After-school snacks

RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Anybody who's reared children knows that young ones, no matter the age, are capable of sprouting into all-out eating machines leaving stocked pantries totally empty within the span of an afternoon.

There is no more fierce hunger for a child than at the end of the school day. Jeri Vangilder, Pope County Home Extension agent, herself a mother of two, shared tips for curbing the after-school munchies, including some healthy recipes kids can make themselves.

To encourage healthier grazing, Vangilder suggests diligence over the food supply.

"You don't want to stock up on [snack cakes] and other highfat processed foods," she said. "Kids are like sponges, and they can learn to crave better food for their bodies."

She encourages baby steps like keeping fresh produce available.

"Kids don't have to eat everything you put out, but if you provide a variety of fruits, for instance, there is a greater likelihood they will try them. So what if they only like peaches and plums? Those provide nutrients and vitamins that processed foods and juices just can't." She also recommends small steps like exhanging whole milk to low-fat milk and real sour cream, whipped cream and dressings for the "lighter" versions. "Be creative," she said. "A lot of things even freeze well." Popping a potato in the microwave is a great alternative to potato chips. "But try sweet potatoes," she said. "They're sweeter than potatoes and with a couple of sprays of margarine and a sprinkle of Splenda brown sugar, it satisfies the sweet tooth." It's important to expose children to healthy choices early to set the stage for what they will choose later in life, Vangilder said.

"Toddlers and small children are super busy exploring their world. Many times they need a small snack to keep them going. About 20 percent of a small child's caloric needs come from snacks. It is important that these snacks are healthy and age appropriate," she said.

Toddlers love to dip pretty much anything into some sort of sauce. Vegetable dips, seasoned plain yogurt, fruit yogurt, and pudding make great dipping sauces. "Keep snacks small," Vangilder said, "and let your kids determine the amount of food. They can always ask for more."

There are some safety tips to consider when preparing snacks for children.

"Never give young toddlers hard fruit or veggies such as apples or carrots. Pieces can break off and create a choking hazard," she said. "Grate or cook the fruit or vegetable as an alternative.

"There are some snacks which require little or no preparations such as small bags of dry cereal, cheese cubes with pretzel sticks, cinnamon toast cut into strips for finger foods, Saltine crackers with pizza sauce and grated cheese, frozen grapes (halved for safety), deli meat rolled up with cheese and waffles with jelly," she said.

Cut the following recipes out and post on the refrigerator, so your children can create a more healthful (and tasty) snack when they are rummaging in the pantry.

FUN SMOOTHIES 1 cup frozen fruit (peaches, bananas and strawberries are good choices) 1 cup cold milk 1/4 cup plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt or frozen yogurt Place in blender and blend on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

FRUIT KABOBS (Use your favorite fruits) "Kids love sticking things with a stick," Vangilder said. "Buy some kabob sticks and see what all you and your child can spear." Seedless grapes (cut in half the long way for younger children) Pineapple chunks or tidbits Blueberries Strawberries, halved Plastic coffee stirrers or toothpicks Wash fresh fruit thoroughly. Drain pineapple. Thread fruit pieces on stirrers or toothpicks, alternating fruits.

TORTILLA ROLLERS Flour tortillas Something to spread (cream cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, pizza sauce) Fillings (grated cheese, apple slices, tomato slices, sliced olives, jelly, banana slices, fruit, turkey, chicken or ham thinly sliced) Spread each tortilla with your choice of a spread. Add one or two fillings to compliment the spread flavor. Roll it up using the "spread" as glue. Slice into 1-2-inch rolls.

BANANA POPS Banana Crushed graham crackers or cereal Peanut butter or orange juice Popsicle sticks Cut banana in half. Spear the banana halves with the sticks. Place crackers or cereal in a plastic bag. Crush with hands or rolling pin. Dip banana pop in orange juice or spread peanut butter on banana. Roll banana pop in crumbs. Enjoy snack now or for a frozen treat, place on wax paper on cookie sheet and freeze for one hour.

ANTS ON A LOG Celery Sticks Peanut Butter or "squeeze" cheese Paprika or raisins Wash and cut celery into 4-inch pieces. Spread peanut butter or squeeze cheese the length of celery. Sprinkle paprika or raisins on top.

BANANA PUDDING BITES 1 pkg. sugar-free vanilla pudding 11/2 cups fat-free milk 3 bananas 32 vanilla wafer cookies, plus 4 cookies, crumbled for garnish In a bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Cut each banana into 12 pieces (approximately 1/2- inch thick). Place 4 vanilla wafers on each of 8 plates and top with bananas. Pipe a heaping teaspoon of pudding on top and sprinkle with crumbled cookies to garnish.

FRUIT PARFAIT 1/2 cup low-fat granola, low fat 3/4 cup (6-ounce container) low-fat vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries or bananas (frozen or canned fruit like peaches, pineapple chunks, or mandarin oranges) In a clear glass (plastic for young children) and layer ingredients: granola, yogurt, fruit and repeat layers. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until the next morning or enjoy as snack now!

LOW-FAT DIP FOR VEGETABLES "I can't say enough good about spinach," Vangilder said. "Make this up ahead of time, and keep the veggies cleaned and in separate baggies so when hunger strikes your child will be able to pull it out of the fridge and chow down." 1/2 cup "light" mayonnaise 1 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt 4 green onions, chopped 1/4 cup lime juice 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (10-ounce) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry.

Raw vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumbers, broccoli and mushrooms Combine all of the ingredients. Let stand 30 minutes or overnight to allowthe flavors to blend, Serve with raw vegetables. Makes 3 cups.