Healthy after-school snacks can be nutritious, fun, and easy! Many prepackaged items are treats and not nutritious. They have more sugar, salt, and fat than a snack. They tend to be made with ultra-processed ingredients.

You can also involve kids in preparing after-school snacks, which may include pizzas or meat and cheese boards.

Healthy after-school snack board.
Credit: Healthy Family Project

Did you know? More than a third of a child’s daily calories come from food items that they consume between meals. It is important to pack in the protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients at snack time.

What Determines a Healthy and Nutritious Snack?

The snack is an unprocessed, whole, real food such as a fruit or vegetable, nuts/seeds, or cheese.

If a snack is packaged, look for these qualities:

• Minimally processed
• No refined flour, starch, sugar, or hydrogenated oil as the main ingredient
• At least 3 grams of fiber and protein per serving (check the Nutrition Facts panel)
• 160 mg sodium or less per serving
• Sugars come from natural sources (fruit or milk)

Whole Food Snack Ideas

• Fresh fruit (apples, bananas, oranges, etc.)
• Vegetable sticks (cucumber, carrot, celery, bell peppers)
• Cheese sticks or cubes
• Air-popped popcorn
• Trail mix (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, etc.)

Healthy Packaged Snack Options

• Hummus and whole grain crackers, pretzels, or baby carrots
• Kale chips
• Greek yogurt cups

Snacks That Need Refrigeration

• Banana wraps with nut, seed, or soy butter
• Fresh fruit skewers dipped in Greek yogurt
• Steamed edamame
• Homemade protein bites
• Guacamole with low-salt whole wheat tortillas

Protein Based Snacks

• Apple slices with peanut butter: Add a sprinkle of cinnamon or granola for crunch.
• Greek yogurt with honey & berries: High in protein and probiotics.
• Hard-boiled eggs with veggie sticks: Add a little sea salt or paprika.
• Hummus and whole-grain crackers or carrot sticks: Great fiber + protein combo.
• Cottage cheese with pineapple or peach slices: A sweet and savory option.

Fruit-Based Snack Ideas

• Frozen grapes or banana slices dipped in yogurt- Naturally sweet and refreshing.
• Fruit kabobs (grapes, strawberries, melon, etc.)- Fun presentation for kids.
• Homemade applesauce (no sugar added)- Warm it up with cinnamon for comfort food vibes.

Whole Grain Snack Ideas

• Mini whole-grain pita with avocado or guacamole- Healthy fats + fiber.
• Homemade granola bars or oat bites- Made with oats, honey, nut butter, and seeds or raisins.

Dairy Based Snack Ideas

• String cheese and whole-grain crackers
• Mini quesadilla (whole-wheat tortilla + cheese + beans)- Heat it on a skillet or in the microwave.

Fun and Crunchy Snack Ideas

• Air-popped popcorn- lightly salted or with nutritional yeast for extra flavor
• Roasted chickpeas or edamame- Crunchy, salty, and packed with protein.

References

22 quick and healthy snacks. (2025). Retrieved from Health Seekers: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/articles/22-quick-and-healthy-snacks