School’s Out: The Snack Survival Guide for Summer

The final bell has rung, the backpacks have been tossed aside, and your house has officially transformed into Snack Central. Welcome to summer, where kids’ the kids expect 3 squares a day plus 5 snack breaks. But fear not! With the right game plan, you can stock up on snacks that keep their energy high and your sanity intact. Let’s dive into the dos and don’ts of summer snacking.

Snacks to Stock Up On

1. Fruit & Veggie Power-Ups Keep it simple and sweet with nature’s candy: apples, berries, carrot sticks, and snap peas. Bonus points if you cut them into fun shapes—nothing says “I love you” like a cucumber star.

2. Popcorn Light, crunchy, and perfect for movie nights or impromptu snack attacks. Just skip the butter-drenched microwave bags and go for air-popped with a sprinkle of seasoning.

3. Granola Bars That Actually Rock Look for ones with gut-friendly ingredients like prebiotics and probiotics. Cough cough, Lola Snacks. They’re tasty, portable, and won’t leave crumbs in the couch (well, not many).

4. DIY Trail Mix Nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a few chocolate chips. Let the kids mix their own—it’s snack time and an activity in one!

5. Frozen Treats Stock up on smoothie pops, frozen yogurt bites, or even just plain frozen grapes. They’re refreshing, fun to eat, and way better than chasing the ice cream truck every day.

Snacks to Avoid

1. Sugary Cereals They’re not just for breakfast—they’ll sneak into snack time too. Keep these sugar bombs off the roster unless you want a house full of sugar-fueled chaos.

2. Chips and Puffs They’re fun for about five seconds before turning into a crumb explosion that’ll haunt your floors for weeks.

3. Candy Bars Delicious? Yes. Nutritionally void? Also yes. Save these for special occasions or bribery or SMORES.

4. Soda It’s the enemy of hydration and brings absolutely nothing to the table except sticky spills and regret. Stick to water, flavored seltzers, or homemade lemonade.

5. Mystery Packaged Snacks You know the ones—bright colors, cartoon mascots, and a laundry list of unpronounceable ingredients. If it looks like it belongs in a science experiment, it’s probably not summer snack material.

Bonus Tips for Snack Time Sanity

• Create a Snack Zone: Dedicate a shelf or drawer to approved snacks so the kids can help themselves without turning your pantry into a disaster zone.

• Set Snack Limits: Have set snack times to prevent the never-ending “can I have something to eat?” cycle.

• Get Them Involved: Let the kids pick their favorites from the healthy options. They’re more likely to eat it if they helped choose it.

Summer snacking doesn’t have to be a battlefield. With a little planning and a lot of snacks that balance health and fun, you’ll keep the kids happy, fueled, and ready for all the summer adventures. And who knows, you might even enjoy a snack or two yourself!

Happy snacking!