Healthy, portable after-school snack ideas please

[Yamyoid]

Ds always comes out of school starving. He used to be great at eating fruit but is getting fussier. So I'm struggling to come up with new ideas for snacks that aren't full of sugar, additives, fat etc.

He currently likes School Bars, which he guzzles in 2 mins when he comes out of class. He has some dried fruit at breakfast, so that quota's used up.

He doesn't like breadsticks. Seems to have gone off rice cakes and cheesy biscuits...

I take him in the green grocers to choose fruit sometimes, which helps.

If he doesn't eat, it becomes a nightmare getting him home. Any suggestions appreciated.

Flapjack? Muffin?

Take a sandwich for him?

Scones? Bake a big mixed batch of plain, fruit and cheese scones with a large cutter, freeze them and take one out for him either in the morning via the fridge or at lunchtime if you are around then.

Scones are a great idea, thanks.

He sometimes has sandwiches for lunch but I did do that occasionally last school year. I'll try that again on school dinner days.

I sometimes make flapjacks but my favourite recipe (from River Cottage) has loads of butter and sugar, and the other problem is that I can't help eating them all myself!

Surrender to Soreen?

The sandwiches could also be pitta bread, to ring the changes, or a bagel?

I've just seen the cheesy mini muffin recipe, which sounds good.

All suggestions great, thanks.

Cheese/ cheese string/ cheese and crackers?

Hummus with carrots if he's no too messy

Peanuts or other nut type stuff?

Corn on the cob. (Get envious looks from parents on this one!). Carrot sticks. Cucumber.

Would fruit kebabs go down any better than individul fruit? You do need to be careful with the pointy sticks, but they can be eaten quite quickly, standing still if you're paranoid, like me.

Bribery? Mine are usually keen to eat their fruit, but their friends are sometimes a little reluctant - unless they've brought home some birthday sweets, which they aren't allowed until they've eaten their fruit / veg.

Yoghurt. Frozen yoghurt, or fruit ice lollies?

I usually just take my 5 year old a packet of Rolos or some Fruit Pastilles. He'd be horrified if I presented him with an apple. I can't stand all this ' oh no sweets until you eat your fruit etc' ... He is a tin ribs, fit, healthy and eats a wide variety of food.

Give yourself a break and lob him a biscuit.

The snack bags of mini cheesy oatcakes are good too (they also do a chilli and cheese which my DS1 likes - not too spicey). aldi good for them - come in a box of 6 for 89p

milkshake?

After the first few days I gave him a banana and some sweets, but the resulting sugar rush of hyperactivity put a stop to that!

I'm adding Soreen and bagels to the shopping list.

Pasta salad?

trying to picture child eating corn on the cob as he walks home

I would say sandwich with some protein in it and avoid any sweet snacks altogether if he is properly hungry

Try buttered corn crackers (instead of rice crackers), or bit of cereal of his choice, e.g. shreddies, in a small tupperware.

Shortcake biscuit.

Sharon fruit. Sounds weird, but tastes nice and easy to eat whole or cut up.

crying with laughter re the corn on the cob.

those ' envious' looks from parents you talk of? Umm, probably looks of complete bafflement

Okay, maybe 'envious looks' isn't quite right. But various comments along the lines of "That looks nice"and "You lucky thing, I love sweetcorn." Easy enough to eat unless they're missing their front teeth.

Flapjack

Bananas?

Quesadia
A wrap
Slice of cold pizza
Cheese on toast wrapped in foil

lol yes, true i agree, but i tend to alternate, my son is so hungry he doesnt seem to notice what it is. i buy those infused raisins, nakd do them they even do cola ones or even a cereal bar goes down well.

i was replying to shineoncrazydiamnod btw

I made Nigella's cereal bars the other day and although they do use a whole tin of condensed milk, the recipe makes lots and they also contain oats, seeds, nuts and dried fruit if you want. The recipe is easily adapted, I used apricots and almonds, but you could leave all the dried fruit out or reduce the amount.

Cheese scones have gone down well, as has a small sandwich on non packed lunch days.

Cereal did cross my mind the other day. Quesadillas good idea. Corn on the cob.....well he does love it....

Sorry but don't want to just give him sweets and chocolate every day ShineOn. He's hyper enough as it is. I do sometimes bring him biscuits and he has sweets on a Friday.