graham crackers with peanut butter and mini chocolate chips on a white tray with back to school designs small clear bowls with gold gold fish and peanut butter and a bottle of milk with a green straw on a white napkin with a red trim edge

Looking for a healthy snack for the kids after school? Ants on a log with graham crackers is a fun recipe that gives kids whole grains, fiber, and protein all in a cute little package they will love. After school, your kids need a break to relax regroup before they start homework.

What is Ants on a Log?

Ants on a log is a name given to a classic snack of fresh celery filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins. In the 50s and 60s, you would see this snack as an appetizer at most dinner parties and picnics. There are so many combinations you can make with this fun snack. Celery is most common and but crackers can also be used. Peanut butter is the basic but cream cheese is also popular.

small clear jar of milk with green Disney shaped straw with cracker and peanut nut butter in the back ground.

Why Make Ants on a Log for an After School Snack?

Making ants on a log for your kids as an after school snack is homemade, healthy, fun, and packed with protein. Depending on what you top your graham cracker with, you can have a quick afterschool snack that has whole grains goodness and healthy protein. You will love how fast they are to make and the kids will love the options on top and the fun name.

Scatter some of the raisins, chocolate chips, or goldfish on the past and tell them that the ants are running away for a good laugh and smiles before homework.

top view of two white trays both with sticker back to school designs of school but, back pack and computer. two small clear bowls one each with mini chocolate chips with a spoon, one
with a mini knife and one with peanut butter with a cow mini knife on a white napkin with red trim. small clear glass bottle of milk with a green Disney straw.

You may also be interested in this post on 15 Easy After School Snacks for Kids. Healthy fun homemade snacks to make for your kids that will love to help with the cooking. Check them all out!

three small clear bowls one each with mini chocolate chips with a spoon, one with cream cheese with a mini knife and one with peanut butter with a cow mini knife on a white napkin with red trim. small clear glass bottle of milk with a green Disney straw. stack of graham crackers in the front

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Making Ants on a Log with Celery or Graham Crackers?

It is tradition to use celery and raisins with making ants on a log for a snack or a party appetizer. But in our home, it has always been graham cracker with peanut butter and mini chocolate chips.

My first memory of ants on a log was camping with my Aunt Lois. She would make celery with cream cheese and raisins. I love them and we had them most days as an afternoon snack to boost energy for hiking or long car rides.

As a child graham crackers were a go too cracker. A whole-grain food and easy to take along and keep fresh. Before cereal was mass produced (and loaded with sugar) my dad would make for me graham crackers in a bowl with milk as an evening snack if we had trouble falling asleep.

My little kids were not fond of the stringiness of celery and did not love raisins so changing up the celery for graham crackers was a natural substitution.

top view of two white trays with graham cracker with peanut butter and mini chocolate chips, club crackers with cream cheese and Disney goldfish. three small clear bowls one each with mini chocolate chips with a spoon, one with cream cheese with a mini knife and one with peanut butter with a cow mini knife on a white napkin with red trim.

Variations of Ants on a Log Recipe

There are so many options for ants on a log. Use your creativity and what your family likes and make cute fun energy pack snacks for after school. Any of the variations will give the kids a boost to start their homework.

Peanut butter on grahm crackers with mini chocolate chips
Peanut butter on grahm crackers with pretzel goldfish
Peanut butter on grahm crackers
Peanut butter on grahm crackers with raisins
Peanut butter on celery with raisins
Peanut butter on celery with pretzel goldfish
Cream cheese on grahm crackers with goldfish
Cream chees on grahm crackers with walnuts (for older kids)
Cream cheese on clelery with raisins
Cream cheese on celery with pretzel goldfish
Guacamole on celery with black beans
hummas on celery with green peppers
Hummas on celery with olives
You can also substitue any nut butter, almond, walnut
You can also add anamil cracker ontop of the peanutbutter or creamcheese

top view of one white trays both with sticker back to school designs of school but, back pack and computer. two small clear bowls one each with mini chocolate chips with a spoon, one
with a mini knife and one with peanut butter with a cow mini knife on a white napkin with red trim. small clear glass bottle of milk with a green Disney straw. package of Disney goldfish in the top right

How to Decorate a Basic White Tray for Back to School

You can take a simple basic white tray or any tray and make it special for back to school. Your Ants on a log snack will be special with a fun DIY serving platter or plate. The tray in this post is decorated with back-to-school vinyl make with a Cricut Cutting Machine. Simple designs out of colorful vinyl get the kids in the back-to-school thinking.

If you use vinyl that is removable/repositionable you can decorate your platter or plate for other seasons.

You can also find cute stickers online or at any discount store to make a fun design for your Ants on a log table snack scape.

When is Natinal Ants on a Log Day?

National Ants on a Log Day is the second day in September. That is the perfect day as school is started and your little one needs a snack. What better way to remember to make ants on a log than a national day.

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