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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

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5 Healthy After School Snacks

By Heather Rutherford 
Healthy after school snacks are an important part of a child's day. The USDA suggests that children between the ages of six and twelve should eat at least two of the following items each day after school in their after school snacks: dairy, meat, fruit or vegetables and a grain. These snacks give your children the energy and brain power they need to finish their homework and perform well in their extracurricular activities.

Easy Quesadillas

Place some cheese in a corn or whole grain tortilla and fold the tortilla in half. Microwave it for 30 seconds or cook it slightly in a frying pan with a very small amount of butter. Cut the quesadilla into triangular sections and top it off with salsa and sour cream for a combination of grain, dairy and fruit.

Parfait

Combine layers of yogurt and whole grains like granola or whole-grain cereal. Alternately, dip a granola bar into the yogurt for a portable after school snack. A press release from the American Academy of Pediatrics states that only 30 percent of boys and 10 percent of girls receive the daily recommended supply of dairy. Children need three to four servings of dairy a day and this snack can knock at least two of those servings out of the way in one shot.

Turkey Wrap

A turkey wrap can be a fun snack for kids to assemble themselves. Have your children lay down a tortilla and spread a little creamy salad dressing or mustard onto the tortilla. Lay a few pieces of deli-sliced turkey onto the tortilla in addition to any tomato, cheese or lettuce they want.

Apple Variations

A report in the Nutrition Journal shows that apples are full of fiber and antioxidants. This helps to prevent asthma, manage weight and even prevent many cancers later in life. Spread peanut butter on apple slices for some protein. Dip apple slices into yogurt or slice a very tart apple thinly and eat with a sharp cheddar cheese for a dose of dairy. Add apple slices to a simple sandwich for a little of everything. It is not hard to see that apples can be added to many healthy snacks for an added boost of nutrition.

Mini-Pizzas

Mini-pizzas provide an adequate amount of whole grains, dairy, fruit and vegetables. Simply toast a whole-grain English muffin and add a little leftover marinara from last night's pasta dinner. Top with cheese and veggies for one of the easiest healthy after school snacks.

Healthy After School Snacks originally published on Modernmom.com

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About the Author:
Heather Rutherford is a writer and adventurer from the Pacific Northwest. Her articles have appeared in Daily Life, Parent's Hut and On-the-News. As a psychology major and mother of two, Heather knows firsthand the struggles of motherhood and enjoys sharing what she learns through her writing.

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From the Community…

Comments 1-4 of 4
  • Fit_Chick's Avatar
    Posted by Fit_Chick Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:58am PST

    Try about a cup or so of fresh fruit and a bit of healthy trail mix (some unsweetened dried fruit and nuts, no chocolate). It's filling, nutritious and delicious!

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  • Florence's Avatar
    Posted by Florence Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:54pm PST

    This stuff wasn't even food for most Americans a generation ago. Why not some real food from America, apples, bananas, pears, grapes. A glass of milk, a pimiento cheese, peanut butter or meat sandwich. Kids get enough "fast (junk) food" at school. Maybe in Mexico, everything has to be in a taco or a "wrap". Cheese comes pre sliced and fits perfectly on bread for a cheese toast. All sorts of real fruit juice is available in jugs or cartons that can be stored in the refrigerator. If the children have been trained to only eat sweet things, try some canned fruit (in light syrup), nearly all kids like applesauce and fruit cocktail. Bananas are easy to store, easy to peel and fairly cheap. Grapes are good and available year round. In season, blueberries, cherries and streawberries are reasonably priced. With winter coming and everyone so worried about the "swine flu" oranges are readily available and packed with vitamein C. Real pudding made from milk and eggs would be laoded with calcium and prtein. If they still had Home Ec, in schools, mothers would actually know how to cook meals and there would be some left over fried chicken, deviled eggs, country style steak, green beans, rice and gravy in the refrigerator that could be heated in the microwave.

    Report Abuse
  • Florence's Avatar
    Posted by Florence Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:57pm PST

    This stuff wasn't even food for most Americans a generation ago. Why not some real food from America, apples, bananas, pears, grapes. A glass of milk, a pimiento cheese, peanut butter or meat sandwich. Kids get enough "fast (junk) food" at school. Maybe in Mexico, everything has to be in a taco or a "wrap". Cheese comes pre sliced and fits perfectly on bread for a cheese toast. All sorts of real fruit juice is available in jugs or cartons that can be stored in the refrigerator. If the children have been trained to only eat sweet things, try some canned fruit (in light syrup), nearly all kids like applesauce and fruit cocktail. Bananas are easy to store, easy to peel and fairly cheap. Grapes are good and available year round. In season, blueberries, cherries and streawberries are reasonably priced. With winter coming and everyone so worried about the "swine flu" oranges are readily available and packed with vitamein C. Real pudding made from milk and eggs would be laoded with calcium and protein. If they still had Home Ec, in schools, mothers would actually know how to cook meals and there would be some left over fried chicken, deviled eggs, country style steak, green beans, rice and gravy in the refrigerator that could be heated in the microwave.

    Report Abuse
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