“I’m starving, what’s for afternoon tea Mum?”
Do your kids come in from school and make a beeline to the kitchen looking for something to eat? Are you wondering what an ideal snack is to keep them satisfied until dinner, so they’re not continually saying, “Mum, I’m still hungry, what can I eat”?
My kids are generally starving by the time they get home because often they’ve eaten all their lunch at morning tea-time or they didn’t have time because they wanted to go and play. So afternoon tea provides an important energy boost to get them through their soccer practice and homework, and will tide them over until dinnertime.
I always encourage them to finish off their lunchboxes first; I really don’t like throwing food out! We also have a rule that the first thing for afternoon tea needs to include a piece of fruit or some vegetables, like carrot or cucumber.
So ideally, afternoon tea should include a fruit, vegetable, or a whole grain, something high in fibre and a protein. The combination of the different food groups will help keep your kids satiated and not have them reaching for more.
Healthy snack ideas include:
- Fruit kebabs with yoghurt
- A hard boiled egg
- Sliced vegetables with hummus
- Natural yoghurt, LSA-P (ground linseed, sunflower & almonds) and fresh fruit
- A smoothie with berries, banana, yoghurt, nuts and spinach (you could put this in a jar as an on the go snack)
- Avocado chocolate smoothie (see recipe HERE)
- Wholegrain crackers and cheese
- A Nut Free Protein Ball (see recipe HERE)
- Some Feijoa Coconut Slice (See recipe HERE)
- Smoothie frozen into ice blocks
- Peanut butter on sliced apple
- No bake chocolate macaroon (See recipe HERE)
- Ants on a log – celery sticks spread with peanut butter or cream cheese, topped with raisins
- Tortilla (I use Mountain bread) topped with grated cheese, baked in the oven for 15 minutes and cooled
- Avocado on grainy toast
- Toasted sandwiches or Quesadilla’s (for those kids who are really active)
- Mixture of raw nuts (dry toast them to give extra taste and crunch)
- Roasted chickpeas
- Tuna on cucumber slices
You do need to be careful that you don’t give them too much so they’re not hungry for dinner. It’s a fine line, believe me, I’ve crossed it many a time and dinner hasn’t been eaten! So it depends on what time you have your evening meal as to how much afternoon tea you offer.
I’d love to know what snacks you give your kids for afternoon tea?
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