After School Snacks

by Ali Moss

When kids come home from school, they have one thing on their mind. After they throw down their backpacks and run to the bathroom, they hurry to the kitchen where they will consume foods you'd never dream of in amounts almost no one could imagine possible.

Though sweets are ideal, kids will seriously go for anything. This includes bad stuff, like whole loaves of bread, huge blocks of cheese, or family-size bags or potato chips, but it can also swing towards healthy choices like carrots and dip or sandwiches. The key is to make sure the food is there ... your kids will eat whatever you give them.

When I say that kids will eat anything after school, there is no exaggeration. I have very specific memories of eating half a jar of icing or five eggs. These, of course, were during my growing years. Once your child has reached the years following puberty, you can relax a little with the snacks, but during the middle school and early high school years, it is imperative that you supply your children with accessible, healthy snacks. Unless, of course, you have no problem with your kids eating an entire post-school meal of condiments.

Some snack suggestions:

• Fruits and vegetables already cut up. Accessorize with peanut butter, veggie dips, caramel ... anything that will take the edge off the healthiness.
• Last night's leftovers
• Bagels
• Sandwiches
• Salad- leave the dressing on the side
• Anything healthy that can be eaten rapidly

Basically, when preparing or buying after school snacks, think bite size. The easier it is to eat, the more likely your hungry kid is to eat it.

Courtesy: Supermarket Guru