9 Easy, Healthy After-School Snacks
When the kids come home from school (or log off from online classes), they’re probably looking for a snack. And while you don’t want them to spoil their dinner, you don’t have to resort to chips, cookies, and other prepackaged foods for your children to munch on while you’re cooking, tackling chores, or finishing up the workday.
If you’re looking for easy, healthy after-school snacks, your kids will love these nine delicious and nutritious options.
1. Barbecue Roasted Chickpeas
Recipe and photo courtesy of Super Healthy Kids.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 cans, rinsed and drained)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Rinse and drain chickpeas, and spread on a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 40 minutes, shaking the pan once in the middle.
- Remove chickpeas from the oven, transfer to a bowl, and toss with oil and spices.
- Return the seasoned chickpeas to the cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, until they become crisp and fragrant.
- Enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
2. Mini Fruit Pizzas
Recipe and photo courtesy of Super Healthy Kids.
Prep / Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 6 (2 mini pizzas per serving)
Ingredients
Crust:
- 4 medium tortilla, whole wheat
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 tablespoon orange juice
Toppings:
- 1/4 cup strawberries
- 1/4 cup kiwi
- 1/4 cup mandarin oranges, canned in juice
- 1/4 cup blackberries
- 1/4 cup grapes
Instructions
- Using a small cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut circles out of the tortillas. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla, and orange juice until fully blended.
- Slice strawberries; peel kiwi and slice; drain oranges and slice into smaller pieces; slice blackberries and grapes into quarters.
- Spread yogurt mixture onto tortillas and top with fruit.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
3. Apple Nachos
Recipe and photo courtesy of I Am Baker.
Prep / Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 apples, cut into thin slices
- 1/3 creamy peanut butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granola
- 1/4 cup peanuts, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Remove seeds, stems, and hard pieces from the apples, then thinly slice them with a mandolin or sharp knife.
- Arrange apple slices on a plate in a pinwheel.
- Drizzle melted peanut butter over the apple slices with a spoon.
- Top with granola and crushed peanuts. Use remaining peanut butter for dipping.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
4. Antioxidant Trail Mix
Recipe and photo courtesy of Super Healthy Kids.
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Servings: up to you!
Ingredients
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Raisins
- Dried cranberries
- Dried cherries
- Dried blueberries
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then gently toss to mix.
- Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container.
5. Lemony Hummus & Veggies
Recipe and photo courtesy of Super Healthy Kids.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 90 minutes | Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 2/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup tahini
- 4 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas in a pot and simmer, covered, for 90 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
- Meanwhile, place the lemon juice, tahini, minced garlic, salt, and cumin in a large food processor. Process until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add the warm cooked chickpeas, olive oil, and water to the food processor, and process for several minutes until smooth.
- Serve immediately, or freeze for up to three months.
- Defrost the containers in the fridge for 24 hours before eating.
6. Energy Bites
Recipe and photo courtesy of I Am Homesteader.
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Freeze Time: 1 hour | Servings: 24 bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine oats, peanut butter, protein powder, honey, flaxseed, chocolate chips, vanilla, and chia seeds. Stir until well combined.
- Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop out the mixture and round it into a ball. Place the energy bites onto a parchment-lined baking pan and repeat with the rest of the mixture.
- Place the pan in the freezer until the energy bites have hardened (about 1 hour).
- Enjoy immediately, or store in a ziplock bag.
7. Frozen Yogurt Raspberries
Recipe and photo courtesy of Super Healthy Kids.
Prep / Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, vanilla
- 3/4 cup raspberries
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a piping bag or ziplock bag with Greek yogurt. Freeze up to an hour, checking every 10 minutes to make sure it doesn’t become too solid.
- Meanwhile, rinse and dry raspberries. Once the yogurt has thickened, pipe into the raspberries.
- Top with poppy seeds for “sprinkles” (if you’d like).
8. Homemade Goldfish Crackers
Photo and recipe courtesy of Super Healthy Kids.
Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour, whole wheat
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon butter, unsalted
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add flour and salt to a food processor and pulse. Then, add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add grated cheese gradually and pulse.
- Add water, one tablespoon at a time. Continue pulsing between tablespoons until the dough forms into a ball.
- Flatten between two pieces of wax or freezer paper, and chill for 10 to 20 minutes. This helps the butter get cold and makes for a puffier cracker.
- Roll the dough fairly thin, about 1/8 of an inch.
- Cut the dough into goldfish shapes, and place the shapes on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick your crackers are.
- Enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
9. Homemade Applesauce
Photo and recipe courtesy of I Am Homesteader.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds Granny Smith apples
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel, core, and quarter the apples.
- Place apples in a large pot. Add vinegar, cinnamon, sugar, water, and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover the pot. Maintain a low simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the apples are completely tender and cooked through.
- Remove from heat and use a food processor to mash the apples.
- If the applesauce is too thick, add more water to thin it out.
- If it’s not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste. If it’s too sweet, add more apple cider vinegar.
- Serve immediately, or store in the fridge.
We hope your kiddos love these healthy after-school snacks! They’re easy to make, full of nutrients, and tasty enough for you to enjoy, too.
Want more healthy and delicious recipe ideas?
The Lafayette Family YMCA is a community dedicated to healthy living and social responsibility. For more fitness tips and to stay up to date about YMCA events, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.