Importance Of Routine and 11 After School Snacks For Picky Eaters

The first weeks of getting the kids back into the swing of things can be hard. From morning routines of getting the kids up and dressed, to meal planning and everything in between. It’s such a crazy time. Although my girls are still little we still follow a routine during this time of year to prep, Aria will be heading to Kindergarten next year. I guess it’s never too early to start prepping…Ha! But really, we are a routine kind of family, at least when it comes to getting ready, getting out the door and our evening routines.

Routines are good for kids, they like routine. Amelia, my 2 year old, is one who needs routine. Any time she gets out of it there’s a complete battle. The other night she fell asleep on the couch watching a movie, I picked her up and took her to bed. Did our usual part of the routine, but the minute I laid her in bed she started crying and freaked out. You see, typically James rocks with her, reads books and does songs first. Then we trade. Since this didn’t happen she was out of sorts. So James went in and rock her for a minute or two, and she was out.

This kind of thing happens every time we travel or get out of our routine. It sort of drives me crazy, but in a way it’s nice. Kids love knowing what’s next. It helps make them feel smart, accomplished and of course love being first to complete anything. The key here is consistency. When we have to get back into our routine we work as a team to ensure the girls are settled and get back in the rhythm.

Anyway, let’s get back to the point of this post…back to school. One of the things I think about is figuring out good, healthy after school snacks. Since our school provides breakfast and lunch for the girls this is all I have to worry about. Now my girls are picky, I’m talking hardly eat anything! So this is a great go-to list for even the pickiest eater!

11 After School Snacks For Picky Eaters

• Cheese and crackers – what kid doesn’t love a slice of cheese, or cheese stick, and a few crackers? We like Ritz and Club crackers over here
• Pretzel sticks – these are super easy and portable for the car ride home. Plus a great whole grain snack
• Fruit + Veggie Pouches – these are the best! I love they are mess-free and easy to take on the go. Plus it’s a great way to get an extra serving of each of these.
• Squeaky Pops Chickpea Chips – These are a new favorite. they come in Apple Cinnamon and Cheddar. The apple cinnamon is also great with a little peanut butter on top.
• Crackers and peanut butter – normally I’d suggest apples or celery here, but my girls won’t eat that. So at least they’re getting a little protein.
• Smoothie – so if you’re kids will drink a homemade smoothie, that’s definitely preferable, but the Kefir smoothies are a great option too.
• Popcorn – my girls love this. There’s so many options out there that are low calorie and fat. Cheese flavor is favorite with my girls
• Fruit – my girls don’t eat a lt of fruit, so just go for whatever your kids eat. Mine love bananas (can add a little Peanut Butter) and Oranges
• Bars – there’s so many good ones, My girls love Nutragrain, Z-bars and Cliff bars.
• Banana Muffins – these are great if made homemade. You can limit the amount of sugar that’s put in, we like these, plus you can freeze them and pull them out when you want.
• Protein Cookies – sometimes the kids just want something sweet. I have found some protein cookies that our girls love (here), but there are also great recipes online for you to make at home and freeze

After school snack is something we cannot miss in our house. These girls always seem to be so hungry and thirsty when we pick them up. What are some of your favorite go=to snacks after school that are healthy, or reasonably healthy that your kids love?

Thanks for stopping by! Get Out There and have a Gorgeous week!