If you have school age kids, you've been assembling supply lists, finding out that they somehow managed to grow three inches and need new pants, and - if you're lucky - managed to get them on a more or less respectable sleep schedule before the first day. But inevitably we tend to find ourselves a bit surprised when they come through the door at the end of the day and the first words out of their mouths are, "What can I eat? I'm starving!" Hyperbole aside, a simple snack that's both healthy and quick is a good idea to tide them over 'til dinner and can give just enough time and space to ask about their days before having them tackle any homework they have.
If you want to put in a bit of effort and then reap the benefits for weeks and even months to come, consider making big batches of muffins and freezing them. Then, when it's time to snack, take one out and microwave it for about 30 seconds. How can your kids complain about a warm muffin as a snack? Get lots of recipe ideas from our archives.
Of course, you can always have your kids put a bit of trail mix into a small bowl or cup and munch on that. Look for mixes that focus on dried fruit and nuts and not candies or added sugars. You can also make your own to favor what your kids like best.
And, of course, few snacks compare to the ease and health value that come with just having a bowl of fresh fruit waiting on the counter to be claimed at the end of the day. You can even put your kids in charge of adding fruit requests to the grocery list and restocking the bowl when it's empty. Suddenly, snack time becomes their responsibility and that's music to just about any parent's ears!