If you’ve ever found yourself stressing over what to feed the kids after school, you’re not alone! We’ve all been there—trying to figure out what snack will keep them satisfied without the usual fuss. But guess what? With these awesome and delicious snack ideas, snack time just got a whole lot easier!
As a mom myself, I totally understand the challenge. After a long day at school, the last thing kids want to do is spend ages debating over snack choices. And with homework or sports on top of everything, snacks can feel like the toughest puzzle to solve. But don’t worry—these ideas will make after-school snack time something everyone can look forward to!
While it’s no secret that your child has worked hard at school and put in a ton of effort during the day, it’s just as important for them to be able to come home and have an array of healthy snacks. We like to practice our Sunday Habits and try to prep not only meals but snacks ahead of time as well!
What are good after school snack ideas for teenagers?
Before we dive into a long list of easy snacks for kids, let’s talk specifically for a moment about teenagers! Boy, can they eat! (and honestly, I was just like them at that age, too…and sometimes channel my inner-teenager when it comes to eating pizza still!) The main thing to remember about feeding teenagers after school snacks are that they need food items that are jammed packed full of protein.
Teenagers are active in sports and their social lives so pumping them full of sugar is going to cause them to crash and burn pretty hard. Instead, opt for great foods like nuts, cheeses, protein shakes, protein bars or even homemade energy bites made with natural food and ingredients.
You can’t go wrong with fueling their bodies and minds with nutritious options.
After School Snacks To Buy
If you’re anything like me, you have good intentions about feeding your children healthy snacks, you just might not know what to buy. My advice to you? Break it down and keep it as simple as possible. The more simple you have your snacks, the fewer ingredients that you’ll have in them as well.
Here are some super simple easy snacks for kids to purchase from the store:
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Fruit
You can’t go wrong with any type of fruit. Think apples, oranges, grapes, peaches…you name it, it’s all good. And when the seasons are right and the fruit is ripe, there’s no denying the taste and flavor.
Just make certain that you wash them well and cut them into small, bite-sized peaches for the young kids. (especially anything round, like grapes or cherries)
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Vegetables
Another big hit for an easy after school snack is to stock up on your veggies. Sliced carrots and hummus dip make for an awesome snack, as do celery and peanut butter. The great part about eating veggies is that you can pair them up with a nice condiment or dip easily to add some truly delicious flavor.
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Popcorn
As long as you take the time to air pop your popcorn, it can actually be a really healthy treat. It’s all that added butter and salt that make it less than healthy. (but there’s no denying it’s darn delicious…) Pair up a bowl of popcorn with a side of cheese cubes and raisins and you’ve created a sweet treat that is filling as well.
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Jello
Kids love the taste and power of Jello. And honestly, I see why. It packs a lot of great tastes and flavors that really come through once it’s nice and chilled. The key part though, actually depends on you, as a parent. If you don’t take the time to make the jello ahead of time and get it in the fridge, there won’t be any after school snack to have!
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Trail Mix
Making your own homemade trail mix for an after school snack is actually a great idea. Just make certain that you add in some high protein nuts that are filling as well. Cashews, macadamia nuts, walnuts, and even almonds are all a great choice to have in your trail mix.
Other items to include can be pretzels, mini chocolate chips, M&M’s, raisins, craisins, sesame seed sticks or anything else that you want to have added.
Pay close attention to the ratio of “sweets” versus healthy food items that you’re putting into the mix as some kids are known for being “pickers” and eating out only what they want.
Easy After School Snack Ideas & Recipes
Now that you’ve got a decent plan of action for after school snack ideas for kids, you can take it a step further and think about some super easy after school snack recipes that can be done in a jiffy, too.
Some of my favorite snack ideas take hardly any prep work at all but offer an abundance of taste and flavor. Feel free to use any of these ideas to make after school snacking that much more easy.
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Steamed Broccoli and Cheese
Broccoli is such a wonderful vegetable that is actually really fun to eat. Buy a bag of steamable broccoli from the store, heat it in the microwave, then mix in some cheese in the end. There’s really not many recipes that get that much more simple than this!
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Ham and Cheese Roll-up
Not only is this perfect for an after school snack, but it’s great for a dinner on the go as well. All you need is a flour tortilla, a bit of mayo or mustard, a slice or two of your choice of lunch meat and a slice of cheese. Layer it on the tortilla, wrap it up and it’s good to go!
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Fruit Salad
Another one of my favorites, this recipe can easily be varied. Chop up some watermelon bites, strawberries, bananas and any other type of fruit that you have in the house and mix it all together. And depending on how sweet the fruit is, you may, or may not, want to think about adding in the tiniest bit of sugar.
Just like that, it’s a healthy snack packed full fruit that can opt as a delicious dessert option, too.
Don’t let the thought of after school snacks wear you down. Instead, take control with these simple and healthy snack options. The more that you can plan ahead and keep it simple, the more that you’ll enjoy the process as well.
If you’re looking for even more ideas, Family Circle has a great list of easy after school snack ideas!
Do you have any after school snack ideas to share?
Farah Zeb is a mother of five, including two children with special needs. She shares practical parenting tips and resources to help other families navigate daily challenges and create supportive, nurturing environments.
