School & Community News

With students around the Philadelphia region preparing to head back to the classroom in the next few weeks, after-school snacks will soon be in high demand. Cookies or chips may seem like a fun option in the moment, but are not the healthiest choice a young student journalist can make. 

Healthy Snacks and Quick Bites: A Recipe Book for Kids to the rescue! Created in 2019 by Healthy NewsWorks and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the digital cookbook has more than a dozen kid-tested and kid-approved healthy snack recipes. 

Check out three favorites:

SALSA-MOLÉ OLÉ!

What You’ll Need

• 2½ cups chopped tomato
• ½ cup red onions, chopped
• ½ avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and chopped; be careful! These peppers are spicy hot. The seeds hold most of the heat, so cut the pepper lengthwise and scoop out the core and seeds with a spoon. Try not to touch your face. Wear gloves or wash your hands after you chop.
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste
• baked tortilla chips or baguette, toasted

Let’s Cook!

1. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl. 

2. Refrigerate until ready.

3. Serve with baked tortilla chips or toasted baguette.

Serves 4

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MIX-AND-MATCH SNACK ATTACK

What You’ll Need

Make your own snack by mixing together five ingredients from the list below. For the best-tasting snack, pick ingredients from all three groups.

Fruits

• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup dried cranberries 
• ½ cup dried apricots

Grains

• 1 cup mini pretzel sticks or squares
• 1 cup low-fat popcorn
• 1 cup kettle popcorn
• ½ cup toasted O’s cereal (like Cheerios®)
• ½ cup wheat, corn or rice cereal (like Chex®)

Protein

• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup peanuts or soy nuts

SAMPLE SNACK ATTACK

What You’ll Need

• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup toasted O’s cereal (like Cheerios®) 
• 1 cup low-fat popcorn
• 1 cup mini pretzel sticks or squares
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds

Let’s Cook!

Mix five ingredients together in a resealable bag or a container.

Serves 4

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CREAMY FRUITY SMOOTHIE

What You’ll Need

• ½ cup diced fruit (strawberries, peaches, bananas, pineapples or mangos) 
• ½ cup low-fat yogurt
• ½ cup low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 4 ice cubes

Let’s Cook!

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Serves 1

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The book stemmed from a community grant Healthy NewsWorks received from CHOP. Read the full recipe book here.