By Bekah Denny
Breakfast is often nothing more than a hasty distraction from exhaustion that high schoolers try to savor in the early hours of the morning. Students often go through the day with their stomachs grumbling, and only a quick cup of coffee or small granola bar to tide them over for their six-hour school day. When they get home a simple snack can relieve the hunger pains. There are a myriad of healthy options that can be made quickly upon arriving home or the night before that are also nutritious.
Trail mix
Trail mix makes for a simple and healthy, yet satisfying, treat for after school nibbling. All that’s needed are nuts, dried fruit, grains, sweets, and seeds.
-Pistachios, almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, and/or pecans
-Dried blueberries, cranberries, cherries, and/or bananas
-Cheerios, granola, popcorn, and/or prezials
-M&M’s, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and/or marshmallows
-Sunflower, flax, pumpkin, and/or hemp
Place all chosen ingredients into a plastic bag and shake till all the ingredients are mixed together, making a balanced snack.
Yogurt bites
Yogurt Bites are easy to take on the go to a sports practice or to simply snack on the couch and can make for a refreshing cold treat.
– ½ cup of blueberries
– ½ cup of strawberries
– One cup vanilla yogurt (Greek or regular)
– Two tablespoons honey
– A baking tray and bowl
Pour yogurt and honey into a bowl and mix. Then pour the blueberries and strawberries into the bowl and mix it together until all the fruit is covered in yogurt. Take a fork and place the fruit onto the baking tray and leave in the freezer for two hours or until the yogurt has hardened. Wait one minute for the bite to soften, and then enjoy this cool treat.
Banana ice cream smoothie
Ice cream’s usually comes with a sucker punch of guilt and regret. To avoid this emotional rollercoaster, a banana ice cream smoothie offers a healthy alternative.
– Two to three bananas
– Two tablespoons of cocoa powder
– Two tablespoons of peanut butter
– ⅓ cup milk or almond milk
– A blender
First chop up bananas and place in a plastic container to be put in the freezer for four to six hours. Once the bananas are frozen, place them in the blender and add in the milk and either the cocoa powder or peanut butter. Then blend until smooth creating a guilt-free “guilty pleasure.”
Tangy watermelon
Using Tajín to spice up a simple treat is nothing new to Latino families; however, this trend is spreading to be universally enjoyed.
-Sliced up watermelon
-Tajín
Take the sliced watermelon and lay it all out so none of the slices overlap. Then sprinkle Tajín over the watermelon to taste. Craving something refreshing yet tangy? This treat offers just that.
Bell pepper and hummus
This is a sweet and savory snack for after school ease.
– Bell Pepper (green or red)
– Hummus
– Hot sauce
Cut the pepper into thin vertical strips and dip it into the hummus, it’s as easy as that. Sprinkle a dash of hot sauce to add a slight kick. Hummus contains four grams of fiber and seven grams of total fat per serving making this a healthy yet fulfilling snack.
With these simple after school snacks, hunger will soon be nothing but a distant memory.
