Back to school means schedules, early mornings, school buses, and hungry kids! Is this new? Absolutely not! Your kids are growing. They need the protein for this, along with sports and activities. It is not surprising that children are always hungry. They can eat and snack all day long! And parents can use pick-me-ups for those busy days.
This year, tackle the hunger ahead of time by having several easy-to-put-together food items in the fridge or pantry. Make it easy for you and the kids to grab a healthy, filling snack at school or on the go. It is important to plan ahead before hunger strikes, so no one is rummaging through the kitchen or heading to the vending machine and making poor snack decisions.
Fruit
This is a given any time of the year. A variety of fresh fruit, including bananas, apples, grapes, peaches, and watermelon, is available in endless varieties each season, as they are the perfect “grab and go” products.
Veggie Bags
Portion out snack bags of vegetables so the kids can reach in the fridge anytime and choose from sliced mixed sweet peppers, cucumber, baby carrots, celery, and cherry tomatoes. Also, portion out hummus or tzatziki for dipping their vegetables, with some whole-wheat pita bread available to whip up a quick sandwich. The kids can help prepare these the night before.
Yogurt
Plain non-fat Greek yogurt can be topped with fruit and nuts, or with whole-grain cereal.
Crackers
Another healthy choice is whole wheat crackers spread with nut butter – but look for real nut butter (with a short list of ingredients like nuts and salt), not peanut spread, which often contains added oils and sugars!
Popcorn
Organic popcorn that can be placed in a paper bag and microwaved for 3 to 3.5 minutes. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and add a splash of extra-virgin olive oil, or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, chopped seaweed, or a dusting of chili powder for the perfect treat. This is good to munch on while doing homework.
Smoothies
Vegetable and fruit smoothies are great and easy to prepare in advance, then left to chill in the fridge until needed. Try having all the ingredients portioned into a single bag for an easy drop-in-the-blender recipe. Try freezing smoothies on a stick, which makes a frozen treat that the kids love after a hot bus ride home.
Dried Fruit And Nuts
Mixed dried fruit, nuts, and seeds, portioned into ¼-cup servings once again, placed into snack bags the night before, are a natural energizer.
Cheese Cubes
Cubes, slices, or sticks- they are all an easy fix.
Garbanzo Beans
Oven-roasted garbanzo beans seasoned with fresh herbs and spices add flavor to afternoon rituals.
All of these combinations are endless and contain so much nutrition – they are great for the whole family. So, stuff the backpack with a snack, and you’re ready to start this year positively.
