After school snack ideas
Katie Cameron, Nutritionist
After a big day at school, kids can be tired, low in energy and hunger often strikes hard. Having some fuss-free snacks on hand that are filling, convenient and nourishing can help the afternoon run more smoothly. |
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Healthy afternoon snacks help to bridge the long gap between school lunch and dinner time. Here are some of our favourite snack ideas we like to have on hand, ranging from grab-and-go options in the pantry to something we prepared earlier.
Ingredients to prep ahead of time options
These are some simple and affordable foods that you can prep and store in the fridge ready to throw on a pick plate, pop on a rice cake or throw in a bowl.
- Boiled eggs
- Chopped veggie sticks and peeled or sliced fruit
- Yoghurt cups with frozen berries
- Leftover chicken or roast meat
- Slices of cheese from the block
Grab-and-go options
Quick items to have on hand
- Air popped popcorn
- Trail mix (pretzels, dried fruit, popcorn, seeds)
- Fruit toast
- Grainy crackers (with some slices of cheese from the fridge)
- Wholegrain cereal snacks (eg Weetbix bites)
- Tinned tuna
- Baked beans
- Roasted legumes (eg chickpeas, fava beans)
Make ahead of time options
Cook up a batch on the weekend, thank yourself later.
Leftover food that comes home at the end of the day from your child’s lunchbox can also be eaten after school, provided that it is still food safe. If it was meant to stay cold or hot, then it is best thrown in the compost.