Homeschooling is challenging. Turn dull days into exciting ones by coming up with ideas that will make home studies more fun. Make break time more exciting by preparing appetizing, delicious and nutritious snacks. Set a specific time for snacking as part of discipline, so they know they can’t ask for food during your study session. This will also make them look forward to that time of the day when they will be rewarded with a hearty meal. You can also set a day of cooking or preparing snacks with them. Here are some of the best snack ideas to give your homeschooler.
Easy Apple Turnovers
Apples are a good source of vitamins and fiber. This recipe is easy to prepare and can definitely wow your kids. It uses puff pastry so you don’t have to knead some dough. Thaw a frozen puff pastry and unfold on a parchment paper. Spoon some applesauce onto each square, forming a triangular shape. You can make your own applesauce or buy a bottled on the grocery. Fold each square and seal with a fork by crimping the edges. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar. Bake in preheated 400°C until golden brown, or approximately 20 minutes.
Chocolli Pancakes
This one is a recipe from Les Mills. It incorporates broccoli, banana, cacao and eggs in a pancake. Kids love pancakes, and with this recipe, they can get the nutrients provided by the healthy ingredients. Simply blend 1 head of broccoli, 1 banana, 3 tablespoons raw cacao, 3 eggs, 2 cups self-raising flour and rice or almond milk. When smooth, heat some coconut oil in a pan and pour your healthy pancake batter. You can serve it with maple syrup, yogurt or your kid’s favorite fruit.
Turkey and Avocado Toast
Avocado is tagged as the nutrient all-star for it contains nearly 20 essential vitamins and minerals per serving. Include it in your child’s diet and reap all the benefits. Prepare avocado the usual way by first cutting in half then scraping the flesh out and into a bowl. Squeeze some lime then mash. Toast some wheat bread; spread some mashed avocado, top with turkey slices and season with some pepper. The turkey will be the one that provides protein in this recipe.
Energy Bites
If you notice your child needs energy for a busy day, these energy bites are a great snack idea. Put 10 grams pecan in a food processor and blend until crumbly. Add 75 grams raisin, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon each of ground flaxseeds, cocoa powder and agave syrup. Pulse until well combined. Shape them into balls and roll in desiccated coconut. Refrigerate until firm and serve.
Pizza Quesadilla
Pizzas are family favorites and you can customize your own according to what your kids like or what would you like them to have. If you don’t want to use thick dough, you can choose flour tortillas or any bread. For a pizza quesadilla, just heat some pepperoni until crisp and prepare tortilla by spreading some pizza sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top and bottom, top with your choice meat or veggie, sprinkle cheese again and add another layer of tortilla. Heat in a skillet or toast in pre-heated oven until cheese melts.
You will never go wrong with these kid-approved recipes that can surely make snacking more exciting for your homeschooler. If you do not have enough time, stock on crisp fruits and vegetables that you can slice thinly for your child to snack on. In some days, let them choose their own snack by preparing small packs of dry snacks on a tray. You can include some pretzels, homemade granola bars, raisins, rail mix, nuts and more.
Photo: Riley Kaminer
