Photo: Lillie Morales
I’m hungry!
Those are the two words my daughter answers when I ask how her day was. No, “It was good, how was yours?” Simply “I’m hungry.” And when she wants to get creative, “Can we go to Starbucks? Pleeeeease?” Sometimes we get special treats but mostly, I bring the snacks. Back to school is around the corner and with that comes after school hunger. Here’s how to handle it like a boss.
Pack a Lunch Tote
Pack a drink and two snacks for your child to choose from. I have one child but if you have more than one, you will want to pack accordingly. Make sure to keep an ice pack in case you need to keep anything cool. Keep it in the fridge until pick up time and place it in the passenger’s seat for your kid to see.
Related: How to Have a Clean Family Car Even When You Have a Bunch of Kids
Opt for healthier food choices after school. Photo: Canva
Choose Superfoods
The older the child, the longer the day and the fewer snacks they get to consume. I still cannot wrap my head around why schools think it’s ok for kids to have 15-20 minutes for lunch and go for the rest of the day without food or water. I surely can’t function that way and I’m an adult.
Pack superfoods like strawberries, blueberries, baby carrots, or almonds for example. These snacks boost energy and will help your child function better when it comes to homework time.
Healthy Snacks to Consider:
- Berries
- Bananas
- Peanut butter
- Carrots
- Celery
- Watermelon slices
- Yogurt
- Fruit smoothies (if you have time and your kid will drink it)
- Rice cakes
- Granola
Related: 100 Things You Should ALWAYS Keep in Your Car
Photo: canva
H2o
Ditch the sugary drinks and pack water instead. The absolute best thirst quencher is water. My daughter likes her eco-friendly reusable stainless steel bottles so I make sure to bring one filled with water. Some days, I’ll throw in a lemon for flavor. If your child prefers flavored water, slice up a lemon, orange, or throw some berries into the water. My daughter loves naturally flavored water. It’s like a Starbuck’s refresher minus all the ice and sugar.
Photo: Jill Robbins
More Ideas
If we have errands to run, I add in graham crackers, pudding, yogurt, or even a small salad. And depending on the season, you can pack treats like pumpkin munchkins during the fall or gingerbread cookies during the holidays. I’m just going off of what my daughter likes to eat (very healthy and picky!) but of course, every child is different so pack things they will eat.
Related: 9 Old School Road Trip Games You Have to Play With Your Kids
Don’t Feel Bad if You Forget
As moms, we have a lot on our to-do lists so if you forget, you can always just drive home or make a stop somewhere. No matter your schedule, do what you can. If you’re the type that prefers planning ahead, you can always pre-plan snacks by using snack baggies and dating and separating them. While hat’s not for me, I know it can help some mamas out.
Bon Appetit!
Fight after school hunger and be prepared mamas! You’ve got this! And don’t forget to treat yourself, too. Healthy kids need healthy moms. Happy back to school 🙂
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