After a long day of learning and maybe even a multi-bus commute, children arrive home ready to eat. Since dinner is rarely served immediately after school, to calm the rumbling stomach, clearing the brain for homework time and other pre-dinner evening rituals. Unfortunately, , as well as a lack of general awareness, can deprive some children of snack time, causing inequalities among households. However, according to nutritionists, the answer to may be as simple as rethinking the entire concept of afterschool meals, addressing insecurities, and promoting community advocacy.
Developing is a great place to start, says Alexis D. Motley, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and the dietetic internship director at Southern University and A&M College.
“When we talk about snacking, most people [tend to think] cookies and Lunchables, [but] sometimes it could be the food that you had the night before, just whatever you have available, and saying, Hey, you need to eat so many hours between the day,” Motley tells Parents. “Just moving away from the word snacking and saying, let’s see what’s available in our household and making sure that we have a sustainable amount of food.”
Motley, who specializes in food access, says that in her consultations, she never uses the word snack. Instead, she encourages families to buy a variety of foods and explains that can make any meal the perfect after-school size.
“It’s just the amount that we’re eating, so encouraging [families] to eat the food that they have in their house. And it doesn’t have to be a specific snack food, but eating food to sustain them. I’m like, I just need you to eat. What do you have available, and let’s see what you can eat,” Motley says.
When rethinking snacking, Mallory Naquin, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and master gardener, says in the words of her 7-year-old daughter, “don’t be rigid.”
“[When I asked my daughter for advice on this topic], she said, ‘Mom, don’t be rigid,” Naquin tells Parents. “I think what she’s referring to is that it’s about balanced eating. It’s about opening up your pantry, seeing what’s there, and putting things together to make it exciting, to make it fun. It’s also teaching kids that food can be really creative.”
There are some households where food insecurity stretches far beyond not having access to traditional snack items.
“The concern is access [and] availability to [food],” Naquin says. “From a nutrition perspective, we could talk about protein, macronutrients, essential needs, but really, we don’t even have access to food items. So, this is going to be a challenge that we’re facing this school year.”
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 13% of Americans, or about 39 million people, live in neighborhoods facing inadequate food access. According to Feed the Children, the top 10 states with the highest rates of food insecurity are mostly located in the southern United States, including Louisiana, where both Motley and Naquin work.
“[Louisiana is] ranked one of the top three states where people are going hungry,” Motley says. “I always talk about just access, not about healthy food access. That’s honestly, at this point, almost a privilege for some people. Some people don’t even have the basic access because of the food desert and where they’re located, and transportation can be an issue. It’s like a big schematic of all the things that affect our kids being hungry.”
Inflation in groceries and budget cuts to school programs that some parents rely on are also significant components of accessibility concerns.
“We know that from 2020-2024, there’s been an over 25% increase in just grocery costs,” Naquin says. “So, the price, the availability of it, is the biggest challenge alongside the education of the caregiver, the provider of the snack. Budget cuts are going to tremendously affect after-school programs.”
Even where assistance is available, Motley says the required forms are either confusing or too much for busy parents.
“Back to school is very stressful for parents,” Motley says. “You want them to fill out all these things that they have to fill out for school, and then you tell them, ‘Oh, you know you can qualify for SNAP.’ This is another application. It can honestly just be overwhelming for a person. Food is going to be one of the last things because we have all these other things that we deem more important.”
Addressing food insecurity at its roots includes government policies.
“We always focus on school supplies. Let’s talk about snacks as well. And then getting the legislators to understand the importance of this so that we can push policy,” Motley says.
Parent involvement is key to alleviating snack inequality, Motley says, and not just the parents of the children experiencing it, but all parents.
“[As a PTO mom], we encourage parents in each grade to bring snacks and sign up for the snack train, as we call it, so that [all] kids will have snacks,” Motley says. “Food is important. If you want kids to focus, they need to eat.”
Community is vital to the discussion because advocacy is an all-hands-on-deck movement. In areas with food deserts, the more people who request certain foods at convenience stores or advocate for more options, such as farmers’ markets or increased grocery store availability, the better.
“If you’re not finding the items that you want and need [at a store], talk to a manager, and as a community, get other folks to also talk to that manager, so they’re hearing it from more than one person, that the community wants this, we’re going to purchase it so that they can put it in those stores,” Naquin says. “And you, as a community, can work on increasing that access.”
Also, considering what to donate to food pantries is an essential solution.
“Just because you’re eating doesn’t mean everyone’s eating,” Motley says. “It’s important to think about your neighbor. And if you are fortunate enough to donate something to a pantry or to the school, do that – be the change you want to see in your school system and in your community.”
After all, childhood is the most crucial time for development, making food access even more important for young bodies.
“Access to food is going to help [children] to reach their goals academically, so this is really, really critical that we start talking about this with our kids, with our family, and as a community,” Naquin says.
