If you have kids that are school age, the chances are that they will come back after school with a ravenous hunger that simply can’t possibly hold on until dinner, even if it’s only in a mere 25 minutes. No, they need something NOW, because they haven’t had any food since afternoon break around 2 hours ago and all that energy on learning has left them depleted.
In our house, Unicorn Fruit Flakes from Fruit Bowl (they make delish treats and snacks for kids to enjoy after school) are a firm fave for the kids and an easy win for me, as most of their everyday snacks and treat count towards the dreaded 5 a day – winning!
To celebrate the launch of their Unicorn Fruit Flakes (which launched into Tesco, Waitrose and Morrisons this summer), Fruit Bowl are offering one lucky reader the chance to win everything they need to create their very own Unicorn themed birthday party – including the opportunity to have a real live unicorn at the event! How exciting! To find out more about what you can win, and if you want to enter, you can do it here. Hurry! The competition closes on the 1st December!
Now, let’s talk about how to get kids to eat nutritional after school snacks…
For me, the problem is that, more often than not, I find my little ones will try and top up on snacks that aren’t really suitable for a pre-dinner nibble. I’m talking chocolate, biscuits and sweets – don’t get me wrong, I think these things have a place, but they are usually kept as treats for after dinner in our home, but encouraging the kids to eat more nutritional snacks after school can be really tough!
Out of sight, out of mind
It’s much easier for your ravenous little ones to come home and decide to grab the first thing that they see – so make sure that is something you want them to eat.
Within reach is easier for everyone
We have a pull out pantry cupboard and at the front of that, or in the fridge on the lower shelf, are all the things that I’m happy for them to snack on when they feel they need a little boost. They always ask me if it’s ok to grab something and I invariable say yes. Making it something that they can help themselves to has really encouraged them to DIY snack time and just feel so grown up about it.
Make it fun
Edith is obsessed with Fruit Bowl’s Fruit Peelers, she will eat them all day if I leave her to it, whereas very similar products on the market have been untouched because they don’t have the same fun packaging or vibe to them.
Variety is the spice of life as they say.
Switch it up! We always have a variety of snacks and treats for the kids, from treat bags of Yogurt Raisins (Reuben’s little friend polished these off the other day and went home with them because she hasn’t had them before and loved them so much, her and Reuben swapped and these were “so much better than anything everrrrr!”) to Unicorn Fruit Flakes to Fruit Peeler snacks, all the way to fresh fruit on the table – it doesn’t always have to be the same, sometimes they will surprise you with liking something new.
