Every parent knows the feeling of having a hungry and cantankerous child. You are struck dumb with the task of producing something quick that could quell the hunger of your enraged child, and it has to be delicious and healthy, to boot.

However, afternoon snacks don’t have to be such torture as long as you plan. While grocery shopping, the main thing to keep a lookout for is items that can be used to build easy snacks for your child.

According to Health.gov, the dietary requirements for young children range from 1000 to 2000 calories per day. It might seem like they end up eating twice that in a day, but a growing child needs at least these many calories to maintain their health.

Here are some healthy afternoon snacks that will make your life easier.

Afternoon Snacks They Will Love to Eat, and You Will Love to Prepare

The main thing about afternoon snacks has to be that sometimes they seem like such a chore. It’s not like you don’t have a hundred other things to do, that you have to prepare something delicious for your child to eat.

With planning, however, you can actually simplify this process to a science. Always ensure that you have the following items in your pantry, and refrigerator at a minimum.

1. Trail Mix – Mix and match with nuts, dried fruit, and whatever else you think your children would love to eat, while you prepare dinner. It’s healthy and satisfying.
2. Hummus and Veggies – The crunch of the veggies, and the protein-filling capacity of hummus, make this a power combo that you won’t want to do without. You can also mix it up with the kind of hummus you use. There are lots of different kinds out there.
3. String Cheese – Who doesn’t love string cheese? Young children can spend hours playing with and eating string cheese. For a big bonus, it has both calcium and protein.
4. Freshly Cut Fruit – You are always trying to get them to eat their fruit but cutting some up and placing it in front of them might do the trick better than nagging them. If it’s in front of them, they will eat it. You can even mix and match. Sliced apples with peanut butter or almond butter, or sliced bananas with the same, are delicious, and a healthy snack.

Keep Things Simple by Keeping Your Pantry Stocked with the Basics

It’s easy to feel like you are rushed off your feet if you realize too late that you don’t have anything to feed the children with once they come home.

Better to always keep the basics of afternoon snacks, like popcorn, hummus, string cheese, etc, in the pantry and refrigerator. It’s a cheap trick, but it does the job.

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