Ants on a Log

by Shelley and Gretchen · May contain affiliate links

Published • Updated July 31, 2021

~ Remember the classic snack “Ants on a Log”? Now it’s better than ever with a whole new twist! Waaaaay beyond celery and peanut butter! So quick, so healthy (and so much fun … get creative)! ~

This Recipe Is:     Ready in 30 Minutes or Less    Vegetarian  •  Gluten Free Options  •

Ants on a Log Recipe

School’s only been back in for a few weeks, but are you already kinda feeling like you’re in a rut when it comes to the all-important after-school snack?

Do your kids come home ravenous? (Just what are they doing at school that makes them soooo hungry??)

We can’t speak for everyone, but our experience has been that the success of homework and after-school activities strongly depends on if our kiddos get a snack. More importantly, it depends on what that snack is.

Ants on a Log Recipe

Sure – the pantry could be filled with those “convenience” foods. But when your kids crash from too much sugar or overly processed carbs, is that really convenient? We don’t think so, either.

Ants on a Log Recipe

So you might be thinking, “Hmmm, what would a good snack be??” We’re not going to let you down! We love our THKers too much!

Ants on a Log Recipe

We’ve got Ants on a Log … Version 2.0! It’s improved. It’s better than ever. It’s much more scrumptious than the ol’ celery with peanut butter and raisins. Not that there’s anything wrong with the classic – we’ve just jazzed it up a bit!

Ants on a Log Recipe

Our most favorite part … you can use what you’ve got on hand! (But get creative!)

No, the peanut butter doesn’t always have to go on celery. Try it with carrots. (Really! Shelley loves pb with carrots and dried cranberries!) How about peaches with cream cheese and a sprinkling of blueberries and almonds? (Gretchen’s favorite! Try it – it’s awesome!) Fill up that celery trench with cottage cheese and roasted sunflower seeds! Or slather bananas with peanut butter and press in some coconut and a few mini chocolate chips – seriously, so good!

Maybe you’ve got leftovers from making some No-Bake Fruit Pizzas or cute and easy Fruit Skewers (hint hint – two more awesome after-school snack ideas!). Or maybe you filled up your basket at the store with all of the best in-season fruits and veggies.

Ants on a Log Recipe
Only a child could come up with this masterpiece! Peach Stegosaurus, anyone?

Makes no difference – just mix it up! Our kids had a total blast inventing all kinds of fun combinations – but they had WAY more fun eating after our photo shoot was done! In fact, our little helpers really filled up on sweet fruits, crunchy vegetables, and loads of protein from nuts, seeds, cottage cheese, peanut butter, cream cheese and our favorite Greek yogurt Fruit Dip.

We didn’t hear, “Can we have a snack?” or “I’m hungry!” for hours. Hours, people.

These aren’t just perfect for after school. This would make a fun activity and snack for a preschool play group. Or a do-it-yourself appetizer spread for a family dinner or even a casual party. We love options …

And we love super-healthy ideas that keep ’em full and satisfied!

Ants on a Log 2.0

Ants on a Log 2.0

Yield: varies
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Remember the classic snack "Ants on a Log"? Now it's better than ever, with a whole new twist!

•  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Vegetarian  • Gluten Free Options •

Ingredients

FRESH FRUITS FOR "LOGS":

  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Peaches or nectarines

FRESH VEGETABLES FOR "LOGS":

  • Carrots
  • Celery

SPREADS:

NUT AND SEED TOPPINGS:

  • Almond slivers or slices
  • Chia seeds
  • Flax meal
  • Roasted sunflower seeds

FRUIT TOPPINGS:

  • Blueberries
  • Grapes
  • Dried, chopped dates
  • Dried cranberries
  • Dried pineapple
  • Raisins

EXTRA TOPPINGS:

  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Granola

Instructions

  1. Choose any of the fresh fruits and vegetables you'd like. Rinse the fresh fruits and veggies and then cut them into "log" shapes and lengths.
  2. Slather your fruit and veggie "logs" with spreads of your choice.
  3. Sprinkle desired toppings onto your "logs," pressing them into the spreads, if needed, to help them stick.

Did You Make This Recipe?

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37 thoughts on “Ants on a Log”

  1. I love this post! This is such a creative and healthy snack! I’d have to say that one of my favorite snacks has always been apple slices with peanut butter! Wonderful blog!

    Reply
    • Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Caroline!
      Mmmmm – I often eat peanut butter with apple slices for lunch! It’s a favorite at my house for sure! But Shelley and I also loved trying a whole bunch of really fun new twists – everything was great!! ~Gretchen

      Reply
  2. I love this! When I was a kid I never really had ants on a log. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I had one for the first time. they are delicious and a nice and nutritious snack. I never tried carrots and peanut butter…but I’m willing to give it a try. PB makes everything better! these would be good snacks for adults too! haha

    Reply

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