This post was sponsored by a2 Milk® as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.
Our children work so hard in school. Imagine the energy it must take to learn and grow by leaps and bounds every day. When school is out, they need an after-school snack to replenish some of that used-up energy from a long day at school.
Easy after-school snack ideas
The printables below have 48 easy after-school snack ideas. I recommend letting your child decide on 3-5 snacks from one of the lists that he wants to have on hand for the week. He can mark his favorites with a sticker, which also helps to keep track of which snacks he’s tried. Encourage him to try new things every once in a while as well. I’ve included a blank template for you to write in your own after-school snack menu.
In our home, I offer milk with every afternoon snack. We like a2 Milk® because it has about 8x the protein of almond beverages and about 6x the amount of calcium as soy beverages?. With how fast our children are growing, it’s my responsibility to make sure they get the nutrition they need for strong bones. Plus, a2 Milk® offers all the nutritional benefits of regular milk without the difficult-to-digest a1 protein found in regular milk. For more information and resources, click here to visit the Lactose Intolerance section of the a2 Milk® website.
Some of the snacks, like baggies of nuts and apple slices, can be prepped ahead of time. That way your child can help himself to his snack when he gets home. Keep variety in snack options by switching lists when your child gets tired of his current after-school snack choices.
Homemade fruit popsicles are a cool snack for hot kiddos after school.
Fruit, vegetables, and dairy products make for easy, healthy snack options. Try to avoid sugary drinks as these can lead to cavities and overweight. Milk or water are best for children’s growing bodies.
A few tips for encouraging healthy after-school snack habits:
- If your child goes straight for junk food snacks like chips and fruit gummies then consider not having those in the house at all.
- When you go shopping, let your children pick the fruits and vegetables they want to eat.
- Make sure you offer choices. Ask your child if he would prefer celery sticks or apple slices, instead of just putting out the celery sticks.
Alternative options for children with nut allergies or food sensitivity:
- If your child has a nut allergy, you can substitute hard boiled eggs, edamame, string cheese, beef jerky, or greek yogurt for the nuts.
- Some children and adults can’t eat dairy products or drink regular milk because they cause stomach discomfort and indigestion. Swap out cheese on a menu item for a glass of a2 Milk®.
Milk from The a2 Milk Company™ is real milk. People with tummy troubles or post-dairy digestive discomfort may drink a2 Milk® and not experience any symptoms. a2 Milk® is also a great alternative to highly processed alternative dairy drinks.
We get ours from Sprouts, or use their store locator to find a store near you.
You can print these after-school snack menus in color or use your printer’s black-and-white option. They are designed to be printed on 8.5″ x 11″ paper, but be sure to select “fit to page” or some text may not be visible along the edges.
