Kid-Approved After-School Snack Ideas

We’re officially in the single-digit countdown to school starting back in our part of the country and while I’ve got all the supplies bought and labeled and the boys’ school clothes purchased and washed, I’ve shifted my focus to coming up with after-school snack ideas that are easy, delicious and kid-approved. Being a boy mom, there’s one thing I can always count on when my kids walk through the door at the end of a long school day and that’s the fact that they are going to ask for food. That’s why as part of my back-to-school planning I’ve been thinking up new and delicious after-school snacks that both my boys can get excited about, even with the large age difference between them. While they definitely have different tastes and likes, one thing they agree on is that Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk paired with a simple snack is the right way to fuel their afternoon. That’s why I decided to help all you mamas out and share my kid-tested snack ideas that I’ve been fine tuning over the past few weeks to make your back-to-school snack planning easy. Read on to discover my Kid-Approved After-School Snack Ideas.

School days are busy in my home. Both of my boys are involved in any number of school related activities and honestly, we do a lot of running back and forth between school, home and any number of locations where after-school fun happens. That’s why it’s super important for me to have quick and easy after-school snack ideas so that no matter how short we are on time, I can give my boys the little after-school boost they need to push through the rest of the day and make it till dinner time. Thankfully, the formula for a successful after-school snack is pretty simple for my guys. It starts with Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk. I’m then able to pair their favorite drink with a variety of easy snack ideas to ensure that no matter how busy our afternoons are, we’ve always got the perfect snack on hand. Let me show you exactly how I do it as well as give you some tasty, out-of-the-box ideas that make after-school snacking fun.

Before we get to pairings (and don’t worry, we will get there), I want to tell you about a new shelf stable, long life chocolate milk that I recently found at Publix and that my boys adore! I’m sure if I asked you what you think when I say chocolate, you’re response would be Hershey’s®. It’s my response too and that’s why when I recently discovered Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk (12 pack) in my local Publix, it clicked that this was THE chocolate milk to give my guys. In addition to being shelf stable and lasting up to 13 months, this chocolate milk doesn’t have to be kept in the refrigerator (which is huge when you have an always overly full fridge like mine). Instead, I simple refrigerate it when I’m ready to use it. Then, when snack time (or truthfully, lunch time or sports time or anytime) rolls around, I can grab it out and feel great knowing that I’m giving my boys Grade A 2% Reduced Fat milk that’s made with Hershey’s® cocoa and is rBST free!

This Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk is hands down the most requested beverage in my home right now because in addition to being delicious, it’s also so simple. With it’s convenient, ready to drink packaging that doesn’t require straws and has a recloseable cap, this chocolate milk has inspired me to make snack time fun again.

If you’re ready to try it, be sure to load your savings to your Publix savings card here (You must be logged in with your Publix ID to view this Hershey’s® load to card special offer.. This offer is available from 8/11/19 - 9/07/19, right in time for back-to-school (hint, hint). Now that you’ve got all into info you need to try Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk and save by shopping at Publix, let me share a little more about how I’m pairing this shelf stable milk with some simple snacks to make after-school snacking kid-approved.

When it comes to after-school snacking, my philosophy is simple….keep things colorful and fun and think outside the box. It case it’s not already clear, Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk is an essential part of our snack time routine. However, snack-time really becomes fun when I’m able to pair the boys’ chocolate milk with finger foods that they can get excited about. I learned a long time ago that there’s really no combination that’s wrong and I sometimes discover the best snack pairings when I simply open my refrigerator, take a look at what’s inside and let inspiration hit. Over the past few weeks, we’ve started getting our after-school snack routine on point and have tested out quite a few pairings. While some were massive successes, some got weird looks for my kids. So I let them vote on what I should share with you and they came up with four kid-approved options that they want all you other mamas out there to try for your kiddos! So what are they? Well, get ready to bookmark this post and then scroll down for tasty ideas.

Veggie Filled Baby Sweet Peppers

My kids aren’t huge veggie fans but even they couldn’t help but get excited about simple veggie filled baby sweet peppers. This simple snack is made by cutting off the top of baby sweet peppers, adding a teaspoon of ranch dressing inside each one and then stuffing in carrot and celery sticks. Seriously simple yet seriously delicious!

Pizza Crackers

Pizza is always a most requested after-school snack in my home but who has time? I do with these easy Pizza crackers. I simply lay out my crackers, add a little pizza sauce to the top of each and they layer on cheese, a piece of pepperoni and a little bit of avocado. Snacking perfection, am I right?

Meat and Cheese Rolls

This classic after-school snack has been a go-to of mine for years and it never gets old. To make it, I take whatever lunch meat I have in the refrigerator, roll it up with a piece of cheese and insert a toothpick. After adding some mustard for dipping, this simple snack is ready too be devoured.

Fruit Kabobs

My kids adore fruit in any form but when I make fruit kabobs, they get extra excited. To make them, I find whatever fruit is in the refrigerator (grapes and strawberries are a favorite), wash it and arrange it in patterns on a kabob stick. It’s such an easy snack idea but one that my kids go wild over!

While each of these snacks are amazing by themselves, what really makes them great is that no matter which of the four options above you choose, they all pair perfectly with Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk! Total score! And truthfully, while the snack ideas are, well, awesome, what really makes each of these after-school snacks check all the boxes for my kids is the fact that they include Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk.

Now, as you start your back-to-school prep, let’s have a little refresher on how to use these kids-approved after-school snack ideas to ensure that no matter what age your kids are or what activities they are involved in, they have an after-school snack that they’ll be excited about. To ensure you’re ready, follow these simple steps.

• Head to Publix today to pick up Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk (you can find it in the tea and coffee aisle)

• Use your load-to-card coupon from 8/11/18 - 9/07-19 to save on your purchase of Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk. You must be logged in with your Publix ID to view this Hershey’s® load to card special offer.
• While you’re there, pick up easy ingredients to make the snack options I showed you above.
• Whip up one of these four fun ideas when the kids get home from school.
• Pair your choice of snack with Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk.
• Watch your kids fall in love with after-school snacking!

Now you know everything you need to know to make this school year’s after-school snacks a hit! So go forth and make your kids’ snack time their favorite time of the day!

Want to save these amazing snack ideas for later? Of course you do! Pin them below ↓↓↓

Now tell me, how will the load-to-card savings on Hershey’s® 2% Chocolate Shelf Stable Milk available at Publix now help you make snack time more delicious in your home?