Quick & Easy After-School Snacks

This post is sponsored by Sprouts! 

Rounding up some of my favorite “Quick & Easy After-School Snacks” ideas for parents and snackers! 

While I am not longer in school, I know it’s almost back to school time so I thought I’d share some of my favorite “Quick & Easy After-School Snacks” to sail kiddos through dinnertime. For me, snack has to be something I can quickly grab & be nutritious as in high in fiber, protein to keep me full longer and little to no added sugar. My number one suggestion is to have 2-3 snacks prepared ahead of time so it’s readily available so you can provides a couple options to choose from. I have broken down some of my favorite quick and easy after-school snack ideas into three categories : bars and bites, savory, and cold treats. I hope you will find some inspiration for yourself or your kid’s after-school snacking needs.

Bars & Bites

Granola bars, energy bites/balls are my absolute favorite (I have a whole section dedicated to it) because there are endless possibilities, they generally store well, and are nutritious! When making bars and bites, choose whole rains like oats or quinoa as a base and sweeten with honey, maple syrup, or dates then bind everything with coconut oil. You can flavor them with cinnamon, vanilla extract, cardamom etc. If you opt in for store-bought ones, always read the ingredient list (shorter the better and preferably sugar and alike ingredients to be minimal) & check the label for fiber and grams of added sugar because not all granola bars are healthy.

Some of my favorite bars & bites/balls are:

• Chocolate Date Bites

• Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls

• No Bake Oats & Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Savory

I don’t know about you guys but I love me all things savory and crispy when it comes to snacking. I love regular potato chips and hot cheetos just like everyone else but for every day snacking, I like to stock-up on crackers to pair with hummus, corn kernels (for popcorn), roasted chickpeas,  DIY trail-mix etc.

Some of my favorite savory snacks are:

• Tandoori Roasted Chickpeas

• Stovetop Popcorn

• DIY Trailmix

• Homemade Crackers : vegan oats // sesame semolina

I utilize Sprouts bulk-in section to purchase nuts, seeds, popcorn, beans etc because I can get the required amount. Additionally, there is less packaging waste which is a win-win for my small pantry.

Cold Treats

In case you haven’t noticed, I am on always on a popsicle kick around this time of the year. There is absolutely nothing more refreshing than a popsicle or anything frozen/cold to beat this 100F weather. Investing in a popsicle mold is a good idea if you plan on making them frequently, otherwise this dixie cup method I used for kulfi works well too.

Some of my go-to cold treats are:

• Mango Cardamom Popsicles

• Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Popsicles

• Overnight Oats Popsicle (great for breakfast)

• Peanut Butter Mocha Smoothie

If you are new to Sprouts, I highly suggest you plan your next grocery date there for your groceries + grab n’ go + supplements + bath/body products needs. Also, please check out 15 Smart Tips To Eat Healthy on a Budget  featuring a lot of my favorite Sprouts finds!

So tell me friends, when it comes to snacking – are you team sweet or savory?