Good (and frugal) after school snacks
#11
  Re: (...)
While my kids are younger, all my friends are starting to tell me about their kids' after school hunger pains. I'm noticing my 8 year old always looking for something else to eat before dinner. My friends are complaining that their teens are eating them out of house and home with all their snacking. Does anyone here have any great ideas for after-school snacks that are healthy, filling, and budget friendly?
Reply
#12
  Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by ryansnurse (While my kids are yo...)
Well, my kids are even younger, but I do remember when I was a teen. My very good friend had a stay-home mom who was really terrific. She'd make 'leftovers' for the kids to eat. There was often goulash or chili-mac or a pot of soup in the fridge to reheat and eat.
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura
Reply
#13
  Re: Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by luvnit (Well, my kids are ev...)
OH, you have no idea how much they eat!!! Mine are both grown and on their own, but I still can remember how they ate and ate, it wasn't that long ago. Anything that wasn't nailed down!
Carbs were a big favorite. Quesadillas, grilled cheese and tomato soup, mac and cheese with crm mush soup.
I tried to steer away from sweets and chips so they still ate a full dinner, I bet they would have anyway
We have a fullly wood cook stove and at that time, my answer to "what's for snack" was always, "get the wood". Soon they would just get the wood as soon as they got home from school
Cis
Empress for Life
Reply
#14
  Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by ryansnurse (While my kids are yo...)
All of the "basics" like some fruits and Graham Crackers with peanut butter and celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins and that type of stuff is what I had way back when...now my little one likes yogurt melts, biter biscuits, Quaker Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat but then again she is only 19 months old.
"Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected, by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table."-Charles Pierre Monselet, French author(1825-1888)
Reply
#15
  Re: Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by firechef (All of the "basics" ...)
How about fresh fruit?

One of the reasons some people don't eat more fruit is the inconvenience of peeling apples, oranges, and the like. If you plan to make something for your kids, then they won't have to worry about that inconvenience - you do, and you're already taking on that inconvenience by wanting to prepare something for them in the first place.

Seedless grapes would be another great choice. The seedless reds have been fantastic lately. If the kids don't like messing with the stems, then just give them the grapes already removed from the stems. After that, there's nothing to have to discard when they're done.

If you want to give them a little extra something, dice some cheese to serve with the fruit.
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?
Reply
#16
  Re: Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by labradors (How about fresh frui...)
Chips and pop were always a luxury and treat in our house, never a staple. I almost always had yogurt (even thought I won't touch the stuff with a ten foot pole, LOL), pretzels were allowed, but limited, easy to grab fruit (bananas, peaches, pears, kiwis, grapes), peanutbutter on celery logs or graham crackers, cheese and crackers, apples slices with some cinnamon sugar was a hit. I reasoned that if the snacks they were eating were healthy, I wasn't as concerned if it took the edge off their dinner.

For some reason, cookies and sweets in general, aren't big in our house. Even now I will make a batch of cookies and freeze half the dough, because if I bake the entire batch I end up feeding them to the dogs or the birds. Well, now I send a bag out to Chels to share, but even a pie just doesn't get entirely eaten around here.

I wonder if limiting the amount of sweets they had when they were little influences the desire for it as they grew.
Reply
#17
  Re: Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by iBcookin (Chips and pop were a...)
Quote:

apples slices with some cinnamon sugar was a hit.



Oh, yeah. Don't forget the classic dip for fruit: 1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?
Reply
#18
  Re: Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by labradors ([blockquote]Quote:[h...)
Oh my God, I remember those days!! One son, Thank Heavens loved salads - almost every day he would come home and make a big salad - never interferred with his dinner either.

Here's some things I used to keep on hand for them all -

I would make up multiple sheets of these to have in the freezer for them - they popped them in the toaster oven or the microwave (it was new then.... ).

Pull-Apart Dog Loaf

8 oz. pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls
8 hot dogs or fully cooked sausages
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Separate the crescent rolls and place 1 hot dog onto the large end of each wedge and roll toward point to enclose hot dog. Place rolls against each other on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free place until puffy, about 30 minutes.

Slightly beat the egg and brush generously on the rolls. Bake for 20 minutes or until the bread is golden. Remove from oven and loosen bread from pan with a spatula and serve hot.

CJ’s tips: To freeze: allow to cool; separate and wrap well individually and put in the freezer. To heat in a regular oven (350° F.), unwrap, put on an oven proof dish and heat for 15-20 minutes until hot.

You can also heat them in a microwave – just pop in frozen and heat.

One more hint – spread a little mustard on the crescent roll before laying the hot dog on it.

----
another that I kept on hand for them was this Meximuffin mix and always had English muffins so they could just spread the mix on the muffin and put in toaster oven.

Meximuffins

1 small can Ortega Chilies, drained
1 small can chopped olives, drained
1 small can tomato sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
12 oz. (2 1/2 cups) cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. can mushrooms, stems & pieces, drained
1 jalapeno, minced (seeded, if desired)
---------
2 pkgs. English Muffins split

Mix together the topping ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
Spread on muffin halves and broil until bubbly. Serve immediately.
24 servings

-----

I also remember shopping at the day old bakery for them once in a while too. and stick goodies in the freezer.

You are entering a very interesting time in their lives - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. My kids seemed to crazier after they were in the 20s-30s than they ever were as teenagers...well, except one....

Oh, one more thing I used to have in the frig for them was pasta salad - I remember making those darn things almost every week to have on hand for snacks.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
Reply
#19
  Re: Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by cjs (Oh my God, I remembe...)
Quote:

Pull-Apart Dog Loaf




Don't look at me, but doesn't that sound somewhat akin to "road apples"?
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?
Reply
#20
  Re: Re: Good (and frugal) after school snacks by labradors ([blockquote]Quote:[h...)
My granddaughters are frequently over after school, so I always have the following on hand to help them get by until dinner: Small containers of yogurt, fruit cups or applesauce, jello cups, cottage cheese, bananas, small boxes of raisins, and grapes already washed and picked from the stems.

They also love small chunks of cheese with buttery crackers, sliced apples, grape tomatoes, and believe it or not, deli-bar olives and pickles.

It's interesting to note: the older granddaughter, (almost 6) has little interest in anything sweet. Her sister, on the other hand, (almost 4) would eat sweets all day if we let her. (and we don't!)
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)