7 Healthy After-School Snacks
Your kid gets off the school bus and heads straight for a bag of chips or box of cookies. This is a mistake, as your child’s afternoon and evening benefits from a quality snack after a long day of learning.
“As the day progresses, blood sugar has a tendency to spike and drop in a repetitive pattern,” explains Melissa Caiyem, Holistic Nutritionist and Nutrition Program Coordinator for Life Time Fitness in Colorado Springs. “Sustaining blood sugar levels helps a child focus, supports memory retention, avoids mood swings, helps immune function and maintains overall wellbeing.”
“Most kids haven’t had good nutrition the whole day, and some may even skip meals,” notes Caiyem. Instead of filling the pantry with easy to grab junk foods, offer a wealth of options that are kids can eat after school that are appealing, filling and nutritious.
She says, “Look to combine a healthy fat with a protein. This will make your child feel full. Start with 15 grams of protein and about 18 grams of fat.” It goes without saying that added sugars should be kept to a minimum; instead choose natural sugars like fresh fruit.
Here’s seven options for a healthier afternoon:
Fruit with Peanut Butter
Two tablespoons of peanut butter have the exact fat and protein mix that will keep your kids full and their blood sugar stable. Serve it with skewers of fruit, such as banana, apple and grape chunks for dipping.
Meat and Cheese Roll-Ups
Roll up all-natural turkey deli slices with slices of cheese, such as Gouda or swiss. Then slice the cylinders and slide the pinwheel onto a toothpick. Serve with a handful of grapes on the side.
Greek Yogurt with Berries
Your child might want the yogurt adorned with cartoon character images, but these types usually have limited protein and lots of sugar. Instead, make them a “homemade” yogurt sundae by layering plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey and fresh berries, such as sliced strawberries or raspberries. Greek yogurt has significantly more protein than standard varieties, and - by sweetening it yourself - you control the sugar content.
Homemade Protein Box
You’ve seen those fun protein boxes at your local coffee shop; but they cost a pretty penny and aren’t always practical. Make your own by loading a bento box with a hard-boiled egg, string cheese, single-serving packet of peanut butter and a few whole-grain crackers.
Pina Colada Smoothie
You can’t go wrong with a smoothie, unless it’s a commercial one loaded with added sugar, ice cream, or artificial color. Make your kids their own “cocktail” by blending together frozen pineapple, coconut-flavored Greek yogurt, whey protein powder and a handful of baby spinach leaves. It may turn a light minty green, but the veggie taste is undetectable in this smooth, sweet concoction.
Guacamole with Vegetables
Cut discs of carrot and cucumber to dip into a homemade guacamole. For extra fun, have your child make the guacamole himself by mashing avocado, squeezing lime and sprinkling salt.
Bean Dip with Healthy Chips
A black bean or pinto bean dip made with mashed, cooked beans, a little lime juice and mild salsa tastes great paired with healthy chips. Caiyem recommends Taro Chips, Veggie Straws or Beanitos. The beans have lots of fiber and protein to keep your child energized for hours.
With more than 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, Andrea Cespedes coaches cycling and running and teaches various group fitness classes. She’s also an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer, ERYT-200 hour yoga instructor/teacher trainer and has degrees from Princeton and Columbia Universities. Andrea is a professionally trained chef, a Precision Nutrition coach and a certified nutrition therapy practitioner, educated at the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver. She’s also mom to two happy grade-school age kids.
