How To Work Up An Appetite

Kids eat constantly. Except when they're sitting in class working math problems or reading the latest Harry Potter book or playing tetherball or practicing the clarinet, that is. These days, most of them are much too busy with school activities - and entering to-do lists, Little League games, and ballet class schedules into their Palm Pilots - even to eat lunch. So when the end-of-the-school-day bell rings, that's the signal to race home for an after-school snack.

If they don't get sidetracked along the way. I remember being tempted to visit the candy aisle at the corner drugstore as I walked home from elementary school every afternoon. Sometimes I succumbed. Other times, as a special treat, my mom would take me to our favorite neighborhood restaurant for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up just for the two of us. Like Jack Sprat and Mrs. Sprat, we shared a piece of fresh apple pie . My mom ate the apple filling; I devoured the crust. She savored a cup of black coffee; I downed the rich cream served in a tiny jug alongside.

But most often my brothers, my sister and I would dine in. Depending on availability, we would snack on pieces of apple, jack cheese, carrot sticks or, if we really hit the jackpot, a plate of warm cookies and a pitcher of ice-cold milk. Once in a while my sister and I even got to bake cookies ourselves, a proud family tradition that endures today.

Our parents understood that snacking didn't spoil our appetites. Rather, it lifted our spirits and fueled us for a busy afternoon of homework, riding our bikes until dark, watching TV - and asking Mom what was for dinner and when it would be ready. Because we were hungry again.

Our parents understood that snacking didn't spoil our appetites. Rather, it lifted our spirits and fueled us for a busy afternoon of homework, riding our bikes until dark, watching TV - and asking Mom what was for dinner and when it would be ready. Because we were hungry again.

Give Me Something Good To Eat

It's a competitive world out there. Even for eight-year-olds. So we all need some pampering - and a bit of fun - after a grueling day at school (or work). Maybe the craving is for comfort food: A homemade corn dog served with a tiny dish of ketchup for dipping (or finger-painting), soft pretzels still warm from the oven, a cup of chicken noodle soup, or a plateful of crisp mozzarella sticks can banish any school-related stress.

Then there are the sweet rewards for a job well done. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter and jelly bars, jumbo chocolate cookies studded with peanut butter morsels and chocolate chips. Eating one or two can't possibly ruin anyone's appetite for dinner. Just ask my mom and dad.

Kids want delicious, satisfying snacks, but you can sneak in some nutrients at the same time. After all, oatmeal and peanut butter are primary ingredients in cookies, and a mug of creamy hot chocolate would literally be dust without milk. Fresh fruit lurks within a luscious berry or banana smoothie, or a decadent-tasting strawberry shake made with plenty of calcium-rich milk and ice cream.

Participation breeds intrigue. Teach kids to help make their own snacks and they will be more enthusiastic about consuming them. Few kids will turn down a job offer if the job is head cookie assistant, and one of the job responsibilities is licking the beaters. After-school baking sessions might even become a proud family tradition.