (or even just a crisper drawer). There’s no confusion for kids about what they can and can’t eat for after school snacks then. If it’s in the snack container, you’re all good!
- The container system also applies for the pantry. Avoid the pantry becoming a free for all by creating a designated after school snack food area. Yay for happy and fed kids. Double yay for no more whining I’M HUNGRY.
For more ideas on what to feed the kids, see our 100+ Lunch Box Ideas for Hungry Kids!
