Five Healthy After-School Snacks Your Kids Will Love

One of the most dreaded sounds in the English language has to be the long, drawn-out whine of “I’m bored,” delivered with a sigh as only a seven-year-old can. While you’re most likely to hear it when the iPad battery has died on a rainy day, it can strike at any time — including at the kitchen table.

To keep your kids interested in healthy eating, start shaking up your after-school snack menu. After all, you wouldn’t want to be stuck with baby carrots and ranch dressing for weeks on end, either. Try these five amazing recipes to spice up (or sweeten up) your after-school snack offerings, and you’re sure to get smiles instead of sighs.

Pita Nachos
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Turn homework time into a fiesta with some healthy pita nachos. They take only 10 minutes to make (less if you have a bag of pre-shredded cheese available), and they're a healthier version of regular nachos when you use a whole wheat pita.
Pita Nachos
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Turn homework time into a fiesta with some healthy pita nachos. They take only 10 minutes to make (less if you have a bag of pre-shredded cheese available), and they're a healthier version of regular nachos when you use a whole wheat pita.
Servings
2servings
Servings
2servings
Ingredients
  • 1 Pita 6-inch whole wheat
  • 1/3 cup Mild Salsa
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Monterey Jack
Servings: servings
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Ingredients
  • 1 Pita 6-inch whole wheat
  • 1/3 cup Mild Salsa
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Monterey Jack
Servings: servings
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Instructions
  1. Simply cut a pita in half, then cut each half into 4 wedges (so you have 8 triangles).
  2. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle cheese over the pita triangles, then place on the top rack of the oven under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted.
  3. Serve with salsa for dipping.
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Baked Apple Fries
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Nothing says "all-American after-school snack" like a warm, gooey apple pie — but do you have the time to make it? These baked apple fries are faster (just 15 minutes) and healthier because you eliminate most of the butterfat by skipping the pastry crust.
Baked Apple Fries
Votes: 30
Rating: 2.93
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Nothing says "all-American after-school snack" like a warm, gooey apple pie — but do you have the time to make it? These baked apple fries are faster (just 15 minutes) and healthier because you eliminate most of the butterfat by skipping the pastry crust.
Servings
1serving
Servings
1serving
Ingredients
  • 2 Apples
  • Cinnamon to taste
  • 1 stick Butter to spread
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Ingredients
  • 2 Apples
  • Cinnamon to taste
  • 1 stick Butter to spread
Servings: serving
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Instructions
  1. Make them by peeling and coring an apple, then slicing into long, thick spears (like steak fries).
  2. Dust with cinnamon to taste.
  3. Lightly butter a baking sheet and spread the fries into a single layer, then bake for 10 minutes in a 375-degree oven.
  4. Allow to cool before serving.
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Blueberry Lava Lamps
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You have to make this one on the weekend since it takes about an hour to make and should set over night, but it stores beautifully in the fridge for several days. It's a fruit-filled version of Jell-O that's made with natural fruit juice instead of artificial flavors and dyes — the suspended fruits look like a cool science experiment when it's finished.
Blueberry Lava Lamps
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You have to make this one on the weekend since it takes about an hour to make and should set over night, but it stores beautifully in the fridge for several days. It's a fruit-filled version of Jell-O that's made with natural fruit juice instead of artificial flavors and dyes — the suspended fruits look like a cool science experiment when it's finished.
Servings
4servings
Servings
4servings
Ingredients
  • 1 packet Unflavored Gelatin
  • 1 cup Water divided in half
  • 1 cup White Grape Juice
  • 2 cups Blueberries
Servings: servings
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Ingredients
  • 1 packet Unflavored Gelatin
  • 1 cup Water divided in half
  • 1 cup White Grape Juice
  • 2 cups Blueberries
Servings: servings
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Instructions
  1. Stir the gelatin into the 1/2 cup of the water and allow to set for 5 minutes in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Bring the other 1/2 cup of water to a boil and pour over gelatin mixture, then add grape juice and stir.
  3. Pour gelatin into 4 small (6-ounce) serving glasses and add 1/2 cup blueberries to each, submerging the berries in the mixture.
  4. Refrigerate overnight to set.
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Sweet Potato Brownies
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These take about a half-hour to make and taste best when cooled, but you can store them in the fridge to enjoy them all week. They’re packed with vitamins from the sweet potato and protein from the nut butter, so they're much healthier than regular brownies — but you still get a chocolate fix!
Sweet Potato Brownies
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These take about a half-hour to make and taste best when cooled, but you can store them in the fridge to enjoy them all week. They’re packed with vitamins from the sweet potato and protein from the nut butter, so they're much healthier than regular brownies — but you still get a chocolate fix!
Servings
16servings
Servings
16servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Cooked Sweet Potato mashed
  • 1/2 cup Smooth Nut Butter peanut, cashew, almond, etc.
  • 2 tbs Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
Servings: servings
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup Cooked Sweet Potato mashed
  • 1/2 cup Smooth Nut Butter peanut, cashew, almond, etc.
  • 2 tbs Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
Servings: servings
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Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, melt the nut butter and maple syrup in the microwave, then stir in the rest of the ingredients until well blended.
  2. Pour the batter into a greased brownie pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes.
  3. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
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Hot-Pink Smoothies
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There's nothing better than an ice-cold smoothie on a hot day. Using fruit and yogurt adds vitamins and protein to make a frozen treat that's way healthier than traditional ice cream or milkshakes. Best of all, they only take 5 minutes to make.
Hot-Pink Smoothies
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There's nothing better than an ice-cold smoothie on a hot day. Using fruit and yogurt adds vitamins and protein to make a frozen treat that's way healthier than traditional ice cream or milkshakes. Best of all, they only take 5 minutes to make.
Servings
2servings
Servings
2servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Frozen Raspberries
  • 1 cup Frozen Strawberries
  • 1 cup Orange Juice
  • 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
Servings: servings
Units:
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Frozen Raspberries
  • 1 cup Frozen Strawberries
  • 1 cup Orange Juice
  • 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
Servings: servings
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Instructions
  1. Just pop all your ingredients into the blender and blitz until smooth.
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