This week, I’ll be writing a series of three “Kid Favorites” posts with ideas for foods your kids will love. This is the first in the series, about snacks your kids will dive into after school.

Is it snack time? When kids hop off the bus at the end of a long day, they need a little something to revive them so that they can keep going for the rest of the day. And hey, there is nothing wrong with a small snack.

When I was a little girl, I would get off the school bus at my grandparent’s house and head inside for my afternoon snack. It was a glorious thing. I’d sit on a stool at the coffee table, eating cheesy crackers or snack cake with a soft drink. After a long day of school, it was positively relaxing.

That’s why my kids get a very similar setup for their after-school snack. I’ve traded the soft drink for water or homemade iced tea, but the premise is the same and they love it.

As for the snack itself, I love surprising them with something special.

My kids are avocado-obsessed, so anything made with avocados is a huge hit. Heck, avocados alone are a hit … And I can’t blame them. I love them too. The kids adore my Tomatillo Guacamole, a fabulous and easy guacamole made with tomatillo, avocado, lime juice and jalapeno. It’s tangy, but with that lovely creaminess from the avocados. Delish.

It’s so easy that you can whip it up in five minutes at 2 p.m. and have it ready for when the kids come home. Serve it with tortilla chips or sliced up veggies.

Of course, sometimes something sweet is what everyone wants. In that case, Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Hint of Oats is perfect. These hearty cookies are mouthwateringly good — and they can even be transformed into ice cream sandwiches or stuck into sundaes (you know, if it’s really a big treat day). Maybe it’s June Cleaver-ish of me, but the idea of pulling freshly baked cookies from the oven as my son walks in the door from school really appeals to me.

But sweet doesn’t have to mean cookies and cake. My kids adore smoothies like my Banana Pineapple Smoothies. Filled with delicious fruit, this cool smoothie takes just minutes to whip up.

A few more ideas?

• Cubed fruit and cheese plate with a fancy toothpick for stabbing
• Apple wedges with peanut butter or honey
• Toast spread with a little peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut spread
• Yogurt with a sprinkling of chocolate chips, granola or something of the like

Watch for two more posts in my “Kid Favorites” blog series on Tablespoon!

Sarah W. Caron (aka scaron) is a food writer, editor and blogger who writes about family-friendly foods and raising a healthy family at Sarah’s Cucina Bella.