After School Snacks

I've run out of inspiration for after school snacks for DS that he can grab out of the refrigerator. With his level of energy he needs a mini meal after school, and as I'm at work, I generally leave him something in the fridge.

It's usually a rota of veggie sticks and hummus, cheese and crackers, fruit, smoothies, sandwiches or left overs from dinner. Frankly he is getting sick of all of these things, especially sandwiches, as he has these at lunch time. Dinner leftovers which are generally popular, but with his man sized appetite there is often nothing left over.

Does anyone have any easy, nutritious recipes to share? Some things that can be made in a big batch and frozen individually would be nice, but any ideas are welcome!

How old is he?  If he could use the oven by himself, you guys could whip up a load of mini-pizzas with healthy toppings, freeze them, take one out in the morning before school, and he could heat it up in the oven when he gets home.

pasta?  pasta salad, green salad, homemade granola bars, black bean and corn salsa...

Could you make some little pies or quiches using a muffin pan? They should freeze quite well and you could defrost one each day. 

Could you make some little pies or quiches using a muffin pan? They should freeze quite well and you could defrost one each day. 

Great idea!

Could you make some little pies or quiches using a muffin pan? They should freeze quite well and you could defrost one each day. 

That's a really good idea. Not too difficult, either.

He's 11, but I don't like the idea of him using the oven by himself. I suppose it's not really that dangerous, compared to the stove top, but I do have images of charred food smouldering away in the oven when I come home, and I know he can't reach the smoke alarm to stop it going off.

I like the mini pizza idea, though. He doesn't mind cold food, as the leftovers are always cold.

This week I'm making spinach and feta pastries, so I'll freeze a couple of those to be thawed in the morning before school. Ideally I'd like to make one new thing each week specifically for snack time, so that after a couple of weeks there is something different for every day.

what about making a batch of soup, chili con carne, pasta with a sauce of some sort, freeze in individual portions.  Then thaw a different one ready for him to heat in the mircowave, that way you won't have to worry about the oven or the stove top.

Unfortunately we do not have a microwave. He'll eat cold pasta, like lasagne and ziti, but I don't think he'd do cold soups.
The problem is, if he doesn't like what I give him he tosses it in the bin and helps himself to any number of packs of crisps and snack bars, and he's only really allowed to have one snack bar a day, and certainly not crisps every day.

Unfortunately we do not have a microwave.

can you get one?
they're cheap!  I've seen really basic ones for as little as £25!

22.99 @ Sainsburys today!

22.77 @ Tesco!

(I like this! It's like a microwave bidding war! 

 

Thanks everybody for your suggestions

can you get one?
they're cheap!  I've seen really basic ones for as little as £25!

I've never really thought about it, to be honest! I didn't grow up with one and it has always seemed irrelevant to my kitchen activities. Now, however, I suppose it would come in handy, especially at 22.77 

I've never really thought about it, to be honest! I didn't grow up with one and it has always seemed irrelevant to my kitchen activities. Now, however, I suppose it would come in handy, especially at 22.77 

LOL! I don't have one either! Even at that price! But I can see it would be handy with children around.

Well, it would certainly increase the snacking options. I probably won't be getting one any time soon, though, as we will be moving to a house with a much smaller kitchen in a couple of months. Maybe once we're established I'll think about it.