School days are here, and that means the hungries will hit every day after that last bell rings.
Even if a bakery is on the way home, cream horns or doughnuts are obviously not the nutritious answer to tiding youngsters over to the dinner hour. Snacks are supposed to count as a fourth meal and can go a long way toward filling out the day`s nutritional requirements.
Grocery-shopping with snacks in mind is the answer. A package of flour tortillas can be resealed and kept in the refrigerator or freezer for a long time.
A nutritious snack, besides spreading the tortillas with peanut butter and low-sugar fruit jam, is a micro-burrito. Spread each tortilla with canned bean dip and sprinkle with mozzarella or Jack cheese, then roll up and micro- heat.
Popcorn can be made ahead and stored in an airtight canister for crunchy munching that never smears on homework.
The after-school starvation syndrome often involves the sweet tooth. Many children can afford the extra calories, but you also can stuff in some protein or calcium or vitamins along with the sugar.
Most important, try to keep fat levels reasonably low. That means frozen yogurt instead of an ice cream cone, cottage cheese and peaches instead of cheesecake.
Most children might groan if given an apple-or any piece of fruit for that matter. But fresh fruit offered along with a controlled amount of some sweet treat is better than a candy bar alone.
Bran muffins can be made ahead and stowed in the freezer, or an easy banana-gingerbread loaf can be sliced, individually wrapped and then frozen for doling out as needed. The muffins go great with apples or bananas; the ginger loaf is delicious with nectarines or peaches, pineapple, cantaloupe or plums.
Watermelon, too, shouldn`t be overlooked as an after-school snack. Wedges can be wrapped and kept frozen.
Cookies are certainly time-consuming, so an easy substitute is micro-cereal bars. Add some peanuts for kid-appeal and extra protein.
For older youngsters who would enjoy stirring up their own treat, consider this easy rice pudding, made from start to finish on the range-top.
MICRO-PEANUT BARS
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: About 2 minutes
Yield: 20 squares
1/2 package (14-ounce size) caramels
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
4 cups crisp rice-puff cereal
1. Unwrap caramels and put in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Add water. Microwave on high 1 minute. Stir and microwave until smooth, about 30 seconds longer. Stir in peanuts.
2. Pour over cereal in a large bowl and stir. Press into a buttered 9-inch pan. Cool; cut into squares.
EASY RICE PUDDING
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1 cup uncooked rice (regular, not converted or instant)
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Peel of an orange
3 cups milk
1 large stick of cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons rum or 1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Combine rice, water and salt in 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Heat to boil;
stir once or twice. Put orange peel on top of rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard orange peel.
2. Meanwhile, heat milk and cinnamon in small saucepan. Strain milk and stir into cooked rice. Add sugar and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring often. Add raisins and rum or vanilla; simmer 10 minutes. Serve warm. To reheat, add milk to restore the creamy texture.
BANANA-GINGERBREAD LOAF
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Yield: One loaf
Good spread with whipped cream cheese mixed with crushed pineapple.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose baking mix
1/2 cup each: sugar, chopped nuts
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup mashed banana, about 2 large
1/4 cup each: vegetable oil, molasses
3 large eggs
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Mix baking mix, sugar, nuts, ginger and cinnamon in medium bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl. Stir into sugar mixture until moistened; beat vigorously 40 strokes, scraping bowl once.
2. Pour into pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen loaf from pan and invert. Serve warm or cool.
