Better-for-you after school snacks, kid-tested!

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Arla Dofino. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

It’s no secret that I look for healthy food options when it comes to my family and what we eat. My kids are pretty much on board with making healthy choices when it comes to our food as well – they have a treat here or there but overall they are really good about making wise choices.

I really love that when presented with a choice my kids will typically choose things like fruit over candy, or cheese over sugar-laden snack bars. This year, with both of my older kids attending school full time, I knew that we would need some after school snacks to get them through the lull before dinnertime. Having some things prepared for them was super easy since they love eating good food that is better for them.

Prepare in advance

One easy way to help with after school snacking is to make sure you spend a little time at the end of the weekend to prepare in advance. We have a really busy and hectic schedule with both me and my husband working two jobs, so being prepared is a must! Spend a few minutes slicing up some cheese, filling up some containers with a small portion of berries, and having crackers easily accessible is a great option.

Some additional ideas for great after school snacks include:

• Fruit & Cheese Skewers (The Naptime Chef)
  • Use Arla Dofino Harvarti and cut into cubes or shapes. Skewer with grapes, strawberries, or your favorite fruit pieces for a ready to go snacking option
• Gouda Roll Ups (The Naptime Chef)
  • Spread reduced-fat mayo thinly over a tortilla, layer with deli turkey or ham and a slice of Arla Dofino Gouda. Add lettuce leaves and any additional toppings your child loves. Roll the tortilla and slice into five bite-sized rolls (eat the ends yourself as a treat). Refrigerate until ready to eat!
• Veggie Tray
  • Simply have a platter of finger food sized vegetables ready for the picking. My kids love carrots, snow peas, fresh green beans, broccoli, and more! Just leave them raw and ready to eat.
• Nuts and fruit
  • A little cup of mixed nuts and seeds with some dried fruit is a great option to give kids an extra boost of vitamins and protein, plus it tastes great as well. Just mix raisins or any other dried fruit in with a handful of nuts and you have a ready to go trail mix!
• Air popped popcorn
  • Grab a handful of kernels and toss them in an air popper; or use a brown paper bag, seal the top, and microwave until you hear the popping slow to 1-3 seconds between pops. Serve as-is or use a tiny bit of melted real butter (we eat sans butter but if you just can’t go without be sure to use the real deal).

Have the kids help!

My daughter is a huge cheese lover (she gets if from me I’m sure). Having a quick snack of cheese and whole grain crackers, along with some fresh berries, was an easy choice for an after school snack. My son really loves the berries and crackers, and doesn’t mind eating a little cheese now and then as well.

It may come as a surprise, but I always get great cheese like Arla Dofino when we buy cheese – no reason the kids should have something other than what we eat! You can find where to purchase Arla Dofino here, I found my cheese at our local People’s Food Coop.

The kids also love helping prepare the snacks for the week ahead – this probably also helps ensure that they will eat what is available to them so I highly recommend getting your kids in the kitchen to help out. I love it because it means not only do I not have to do all the work, but I also get to spend some quality time with my kiddos. Win-Win!

Want to try the cheese we use and love? Check out the Arla Dofino products:

Arla Dofino cheeses provide busy moms with a nutritious lift to any snack or meal, offering a delicious range of naturally good options that will please everyone in the family. Arla Dofino cheeses are naturally good, free of added hormones and crafted with quality, natural ingredients in an environmentally friendly way – which is something that I always look for when buying foods!

• Havarti has a buttery and gentle creamy taste, is semisoft and has a mellow aroma. This is a cheese that is great for melting – a kid fave!
• Gouda has a rich, buttery, slightly sweet flavor and a smooth, creamy texture. Gouda is a great choice with fruit, and also works well for melting.
• Fontina is semisoft with a slightly sharp edge. A wonderful cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches, or for upgrading an everyday cold sandwich.
• Edam has a subtle nutty flavor and lower fat content. Perfect to melt over pasta and in casseroles.
• Muenster has a soft texture and an orange rind, great for wraps, sandwiches, and grilled cheese. Always one of my favorite varieties of cheese, Muenster has become a staple whenever we get cheese.

Since I’m from Wisconsin I also love the bit of history behind Arla Foods Inc. and the Arla Dofino Brand. Arla Foods is the sixth largest dairy company in the world and a cooperative owned by dairy farmers. For more than 100 years, Arla has been crafting its cheese in Kaukauna, Wisconsin – the heartland of America. Arla combines traditional craftsmanship and world-class technologies to ensure its products remain closer to nature, from farm to fridge.

For more info and great recipes, follow Arla Dofino on Facebook or check them out on Pinterest!

 Snack-to-School with Arla Dofino – Sweepstakes!

Enter for a chance to win a semester’s worth of naturally good Arla Dofino cheese for all of your back-to-school lunches or after school snacks. Sweepstakes ends Oct. 4th so don’t delay! To enter, like Dofino cheese on Facebook to fill out the sweepstakes entry form: http://bit.ly/1tMF90g

So tell us…

What after school snacking options do you and your kids love?

Got any great ideas – share them in the comments!