Over 19% of children are obese. This can cause serious health issues, from diabetes to high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can lead to heart issues. Is your child eating nothing but potato chips after school? You may want to look for some healthier snack options instead. Making sure that your child has great nutrition is and can reduce obesity, prevent injuries, and minimize other health issues. However, bad after-school snacking habits are common. Fortunately, after-school snacks can be both healthy and tasty. Here are a few healthy after school snacks that your child will love.
Smoothies
One of the healthiest snacks that you can make for your child after school is smoothies.
Smoothies are incredibly tasty, but you can add plenty of fruits to them. You can also sneak in some spinach, kale, and other greens and vegetables if you want to make it even healthier for your children.
To go even further, it’s also a good idea to add some chia seeds or flaxseed to a smoothie as well.
Granola Bars
If you’re looking for healthy snacks for your kids, you can’t go wrong with granola bars. Homemade granola bars in particular can be a great choice as they will have a lower amount of sugar and fewer added ingredients that will be unhealthy.
It’s very easy to make granola bars. All you need to do is combine sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, cashews, and a bit of melted coconut oil and honey with rolled oats. You can then put them on a baking sheet and bake your granola bars for around 40 minutes on a low heat setting.
If your child is still developing, you can combine oats, nut butter, chia seeds, and maple syrup to make healthy granola bars. Omit seeds, nuts, and dried berries, as they pose a choking hazard.
Energy Balls
Homemade energy balls are another great kid approved snack. Energy balls have oats, not butter, something sweet, and other ingredients and will taste great while also providing a lot of energy and nutrition.
Depending on how you make them, energy balls can be very healthy and will include a lot of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins. Like with making your own granola bars, there are many ways that you can make them even healthier.
However, there are plenty of other healthy recipes to consider as well. Be sure to find more Recipe Ideas at Foodiez.
Homemade Trail Mix
While you can buy store-bought trail mix, it’s even better to make your own homemade trail mix since this will allow you to curate the ingredients a bit more. You can be sure that you’re using quality ingredients and that there’s not a lot of added sugar.
Combining items such as peanuts, cashews, raisins, and M&Ms together can be a great choice. For an even healthier trail mix, you may want to add in some walnuts, almonds, pecans, and some other seeds and nuts.
Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Peanut butter banana muffins are another excellent choice for after-school snacking.
These muffins are pretty easy to make and will give your child a lot of great nutrition. Peanut butter provides healthy fats and protein while bananas can provide potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C along with an energy boost.
It’s easy to make plenty of them at once and then save some for later or eat them over the course of a couple of days.
Choosing the Best Healthy After School Snacks For Your Child
If you want to make healthy after school snacks for your child, be sure to consider the recipes listed above. Smoothies, granola bars, and energy balls are just a few of the healthy options you’ll want to consider.
Searching for more great recipes and food tips? Read over our blog now to find more useful guides.
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