This summer, my son started a new trend: Coming home from day camp absolutely ravenous. The kid was practically making a beeline from the front door to the kitchen pantry. This guy was hungry. And as much as I wanted him to get a snack in that belly, like, pronto, I also didn’t want him filling up on every and anything. Plus, dinner.
The other issue was me or, moreover, my time. I didn’t want to add snack-making to my List Of Things that I’m already juggling as a busy, work-at-home mama. So, with school back in, the hunt was on for healthy, make-ahead snack recipes that would satisfy my Starvin’ Marvin without spoiling dinner, but not weigh down my schedule. Good news: I found some excellent options. Here are 5 delicious ones that are going into rotation, posthaste.
Related: 5 healthy, 3-ingredient snacks that won’t ruin your kids’ appetites for dinner.
These 5-Ingredient Granola Bars that we found at Minimalist Baker while looking for our favorite granola bar recipes are a smart, easy, and healthy alternative to store-bought stuff. The no-bake part makes it an instant winner, and that it can easily be adapted to be gluten-free or vegan only gives the bars more stars.
Come on. Chocolate pudding? Who’s going to say no to that? Even better, this {Almost} Instant Chocolate Chia Pudding from Oh She Glows uses a handful of ingredients and it’s vegan, gluten-, sugar-, and soy-free. Plus, prep time is — count ’em — 5 minutes with a high-speed blender. Basically the only “un-fun” part is waiting the 8 hours for the almond milk you need for this pudding goodness to freeze.
If your kids come home super hungry thanks to after-school sports and activities, you might consider a heartier snack. These Whole Wheat Pizza Bagels at Weelicious (made with with this easy homemade tomato sauce recipe we found at Leite’s Culinaria?) are one of those “oh, yeah … totally” types of quick-fix snacks. You can even make the magic last by refrigerating all the ingredients separately, which will buy you 2 weeks of yummy pizza bagels.
Related: Our favorite homemade granola bars for any diet.
Cheesy crackers must hold a spot in the Snack Hall of Fame as Most Versatile. And these homemade cheddar crackers at One Hungry Mama are a super easy, wholesome alternative to the store-bought kind. There are only 4 ingredients involved here, and you can pronounce and recognize each one of them. This simple recipe makes about 4 dozen. Plenty to pack for lunch, serve after-school, save in the freezer, or pop on a plate for yourself. I mean, you just made cheddar crackers. You deserve a reward!
When it comes to quick snacks, my son is always down for a little savory crunchiness. I typically go with the pre-made, store-bought snack mix because it’s easy, but you know what’s just as easy and the perfect combination of ingredients? Your own mix. Get tips on making a deliciously personalized savory snack mix from Tracy at Shutterbean. She’s got great ideas to get you started, and you can take it from there. Call it customized crunch or you own savory mix-tape. You can make a huge batch to store in an easy access jar, and you’re golden.
What a terrific list to have as a reminder! Many thanks for the list and many, many thanks from all of us at Leite’s Culinaria for mentioning our freezer tomato sauce recipe. Glad to hear you rely on it as much as we do!