The Sudden Snack Board

An afterschool snack that costs you about five minutes and no convincing.

The backpacks hit the floor, the shoes come off somewhere they shouldn’t, and two hungry kids appear at the kitchen table asking what there is to eat. Sound familiar?

Instead of handing over a plate, I put together a snack board. That’s it. That’s the whole activity. Our two, Ollie (6) and Kaia (4), came home to a wooden board, a few little bowls, and a candle (a very grown-up touch, and totally optional).

Let me show you what was on it — and frankly, what was in our fridge! This can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. My kiddos are picky eaters, so we always opt for simple, easily identifiable snacks:

• Sliced mini cucumbers
• Apple slices
• Seed crackers, for a little fiber
• Sliced havarti, or whatever cheese your kids like best
• Organic cheese puffs (ours are gluten-free, but any snack your kids love will do)
• Unsalted cashews
• Red grapes
• Strawberries

Nothing fancy, and nothing I had to cook. Just things I already knew they’d eat, set out so they could see all of it at once.

And something funny happened. The same cucumbers and apple slices that sometimes get a shrug on a plate were suddenly interesting. Hands reached in right away. Ollie and Kaia picked and chose and built their own little combos, and the board slowly emptied. A bit of choice and a bit of pretty seems to go a long way with small people.

They also had opinions, which I loved. Ollie asked for dip for his cucumbers, so out came the Greek yogurt and dill dip I make (or you could try the Sparkle Stories Avocado Yogurt Dip). Kaia wanted peanut butter for her apples. Both requests were easy to say “yes” to, and I think being asked “what would make this better?” made them even more invested in eating it.

That’s play, really. Choosing, stacking, dipping, trying a strawberry with cheese just to see what happens. Wonder doesn’t need a special set-up. Sometimes it’s a cucumber and a little bit of curiosity.

If you’re looking for more snack inspo, check out our “On the Go” Snacks Round Up for some super-delicious and nutritious goodies you could make in advance and add to any “Sudden Snack Board” in the future!

If you want to try your own:

Start with what your kids already like, then tuck in one or two things you’d love them to try. Put the snack they’re most excited about (for us, the organic cheese puffs) right in the mix. Small bowls and a board make it feel like an occasion, even on a Tuesday. And let them ask for a dip. They probably will.

Then sit down with them for a few minutes, if you can. Ask about their day. Listen to what comes out between bites. Afterschool snack time is often when the good stories start. This might be a good time to try our Sparkle Stories Conversation Starter Cards because full tummies = happy kids = engaging in some conversations!

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