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Nestle Back to School Basics Giveaway: After School Snacks

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Last week we talked about ways to “Make Dinner Happen” on a busy school night.  Now I’d like to address another big food related area for back to school-those after school snacks.

I don’t know about your kids, but mine return home from school famished.  I don’t think they could make it from getting off the bus at 2:15 until supper at 5:30 without eating something.  All that learning must burn up some calories!  And it doesn’t improve with age-teenagers are likely to need a mini meal rather than a snack, especially if they are in sports.

So what are some classic after school snacks?

#1-Cookies

Yes, it might not be the most healthy thing out there, but cookies and milk are a classic for a reason.  There is just something about cookies fresh out of the oven that says “Momma’s Love”.  Chocolate chip is of course a favorite, but oatmeal, snickerdoodle, and peanutbutter are some others well loved at our house.  In a rush? Don’t worry, cookies from a box are just as likely to be loved by the kiddos.

#2-Fruit

Fruit is a snack you can feel good about letting the kids chow down on.  Now I now that fresh fruit isn’t always the cheapest item out there-but if you buy in season you will do much better.  Canned fruit is also a viable option-my kids love mandrin oranges!  If you are concerned about sugar content of canned fruit, go for the “Lite” or “no sugar added” style.

#3-Veggies

Ok, you can sneak some veggies in there a couple of ways.  Cut up “crudites” style with dip or dressing is palatable, if not down right loved by most children.  Want to switch it up a bit? Try dipping veggies into homemade Hummus (extra protein & fiber!) or using celery to make the classic “Ants on a Log“. Want to take that “Ant’s on a log” to the next level? Try using Nestle Raisinettes instead.

#4-Crackers & Cheese

Protein tends to last a little longer in the kiddos bellies, so working some into your after school snack is a smart idea.  Cheese and crackers made into little sandwiches are bite sized and yummy.  As a kid I remember making cracker “pizza’s” out of crackers, ketchup and Parmesan cheese.  Yeah-I know, it sounds kind of gross now, but I used to love it!

#5-GORP

“Good Old Raisins and Peanuts”. . . also known as trail mix.  You can make this in a million and one ways-the level of frugality depends totally on what you chose to include. It can be a fun and frugal snack or down right exorbitant.

That’s just a few of the classics that I can come up with-I want to learn from all of you!  So on to the the giveaway!

How would you like a $500 Walmart Gift Card to help cover your back to school expenses, courtesy of Nestle?

It’s easy to enter:  Leave a comment with your best after school snack idea.

Note:  Remember, you have TWO posts that you can enter on, both this post and the one on “Making Dinner Happen“.

This giveaway ends on Friday August 14th.

Want some additional entries?

Here you go:

-Head on over to Nestle Family and tell me what your favorite recipe/idea is from their “Family Food” section.

– Subscribe to Frugal Upstate via either RSS or Email.

-Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post.

-Subscribe to the Frugal Coast2Coast joint newsletter/show reminders.

Good luck!

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Comments

  1. Lora says

    I used to like pudding after school. It seems like pudding has gotten less popular than it used to be.

  6. Kellie says

    From their site – I loved the Marshmallow Pops! Those would be great for a party! They are so cute and you could really get creative with the candies to dip them in! I am definitely bookmarking that!

  7. Shawn C. says

    We love afterschool snacks! Some of our faves are hard boiled eggs, veggies with home made easy hummus, fresh fruits with yogurt/acai dip, homemade warm oatmeal raisin cookies with milk, sometimes home made smoothies with fruit and yogurt.

  10. Shawn C. says

    yum the bump on a log recipe looks yummy…I’d love to try it with cream cheese, too!

  13. Shannon (@Cajun_Mama) says

    My kids have been on a peanut butter and chocolate kick. Every other week, my teen and tween make their own snack mixes. We get all the ingredients at Walmart, set them out on the counter, and label a large Ziploc bag with each family member’s name. Then, the kids put what they like in their snack mix (raisins, candy bits, cereal, etc). Saves lots of arguing later on!

  16. woodd00 says

    My favorite snack as a kids was always ants on a log. Still love it and so do my kids. Who doesn’t love peanut butter and raisins on celery? 🙂

  18. Sweetie Berry says

    I tweeted…and our favorite afterschool snacks are:

    1. homemade fresh from the freezer (premade dough I made on the weekends) slice and bake cookies
    2. mini pizza’s on homemade dough
    3. Toasted sandwiches made on sub bread loaves with meat, cheese, and butter/mustard mixed baked at 7 min at 400 degrees to toast in foil.

  19. Bobbie says

    This is a great giveaway

    I like to make ants on a log for my son — celery sticks with peanut butter down the center with raisins(ants) on top of the “log”

    or pouring fruit juice into icecube trays and making popsicles out of them

    any time i make a sandwich for my boy, i always make a smilie face out of the mustard – even when he doesnt see me make the sandwiches, he always knows there’s a mommie smile in his mustard

    blueberry mom-ffins are popular after school or for breakfast

    a banana caterpillar is popular – slice up the banana and use peanut butter to hold the pieces of the caterpillar together and then use either red licorice or pretzel sticks (or anything else you have on hand that makes “legs”) for the legs sticking them into the pb to hold in place and raisins for the eyes, i saw in a recipe book once to put coconut on it too to make a hairy caterpillar, but my son doesnt like coconut

    hollow out a cherry tomato then put a string cheese that’s been cut in half into it and make a yummy “lollipop”

    and the very best are, of course, nestle toll house cookies (do i get a bonus entry for using nestle in it?) lol

  26. Jennifer says

    My best after school snack idea is to have cut up fruit, and small sandwiches cut in shapes (like those “presses” you can buy). It is easy for mom, as it can be done ahead of time, and the kids enjoy it as well!

  28. Julie H says

    Leftovers from the day before. Especially things like pizza or taco meat or extra cheese to make a quick quesidilla. It’s cold here and in the afternoon, sometimes a warm snack to tide us over before dinner and activities is what’s needed.

  32. Melissa Slayton says

    I am an old-fashioned gal — definitely cookies and milk at our house — but they are a little healthy (not much!). My kids favorites are peanut and outrageous chocolate chip (which include peanut butter and oatmeal).

  33. Amiyrah says

    one of our favorites is peanut butter and ritz. Sometimes I take it a bit further and make them into sandwiches and dip the whole thing in milk chocolate. I call them “ritz cookies” and they keep in the fridge for quite a while.

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