Need Hearty After School Snack Ideas, Are Ramen Noodles Bad for You?

My kids love smoothies so I've started making them for them every morning before I leave for work. I buy the big containers of fat free vanilla yogurt, then whatever kinds of fresh fruits look good that week & a jar of wheat germ (found in the cereal aisle). At night before I go to bed I'll clean & cut up fruit, toss it in a gladware plastic container & into the freezer it goes. In the morning I dump a cup of the yogurt, a few tablespoons of wheat germ & a ton of the frozen fruit into my Oster Fusion blender which has a 'frozen drink' button on it. I usually add a few splashes of 1% milk or Almond Breeze if I have it on hand in & whir it away. The wheat germ bulks it up a little bit & adds fiber & a nice, nutty flavor. We usually use pineapple, banana, strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, or any combination thereof.

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Yes, they're terrible.

While the sodium and saturated fat is ridiculously high, there is little to no nutritional value. The noodles are simple carbs that rush sugar into the bloodstream that, if not used immediately, are stored as fat, leaving them hungry in time for dinner to pile on more calories. It isn't that they haven't spoiled their dinner appetite; the simple sugars did nothing to sustain their energy and the brain is telling them they need to eat again.

Don't want them to eat it? Don't buy it and keep the other foods you mention on hand and prepare hearty comfort food like PBJ, ground turkey wraps, yogurt and healthy granola, apple slices and cheese sticks, etc.

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I know Ramen noodles are fast and cheap, but they have NO nutritional value. Did you know a serving size is half the package? Personally that half package is not enough to fill me or my kids up. There is a lot of salt and calories per serving.

I do like Denise's idea of homemade soup. Make it on the weekend and freeze individual containers in the freezer that can be reheated in the microwave. Protein is filling. You could serve bananas or apples with peanut butter and some Triscuits or other high-fiber cracker. Or some tortillas with turkey, tomatoes, spinach and cheese. Hummus is filling, serve it with pita bread or veggies. How about some air-popped popcorn along with fruit? Maybe you can make a list of snack choices and keep it on the fridge so they know what is available.

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I don't even bring those noodles into my house. Far too much salt for us. For my kids I find they are more likely to eat what is out in front of their faces. So I am inclined to put the fruit and veggie platter on a tray for their consumption. For something more hearty, Left overs from the night before are always a big hit. I just let them know what they can and can not have in advance. This way they are not eating tonight's dinner before dinnertime.

My boys will also make eggs for a snack. They do omlets, scrambled, fried, or some kind of sandwhich out of them.

I keep tortillas on hand and let them make all kinds of things like wraps, or pressed sandwhiches with cheese. Variety is key. So I mix it up. Lean Cuisines are great but it takes two of them to satisfy me let alone the boys so when they go and super sale I stock up and feast.

Soups, chilli's, sloppy joes, are all excellent but can put on the pounds if done wrong. Give them some different options but I love your concern and looking out for their health. FYI the high sodium my also negatively impact the level of PMS in the girls so beware the salt and the sugar intake.

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Just a heads up- there are 2 servings in a pack of ramen. Double your numbers. (scary, right??)

PB&J is good- just get whole grain bread- make sure no high fructose corn syrup- and sugar is at least #5 or further on the ingredient list. Turkey and cheese sandwich.

Peanut butter and celery is a good choice
carrots and ranch
smoothie (frozen fruits and some juice)

good luck =D

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cosco has some easy to make soba noodles (with veggies) in individual packages (freezer section). They are so yummy---- your kids will probably even like them better!
good luck :)

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I am not an advocate of daily Ramen noodles, but every now and again is ok, imo. My husband lived off of them in college and seems to be fine, but only time will tell =)

Also, what are your girls eating the rest of the day? If they have a whole grain lunch with a fruit and veggie, no soda, little refined foods and little sugar, then allow Ramen more often. If they have a diet that consists of high sodium items (ie most school lunches), then I would consider moving toward eliminating the Ramen. Moderation and balance are key.

For some reason, Ramen noodles are a great comfort food! So, I know what your girls are saying. I would say allow the Ramen a few days a week. On others, try the following:

- double noodle lipton soup - yummy and just as comforting
- tortellini soup - my husband's fav comfort food - and easy to make - get some chicken or beef broth (We use homemade, so much better) and add to the cooked tortellinis - simmer, add seasoning, add a little nutmeg - yum!
- sting cheese, crackers and cheese, yogurt, almonds
- bagel bites
- fruit trays with yummy dip for the fruit - they sell these prepackaged at wal mart, but make your own for less $ - my kids love the change up of different kids of fruit and the inclusion of a dip - really gives a whole new look to that same old apple
- smoothies - my kids love these and beg for them - I add spinach, avocado, whatever frozen fruit I have and some OJ
- cookies (homemade oatmeal raisin or a healthy alternative)
- banana bread with walnuts

On the Ramen days, just make sure your girls drink tons of water to counteract the effects of the sodium. And maybe make it a rule that Ramen days are no soda or dessert days, or that the Ramen must be accompanied by a veggie, or something along those lines.

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Crackers with hummus

Whole wheat English muffin pizzas (put some sauce on top, throw a little mozzerella cheese, broil a few minutes and done). Each eat one half and it shouldn't spoil dinner.

Whole wheat tortilla with some veggies inside, little bit of cheese and fold over, cook in a pan until browned on the outside. Could also do this with a slice or two of lean lunch meat inside if veggies aren't preferred.

A lot of good suggestions below...If they want more comfort food there are a lot of chicken sausages that they could just warm up out there now. That would probably be a healthier option and they wont get a carb crash from them. Turkey little smokies...or if they want carbs maybe some brown rice. They have easy heat in the microwave packs now.

My kids also love ramen noodles - they are packed with sodium and MSG - which I'm sesitive to and I think my kids are as well - they get mysterious headaches within 24 hours. They are about as healthy as potato chips. They'd be better off heating up some leftover pasta or canned lower sodium soup - although not much better a choice. Fruit is best - but not always teh thing they want. Fatty & salty seems to be their desire... how about veggies with a ranch dressing dip? At least they'll get some veggies along with their fat & salt...

What about a bowl of home made soup?

These are some of my fav snacks:
Crackers with cottage cheese on top.
Toast with melted cheddar cheese (broil in oven for 30 seconds). Then top with avocado and tomoto
Yogurt with granola
carrots and hummus
Bowls of mixed cut up fruit - mix in vanilla yogurt.

I just ready Jaime B's response. Thats scary, I had no idea there were 2 servings to a package. That is rediculous! That makes for an extreme amount of sodium. What about the cup o noodles? I'd compare and see which has less sodium. That would be my only worry. What about cans of soup? some are low sodium and taste the same. they are 2 servings to a can too but add them together and they are less than the ramen.

I think a package or two a week isn't a big deal but if they are eating thm daily it could be an unhealthy amount of sodium every day. Everything has sodium so if you add the rest of the daily intake plus ramen would be a lot.

I am a huge fan of the Michelinas (sp) frozen food- there are a bunch of different kinds that kids will actually eat and they are usually really cheap. I buy the pizza pockets, and the chicken nuggets, or the pasta dinners. They are not big enough to interfere with dinner in a few hours but just enough to tide them over.

My boys will go for Ramen Noodles they are really not healthy we usually add a lot of stuff to them- meat or veggies

Way too starchy and calorie-rich for a snack, not to mention the incredibly high sodium. Occasionally is fine, but I would do whole grains/fruits for a snack.

Ramen has sooo much MSG... anything packaged isn't great for you ;) Fruits and veggies are the way to go, or peanut butter on anything for a protein boost. Fig newtons are a favorite at our house. Or you could get the 100 calorie snack packs... I think 'brain food' is important before homework and dinner, but ramen isn't one of them ;)

Yes Ramen Noodles are bad for you... there is no nutritional value to them at all... but we still have them at my house sometimes.
I think that maybe you could teach them how to make something healthier. Smoothies, maybe heat something up in the oven, have something somewhat prepared for them in advance... Even a low fat cheese and whole wheat crackers is better and to me much more filling. I would look into having something else available, but that is just me...

Also just a side note-the percentage daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and young girls should probably eat a little more than (2,200-2,400) that in a day, so it would actually be a bit lower for them. AND much higher for us more mature women who should really only have about 1,600-1,800 calories per day.

I love Ramen, it is a comfort food. But by itself it is not healthy, balanced or hearty. It is refined carbs and MSG and sodium. But if you add the following it makes it even yummier, heartier, and adds some nutritional value: chopped/precooked chicken, julienned carrots, finely chopped kale, or other chopped vegies (mushrooms, celery, green onions as examples). Add the vegies and chicken about a minute into the cooking. Also add just 1/2 packet of the seasoning because the things being added add flavor of there own.

-Progresso chicken noodle soup
-smoothies
-look up crock pot meals. for ex. i found a tamale pie recipe that cooks in 5 hours in the crock pot. turn crock pot on in a.m. and girls can turn off and serve after school.

many brands of ramen noodle flavor packets also have msg. http://articles.cnn.com/2000-02-23/health/instant.noodle....

I LOVE ramen noodles. They however do have a high salt content, but I only use about 1/4 of the included packet. Since I do this I like to think that they aren't really that bad for me. :)

have soup ready for them when they get back. make it during the weekend, freeze some, put some in fridge.

Ramen noodles are not good for you, that's for sure. How about cooking some plain pasta instead, and keeping it in the fridge? They can just warm it up when they get home (maybe with some shredded cheese on top, or some pasta sauce).
Homemade soup would be delicious and nutritious.
Another alternative would be yogurt, but they are usually loaded with sugar. Instead, you can buy plain and add some fruit and honey in it.
They could also make smoothies.

I also keep good food on hand and all my teen does is complain that 'we have nothing to eat'. Whatever! But I do keep ramen noodles in the house because I LOVE them! They are cheap, good and if I don't feel like cooking, that's what I'm eating! I justmake sure we eat good all the other times ;) But my daughter will also comes home and snack on them right out of the package. And if we have 'nothing to eat', she will go eat at a friends house...brat!

LOL YES they're bad for you! Smoothies & previously prepared fruit/veggie trays are wonderful :)

Sodium is my biggest concern...While it might be a filling snack initially it is a carb. Look at making home made soup with few noodles lots of veggies, low sodium and yep a little protein if that want soup. Otherwise, push the healthy snacks!

Oh heck yeah those are a bad idea! They always say, and from what i've seen it's true, that they are responsible for the freshmen 15. Not to mention it just teach's your girls bad eating habit and in this culture with our obesity percentage I don't think we need to teach them how to do it even easier.

Stick to protein, fiber and carbs (whole grain ones)... that is what is hearty and keeps you full. Not to mention that will encourage good eating habits when the child is older.

Homemade pizza is one I don't see on here. Pizza is better for you than you'd think. You can make a whole grain crust or a thin crust, tomato sauce is a serving of veggies, put your choice of meat on it for protein if your children eat meat, add veggies for even more veggie servings and cheese for even more protein. You can make it Sunday night and freeze it or even just put it in the fridge all the have to do is mic it for a few mins and it's a far better snack and full of nutrition.