At least £100 pounds.

That’s how much money I reckon I shell out on after school snacks over the course of the school year, and judging by the cries of ‘I’m hungry’ I hear at the school gate at pick up time I’m not alone.

I don’t know about you but I feel like I lay on a constant buffet from the moment they finish school and nursery until the moment they go to bed.

I honestly don’t know where they put it or why they seem to get so hungry: if I don’t arrive at pick up armed with some form of snack in hand I know I’m in trouble, and as soon as we get home chimes of ‘can I have another snack’ and ‘what’s for tea’ start before we even get through the door.

With the middle one starting school this year those chimes are going to double, and I’m keen to start the new school year prepared for the inevitable without resorting to biscuits or unhealthy snacks.

So, with the new school year underway, I’ve come up with 5 healthy and super easy after school snack ideas for under £1.50 each, all using brilliant quality supermarket own label products that won’t break the bank.

5 healthy after school snack ideas for under £1.50

1. Rainbow houmous

You will need:

• Lidl Moroccan style houmous*
• 1/4 red pepper
• 1/4 yellow pepper
• A handful of carrot sticks
• 1 celery stalk
• A handful of blueberries

How to do it:

Cut the red pepper, yellow pepper and celery into sticks
Arrange all the ingredients in a rainbow pattern on a plate (this will test how well you know the colours of the rainbow!)
Pop a dollop of houmous at the bottom
Et voila!

Total cost: £1.32

2. Heart shaped chicken & mango flatbread

You will need:

• Aldi chicken & mango flatbread*
• Star and heart shaped cookie cutters (although any shape will do!)
• Cucumber, to serve

How to do it:

Cook the chicken & mango flatbread according to the packet instructions (depending on how much they eat there’ll be some left over for you, or to use another day)
When cool, use your heart shaped cutter to cut the flatbread into hearts
Use your star shaped cutter to create stars out of cucumber slices
Arrange on a plate and serve

Total cost: 95p

3. Owl pitta & dip

You will need:

• 1 Marks & Spencer Mediterranean style pitta* (there are six in the pack so that’s five for another day or some left over for you!)
• Asda pea, spinach & mint dip*
• Cucumber
• A piece of carrot cut into a triangle
• 2 blueberries
• A handful of carrot sticks

How to do it:

Slice ‘arms’ into either side of the pitta bread at angles
Cut the cucumber into two slices
Place the two slices of cucumber on the pitta bread for eyes
Place the two blueberries in the centre of each piece of cucumber to make the pupils
Add the carrot nose
Serve with the dip

Total cost: £1.41

4. Smiley face chicken

You will need:

• Asda Butcher’s Selection mango and coconut chicken mini breast fillets*
• Cucumber
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1 mushroom
• 1 celery stalk
• A piece of carrot cut into a triangle

How to do it:

Cook the chicken, allow it to cool and slice before creating a circle on your plate to form the face
Cut the cucumber into two slices and place in the centre of the plate for the eyes
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place two halves on top of the cucumber slices for pupils, then arrange the rest for the mouth
Cut the celery into sticks for eyebrows
Slice the mushroom for ears
Add the nose
Watch them smile when you present them with their smiley face!

Total cost: £1.06

5. Watermelon & chocolate orange free-from buttons

You will need:

• Asda free-from choc orange buttons*
• A 1-inch slice of watermelon
• Heart and star shaped cookie cutters (again, any shape will do!)

How to do it:

Cut as many heart and star shapes from the watermelon as you think they’ll eat
Arrange on a plate with a sprinkling of the free-from chocolate orange buttons
And you’re done – easy peasy!

Total cost: 87p

Do you find you lay on a constant buffet as soon as school finishes? What are your go-to snack ideas? All advice and tips gratefully received!

*This post was written in paid partnership with The Grocer. All of the products in my list with an asterisk next to them have been accredited with The Grocer’s Great Food and Great Drink labels, meaning they’ve been tried, tested and loved by an independent panel of shoppers from across the UK and given a stamp of approval for their amazing quality and value. Keep your eyes peeled for these logos in stores now because that way, you know items featuring these stamps are going to be delicious and among the best own-brand buys out there.

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