Bedtime Snacks
If you eat an early dinner or if the kids are busy with sports and other evening activities, chances are that everyone starts to get hungry again before bedtime. Families tend to have different philosophies when it comes to bedtime snacks; some prefer that the kids eat only fruit, while others go with the traditional cookies and warm milk. If you are looking to liven up your bedtime snack routine, here are some ideas for kid-friendly snacks:
- Popcorn. Particularly if your evening routine involves playing a game or watching television, popcorn is a great choice. Serve it plain, with butter and salt, with sugar and cinnamon, with cheese powder… the possibilities are nearly endless! In our family, we like adding a bit of sugar to the popping oil, making a sweet “kettle corn.”
- Bagel pizzas. These are a hit any time of day, and the carbohydrates and cheese will help keep little tummies full until morning. Place a tablespoon of tomato sauce on a half of a bagel, then add a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and a dash of Italian seasoning.
- Muffins with cream cheese. Whip up a batch of your family’s favorite type of muffin, either homemade or from a box, earlier in the day. When it’s time for a snack, slice them in half, add a smear of cream cheese (the whipped type spreads more easily), and enjoy!
- Cheese and crackers. This is another favorite bedtime snack in my house. A few slices of cheese served with whole-grain crackers is satisfying and healthy. If you want, give each child a handful of grapes with this snack, too!
- Fruit and dip. Sometimes kids don’t simply want to eat an apple or orange out of their hand, but will eat it if they can dip the slices into yogurt or peanut butter mixed with a bit of honey. Try various types of fruits and dips to see what your family likes best.
A bedtime snack should ideally include some protein or fat, as carbs will be digested quickly and may leave your child hungry should he wake in the middle of the night. Pairing any of the above snacks with a glass of milk, either warm or cold, can help by adding protein (and fat, if you don’t use skim milk) and might even help him to nod off to sleep if Grandma’s theory on drinking warm milk was correct!
What are some of your family’s favorite bedtime snacks?
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I have 6 in my household and we love our late night snacks
We are an early dinner family. We do a lot of fruit/yogurt or sometimes granola before bed.
my grandma would give us cheese and apples
With two young grandsons the issue of snacks comes up frequently,but never moreso than bedtime,we try extremely hard to be sure if they get a snack its something healthy and not too sweet,i think its just a matter of personal preference.:)
My kids like to have cut up fruit before bed.
all great ideas for bedtime snacks and healthy too.
I love popcorn! The problem is I love it with a ton of butter! LOL.
sounds like a good idea! we will try bagel pizza, cheese and crackers 🙂
Try popcorn with “Arare” (pronounced ah-rah-reh) in it! It’s found in the Asian section of the grocery store.. if your store has one.
We have popcorn most nights. Love the bagel ideas…especially with the mini bagels.
We vote for fruits or popcorn.
Those bagel pizzas look so yummy and easy. I love bedtime snacks
Bedtime snacks are good especially if you have a craving for a certain thing. Thank you. Jerri Davis
i love 2 eat it 🙂 yummm
I have struggled with my weight my entire life and in the last year have lost 53 lbs BUT I still have wayyyyy more than that to go. I have found that a few whole grain crackers with a hard cheese such as cheddar usually satisfies me if I am hungry late in the evening. If I am overly hungry i keep some grilled chicken strips cooked and frozen individually and I will make a small salad with the chicken and a few cubes of cheddar and some low cal ranch and that will fill me up and is healthy. Much better than the days I ate cookies or brownies before bed.
My family and I enjoy various nut or trail mixes as bedtime snacks.
I like the bagel pizza idea, I need to try that.