Easy, Healthy After-School Snacks for Kids

Easy, nutritious ideas to tide kids over till dinnertime:

• Unsweetened applesauce
• Dehydrated fruits and vegetables (tomatoes, peas, corn, bananas, apples, mangoes, vegetable blends)
• Rice cakes topped with light vegetable cream cheese
• Low-fat granola with low-fat milk
• Toasted whole wheat pita triangles with light herbed cheese (such as The Laughing Cow)
• Cucumber boats filled with part-skim ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese
• Dried figs stuffed with light strawberry cream cheese
• Watermelon wedges dipped in low-fat vanilla yogurt
• Baked corn chips with fat-free black bean dip or warmed vegetarian refried beans
• Baby carrots, bell pepper strips, celery sticks and zucchini sticks dipped in hummus
• Sliced apples with cubed cheddar cheese
• Cubed cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon
• Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, mangoes, pineapple, apricots, blueberries) mixed with nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts)
• Whole wheat pretzel sticks dipped in nut butter
• Graham cracker sandwiches made with hazelnut spread
• Whole grain, low-sugar cereal with low-fat milk
• Guacamole with baked tortilla chips
• Whole grain crackers with low-fat cottage cheese and sliced (oil packed) sundried tomatoes
  

Robin Miller is a nutritionist, host of Quick Fix Meals, author of Robin Rescues Dinner and the busy mom of two active little boys. Her boys and great food are her passion. Check her out at www.robinrescuesdinner.com.