Great After School Snacks Ideas

You already know if you follow my blog, that I have a really tall son, right?

Yes, he has been over 6′ since he was 12! You heard it right, 12! He’s now 6’8″ and growing!

I’m often asked: who is tall in your family?

I answer: No one! Hubby is the tallest one in his family and he’s only 6’2″!

Here’s a shot where you can really see how tall my boy is!

Then there’s the question: “what are you feeding this kid?”

I smile and answer: “Milk, that’s what’s making him grow!”

Jokes aside, my son’s growth and development, as well as his passion for sports has had one common denominator: his love for Milk!

You know, the older they get, the harder it is to keep our connection and find a way to be a part of their lives without invading the “teen space” or being “uncool”!

Coming from a Latin family, love and warmth gravitate around food!

Since we couldn’t send lunches anymore to school and high school happened, I’ve made a point to make sure his after school “snack” is always packed with extra love!

He discovered love for basketball last year, so with that, and endless practice hours early this year, came the need to watch his nutrition and making sure he gets the right fuel!

So today, I’m here to share my son’s after school favorites and how those special snacks, made with love, keep our mother/son bond stronger!

Great After School Snacks Ideas

As I said, my son’s favorites are snacks for kids who workout or play sports after school, aiming to give them that extra fuel!

When he comes home before training, before games …

Milk

Milk is in all the snacks, because it is my son’s absolute favorite!

Did you know that :

One out of two kids ages 9 and up fall short on essential nutrients they need to grow. More than half of kids don’t get enough calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

Most kids younger than 9 are falling short on vitamin D and potassium.

All of these are critical nutrients to help kids grow strong.

Not getting enough of these important nutrients could have serious health implications – especially for school-aged kids and young adults.

Calcium, vitamin D and potassium are three out of four nutrients many Americans – including children — fall short of in their diets as outlined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

The fact is, it’s really hard for kids to get enough of these nutrients without milk, because Milk is the top food source for calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

Yet, most kids fall short on the recommended amount of milk.

In fact, by the time kids are nine, three out of four are falling short on the recommended 3 daily servings of milk and milk products.•

Young people have a limited time to build strong bones, and a dairy-free diet during critical growing years could mean:

• Not reaching your full height potential, and height is essential for basketball.

• An increase in stress fractures during adolescence.

• A greater chance of osteoporosis as an adult and nobody wants that!

The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages moms to serve milk at meals and water in between. 

I recently learned that kids ages 9 and up should get 3 servings of milk and milk products each day; kids ages 5-8 should get 2 ½ servings of milk and milk products each day; and kids 2-4 should have 2 servings of milk and milk products a day.

It’s not a coincidence that my son’s favorite snacks are paired and/or have milk in them.

Great After School Snacks Ideas

Smoothies

Especially when there’s a time crunch, smoothies are one of his favorite snacks. You can find some recipes here.

Yogurt

I love making simple parfaits with yogurt, granola, fruits and honey. My son also loves the drinkable yogurt options with fruits!

Fruits & More

We make sure his snacks have fruits in them most of the time.

Light Meals

Sometimes he has a game or practice coming up, so we give him a small meal. One of his favorites is the steak tips with yogurt dressing and greens!

You can find the recipe here.

LECHE: Amor por lo verdadero invites you to enjoy those real and authentic moments, like we do!

Those moments keep our traditions alive from generation to generation and spark joy in our lives.

Real milk is nutritious. For me, it is the perfect pairing for any after school snack and in our most loved traditional recipes. Best of all, my son loves it!

Real dairy milk is wholesome, simple and affordable – it enhances some of life’s most loved moments.  

One of the original farm-to-table foods, milk has nutrition that’s hard to find in other single foods and beverages, but you already knew that, right?

This is what Advocate Pediatrician Dr. Shapiro has to say: (Click HERE to read.)

My son has BIG Basketball Dreams. For now, he’s working hard, one day at a time!

I want to encourage you to visit: FuertesconLeche.com for more content and recipes and follow Siempre Leche on Facebook (facebook.com/SiempreLeche), Twitter (twitter.com/SiempreLeche), Pinterest (pinterest.com/SiempreLeche) and Instagram (instagram.com/SiempreLeche)

Is your child into sports?

What are your favorite after school snack ideas?

Can’t wait to hear what you think.

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