DIY Snacks for Teens

Do you have a hungry teen in your household?  One who wants to eat it out of house and home?   Well, these DIY snacks for teens might be just what you need. Cookies, squares, and cakes oh my!   What kind of goodies will delight your teens eye? 

Cookies and other finger snacks

My son’s favourite cookies are chocolate chip and given any encouragement will take 1/2 hour to make up a batch.  If he’s doing them on the weekend he’ll make a double batch.  Unless his mother, once he finds a recipe he likes, he doesn’t vary from it.  It’s a “waste of time” to look for something else when he likes the ones he’s making.  🙂 

But seriously, it doesn’t matter if you like cinnamon lemon cookies, Peanut butter cookies, no bake cookies or whatever.  Let your teens develop their skills and make whatever cookies that you have the ingredients for.  If they want to experiment or use the tried and true… does it really matter?  They are serving the household as they make cookies for everyone to enjoy. 

Into this mix we’ll throw in homemade bits and bites. lemon or fruit bars, muffins, and the like.  Anything that you can simply grab and go.  No dishes needed!  🙂 

I always have naan bread in the house for the times when my lad wants a snack that at bit more substantial.  We always have red sauce readily available, the lad knows how to punch it up add oregano and basil if he wants, and mozzerella is a staple.  Topping it with whatever he wants (I’ve successfully taught him to be creative with pizza).  Start to finish, takes him about 20 minutes to pull together a quick pizza.  Homemade is better than store-bought pizza pockets don’t you think? 

Cakes and Pies

Since I work at the food bank and we aren’t allowed to give away expired food products, what doesn’t get sent off to the pig farmer I’m happy enough to take home.  The lad makes up box cake frequently and is learning how very easy it is to make a cake from scratch.  Box cakes are quicker to do for sure! If he makes it himself he gets to add icing to it, if I make it… generally, no icing as I’d rather not have it.  It does mean he gets cake more often and gets to eat most of it as I’m not a cake person … even more so if he puts icing on it.   So homemade or box cake, it’s a total win for teen!  

My son has learned the joy of making pie.  He likes pies because they’ll last a couple of days.  Apple, rhubarb, cherry or pumpkin.  He has so many options and a mom who’ll lend a hand if he needs it.  He hasn’t worked up to fancy yet, but with a store-bought pie shell… anything is possible.  He frequently makes pudding pies as well.  

Have your teens learned the wonder of making pies?  Of balancing the sweet and tart flavours?  Creating interesting designs in the crust? 

Hot Sandwiches

Another quick go to snack is a hot sandwich.  Here is grilled cheese, but manwich, sliced meat, pizza buns, tuna melts, and more.  The ingredients are easy to find in the fridge and to turn into a five minute snack made.   More filling for a bottomless stomach and growing lads.  Learning how to make a quick hot sandwich helps teens to not go for the sweet all the time. 

Cold Plate

A cold plate which is simply cheese, crackers, deli meat and/or fruit takes a bit longer to put together and is NOT a go-to for my lad, but if he sees me putting one together he’ll often join in and make he own.  His is heavier on the cheese and lighter on the crackers to be sure, but a satisfying snack to be sure.   He’s also more inclined to throw chips on his plate instead of crackers. 

DIY Snacks for Teens Teach Skills

DIY Snacks for Teens give your teens needed skills. 

• Using your parent’s goods when you are developing your cooking skills gives you confidence that if you mess up you haven’t blown your budget. 
• Seeing how long different snacks hold them over til suppertime helps your teens develop more awareness of the food they eat.  The balance of protein against carbohydrates helps them to make better decisions.   My son has learned he can eat 15 cookies… or he can eat half a pizza.  The one leaves him feeling satisfied longer, the other just leaves him wanting more.  🙂 
• Cooking his own snacks forces him to reinforce his math skills, encourages him to pay attention when cooking or using sharp implements, and how to formulate questions well when confused over a recipe’s instructions.  
• Shopping at home vs shopping at the store.  My lad knows that if I don’t have something he needs for a recipe he has two choices… find a recipe using what we have at home, or go out and buy what you need.  If I can fit it into the budget it’s my expense, if not… it’s his.  He’s learning it’s usually the better option to shop at home.   It’s also more efficient if he doesn’t have to go out and get something we don’t have. 
• Teaches fiscal responsibility. 
• Reduces the burden on parents as teens learn how much time it takes to put smaller meals together.