Ants on a log for kids

These ants on a log snack is a fun snack to get your kids involved in the kitchen and get a nutrient dense meal. 

The is an iconic snack for kids and toddlers traditionally made with celery and peanut butter and raisins. 

You would take celery stalks, cut them, spread a thick layer of creamy peanut butter on them and then add some raisins. 

This turns out to be a super healthy snack, packed with fiber, pottasium and calcium from celery, protein-rich peanut butter and fiber and iron from raisins. 

Raisins are high in sugar (as most dried fruit) though.

How to make ants on a log snack? 

This is such an easy and great recipe where you can get your kids to help you make it. 

Cutting celery and spreading peanut butter on it helps them with their gross motor skills, placing and counting raising teaches them simple math and spatial awareness. 

To make the traditional ants on a log snack follow these steps: 

1. Remove the celery sticks from the celery stem. 
2. Wash and scrub the sticks from any ground.
3. Cut them into finger lengths
4. Spread peanut butter on the dented part of the celery stick. 
5. Add raisins so it looks like the ants are on a log

Tip: Oily peanut butter wont work. If using natural peanut butter (so 100% peanut butter) then the bottom of the jar will usually have the thickest part of the peanut butter which will stick perfectly for this healthy snack recipe. 

Variations for ants and logs

There are other fun ways to create variations of this healthy and delicious snack. 

Log ideas:

• Cucumbers (slice in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds) 
• Zucchini (slice in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds) 
• Carrot sticks (slice in half lengthways) - this is for bigger kids as raw carrots are a choking  hazard 
• Pepper (quartered) 
• Banana (halved and then sliced in half lengthways) 
• Romaine lettuce - for ants on a leaf

Alternatives to peanut butter: 

• Almond butter
• Hazelnut butter 
• Cashew butter
• Seed butters (sunflower butter, tahini, pumpkin seed butter) 
• Healthy Nutella 
• Cottage cheese 
• Cream cheese 
• Hummus 

Alternatives for raisins:

• blueberries
• grapes
• raspberries
• cranberries
• goji berries 
• cherry tomatoes 
• sunflower seeds
• pumpkin seeds
• nuts for kids over 3 - cashews, peanuts, pistachios 
• hemp seeds
• coconut flakes 
• chocolate chips
• pretzel pieces
• use animal crackers so it looks like an "elephant on the log" or "monkey on the log" 

Tip: depending on the ingredients you have chosen to use make sure they are cut age appropriately to avoid any choking hazards. If you have younger children and are worried about choking see Healthy baby snacks or Healthy snack ideas for toddlers.

Elevated easy snack - Caterpillars and Snails

If you want to take the classic snack to the next level and get the kids to have even more fun, create these amazing and delicious looking fruit and vegetable caterpillars and snails.  

​To make the caterpillars: 

1. Wash, scrub and cut the celery stalks into a length of an adult finger. 
2. Spread peanut butter, any other nut butters, cottage cheese or cream cheese or any other spread you like. 
3. Make the head from grapes or cherry tomatoes and for the body line up some blueberries, raspberries, grapes or cherry tomatoes. 
4. Use the spread to glue some candy eyes on the head or use some chocolate chips to glue the eyes. 

To make the snails:

1. Wash, scrub and cut the celery stalks into a length of an adult finger.  
2. Wash and cut the middle of a round fruit or vegetable, like apple, kiwi, orange, cucumber, zucchini. 
3. ​Spread peanut butter or another nut butter on the celery stick and place the fruit or vegetable slice on top vertically. 
4. Make the head from halved grape or small blueberry and glue some candy eyes using peanut butter or use some chocolate chips to make eyes. 

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