Believe it or not, using your brain requires nutrients. So, it’s no surprise that at the end of the day you’re ready some re-fueling. Considering the hours of homework that lie ahead and dinner to come later, a quick, healthy, after-school snack is the best energy booster.

The following are what we call “HEY” snacks: Healthy, Easy and Yummy. We bet you’ll like them so much that you’ll be wondering, “HEY, why didn’t I think of this!?”

As a bit of a heads up, some snacks, like the ice pops may require a little advance planning or some waiting. But try them once and you’ll realize they are worth the trouble. Chow! (Oops!) Ciao!
Yogurt Fruit POPS
Ingredients:
1 8-ounce container non-fat lemon yogurt
2 cups cubed, seedless watermelon
1 basket fresh strawberries, without tops
1 medium banana, peeled and sliced
8 7-ounce paper cups
8 plastic spoons
Place yogurt and fruit in a blender container. Cover tightly. Blend until smooth. Pour into paper cups. Freeze until thick and slushy, about 1 hour. Insert one spoon, handle up, into each cup of frozen fruit mixture. Return to freezer and freeze until solid, at least 2 more hours.
To serve, remove from freezer and let sit for about 10 minutes. Peel paper cup off each treat and eat, holding the spoon as a handle.

CHEESY Quesadillas
Ingredients:
Pat of butter
Flour tortillas
¼ cup grated cheese
chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers
In a frying pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Set the tortilla in the pan and sprinkle half of it with cheese. Fold the other half over to form a half circle. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the tortilla browns.
With a spatula, flip the tortilla over and cook the other side for 2 more minutes. That’s it! Que bueno!
Note: There is the microwave version of this, just don’t expect the tortillas to brown! Just fill your tortilla with the ingredients, fold it in half and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. If you don’t have toothpicks to hold it close, put a saucer over it.

“I can´t believe I like Veggies” dip

Ingredients:
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
Dry ranch dressing mix
Your favorite vegetables such as carrot sticks, broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, or celery.
Season the yogurt with the dressing mix or dry herbs. Add just enough for it to taste great. Then, walk by your mom, dip your veggies and crunch. She’ll be so proud!

Fruit KABOBS
Ingredients:
FRUIT
1 medium red or green apple
1 medium red or green pear
2 medium bananas
PEANUT BUTTER DIPPING SAUCE
½ cup smooth peanut butter
¼ cup plain low fat yogurt
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons flaked coconut
2 tablespoons honey
Scrape the peanut butter and yogurt into a mixing bowl.
Add the water, coconut and honey. Stir the mixture until it is well mixed. Cut fruit into bite-sized pieces and put on skewers. If you don’t happen to have any skewers lying around, stick individual pieces of fruit onto toothpicks. Then get to dipping!