After School Snacks

It's almost time for the children to get back to school. Yep, all the moms out there are saying HOORAH!

Summer is almost over and before you know it the children are back in school and they are packing a lunch. It was always hard to come up with creative ideas to pack in their lunch but what was even harder, for me at least, was when they got home from school and they were just

"starving to death". You know what I mean, they could eat a horse.

The dilemma came because of the time frame. You couldn't give them too much because it was close to supper time so if you fed them too much they wouldn't eat their supper. If you didn't give them enough, they were back in half an hour complaining that they were still hungry. Here are some compromises that are healthy to boot!

Here are some great ideas for that "After School" Snack. Not only are they healthy snacks that will fill up the hungriest child but they are foods that are fun to eat.

Quick and Easy Dip!

What kid does not love to eat with his fingers and dip one food item into another food item? Even if they are not suppose to dip most kids will find a way. I think the reason most kids like french fries is because they can dip the potato into the ketchup before eating.

Well, here is a quick and easy peanut butter dip that most children will love, unless you have a child that does not like peanut butter!

Ingredients:

4 ounces of cream cheese

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 to 3 tablespoons of milk

2 teaspoons of honey

Plus your dippers. Such as celery sticks, carrots, crackers, apple or pear wedges, banana slices (stab them with a toothpick), or animal crackers. Give your child a variety and even if they don't like carrots they might eat them with the dip, at least it is worth a try.

Let the cream cheese stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften. When soft beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter, milk and honey. Beat with the mixer until smooth. Serve the dip with your dippers.

If you have any leftovers they can be kept in a covered container for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

A must have for any kitchen.

To Dunk or not to Dunk

Here is a great snack that you can use in your child's lunch pail or as an after school treat. You can dunk this snack or you don' t have to dunk. This is one of my favorite snacks and I have even been known to serve these to my friends with coffee. Your children will love them and the cinnamon is very good for them.

Ingredients:

1 4 inch bagel. Any kind of bagel

1 tablespoon butter or magarine, melted

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

This amount of ingredients will serve 2 children. I would suggest doubling or tripling because they go fast!

Toast the bagel halves in your toaster and let them cool a little before cutting them into strips (you decide how fat or how thin you wish to make them). Place the strips in a resealable plastic bag and drizzle with the melted butter or margarine. Shake the bag to coat the strips well. Open the bag and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Close the bag and shake until well coated.

Serve immediately. They are good just like that or you can dip them in your favorite jam. See, I told you it was easy.

Nothing better than apple pie

What's more American than Apple Pie? Here is another snack that is easy to put together and I'll bet you will find yourself serving this to friends as well as to your children for their after school snack.

Ingredients:

1 15 ounce package rolled refrigerated piecrusts (2 crusts)

1 21 ounce can apple pie filling ( or your filling of choice..ie cherry or peach)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

milk

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take piecrusts out of the package and place them on a cutting board. After the piecrusts stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes unroll the dough and lay flat on the cutting board. Trim the rounded edges of the piecrusts to make 9 inch squares. You can throw away the scrap pieces.

Put 1 crust in a 8 x 8 x 2 baking pan. Using your fingers press the crust into the sides of the pan.

Mix the pie filling and cinnamon using a wooden spoon to combine. If using another fruit you may eliminate the cinnamon.

Spoon the apple mixture over the pie crust and spread evenly.

Top with the remaining crust. Fold the edges under and press into the pie crust on the sides of the pan. Prick the top of the crust with a fork in several places, this allows steam to escape.

Use a pastry brush and brush the top of the crust with milk.

Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to let cool. In the meantime, mix powdered sugar and milk and beat with a whisk until well combined and using your pastry brush, brush glaze over the warm bars.

Cool completely (this will be hard to do because the aroma is so wonderful and you'll want to eat this right away), then cut into bars.

Healthy fruit drinks

Smoothies are a great after school snack with so many options. You can create your own very easily by just adding ingredients that your child loves. Smoothies are low in fat and calories. You could even use these in the morning with an English Muffin or bowl of cereal. Smoothies pack a real punch with lots of flavor. Plus, they are super easy to make.

BANANA BERRY SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS:

2 small ripe bananas

1 cup strawberries (fresh prefered but frozen will work well)

1 8 ounce carton vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup milk ( I use skim )

Remove the banana peel and cut the banana in bite size pieces.

Place the banana chunks, strawberies, yogurt and milk in the blender.

Cover the blender with the lid (very important) and blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth. Thus the name smoothie.

Pour in glasses and top with fresh strawberries if you like.

FRUIT SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS:

2 small ripe bananas

2/3 cup refrigerated mango slices, drained. Here you could use peaches, pears, apricots or kiwi's.

1 12 ounce can of any kind fruit nectar which has been chilled. ie: peach, pear, apricot or mango

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon honey

Remove the peel from the bananaa and cut bananas into chunks.

Put banana's, mango slices, fruit nector, yogurt and honey in the blender.

Cover the blender with lid and blend on high speed until smooth. Pour mixture into the serving glasses and enjoy.

I love my blender and don't know what I would do without one. Malts, smoothies and iced coffees.

Protein packed pita pouch (say that fast 5 times)

Here is a high protein after school snack. If you have a child in sports and they need that extra boost of protein this just might be the answer. Here is a pita pocket filled with yummy goodness that looks good too. This is also a great snack for you mom. This one will give you energy to make it through the afternoon.

Ingredients:

2 large white or whole wheat pita bread, halved crosswise.

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup sliced or chopped fresh strawberries (you can use your favorite fruit )

2 tablespoons dry roasted sunflower seeds

Using your fingers carefully split each pita half open but do not break into 2 pieces. Be very careful!

Use a knife to spread peanut butter inside the pita pocket on both sides.

Divide the raisins, strawberries and sunflower seeds among the pockets.

Serve immediately or wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 or 4 hours.