Afternoons are a busy time for most families — you just got home from work, the kids are back from school, homework needs to be done, errands need to be run — whatever bustle your afternoon holds, pre-dinner hunger pangs can slow you and your crew down big-time. So we put together some of our go-to snacks to help keep your energy high until dinnertime, without loading up on sugary snacks or squandering your appetite.
Naan Indian Flatbread With a Crunchy Vegetable Salad Topping
We could sing odes about naan. It’s more satisfying that your standard flatbread, but its airy texture won’t weigh you down, either. Buying pre-shredded carrots and cabbage will save you even more time, and goes to show that eating healthy really can be quick and easy.
Spicy Ranch Roasted Chickpeas
There’s a lot going for this one. It’s healthy, delicious, inexpensive and surprisingly simple. Just drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans, toss it with some olive oil and our Spicy Ranch® seasoning mix, bake for 15 minutes, and you’re done. Tip: if you have any leftover, these chickpeas make a great salad topper.
Italian Bagel-Wich
Mini bagels are a great way to control portion size before dinner. Pile on the ingredients, pop it in the toaster oven, and you have a warm snack in minutes.
Spicy Ranch Tostadas
Tostada shells are also a great option for portion control. Whereas you might be tempted to open up and bag of tortilla chips and, whoops, half the bag is gone. One (ok, maybe two…) of these and you’re good until dinner.
Ranch Pimento Cheese Celery Logs
What kind of snack list would this be without celery? This pimento spread is great because it has enough flavor for a satisfying snack, it’s cheesy enough for kids (and adults) to enjoy, and can do double-duty as a sandwich spread when it’s time to pack up lunch.
Crispy Snack Sticks
Think of this as an “everything” bagel in snack form. Frozen puff pastry sheets are super quick to cook up, all you have to do is load up on the caraway, sesame and poppy seeds, and snack time is solved.
