50 ideas for kid’s snacks in Dakar

We spent the summer in the US and among the many (many!) things that I noticed were different ‘back home’ from life in Dakar was the diversity and ease of snacks for kids. I loved it.

While we don’t have as many single-serving, grab-and-go options here in Senegal, there are some good, healthy treats available – although they may take a bit more planning and effort… and $$.

Here are a few ideas from our kitchen. Please share yours in the comments!

1. Tortilla + peanut butter
2. Tortilla + Laughing Cow cheese
3. Tortilla + hummus
4. Tortilla + shredded Gouda or mozzarella, heated to make a quesadilla
5. English muffin + peanut butter + honey
6. English muffin + Laughing Cow cheese
7. English muffin + Laughing Cow cheese + jam
8. English muffin + salami or ham + cheese
9. Cheese sticks (made by cutting mozzarella from CDA)
10. Wedges of Laughing Cow cheese
11. Babybel cheese
12. Cucumber slices + Laughing Cow cheese
13. Pear slices + Gouda slices
14. Banana + peanut butter
15. Apple slices + peanut butter
16. Carrot sticks + hummus
17. Pita triangles + hummus
18. Dried apricots
19. Dried prunes (may have pits)
20. Dried mango
21. Dried banana chips
22. Dried coconut pieces
23. Raisins
24. Sandwich bread + yogurt (either as a dip or spread on the bread)
25. Hard-boiled egg
26. Popcorn
27. Lait caillé, plain or with chopped fruit stirred in
28. Pretzel sticks
29. Rice cakes
30. Digestive biscuits, plain or with chocolate
31. Grapes (seedless available)
32. Clementines or mandarins
33. Plums
34. Cherry tomatoes
35. Melon slices
36. Tamarind pods (have seeds)
37. Crêpes, plain or with jam
38. Frozen fruit smoothies
39. Frozen yogurt cup + spoon
40. Frozen seedless grapes
41. Frozen pineapple chunks
42. Frozen mango chunks
43. Frozen peas, thawed (I know. But my kids love them.)
44. Slice of salami or ham rolled around cheese
45. Leftover pizza margarita (order an extra just for this reason!)
46. No sugar added applesauce cups (Hypermarché or CityDia)
47. Trail mix: peanuts, raisins, dried coconut pieces, cereal…
48. Veronique’s peanut brittle
49. Granola bars (ingredients easily available)
50. Rolled energy bites (oats, peanut butter, dried coconut, cocoa…) 

Snack tips for DakarZiploc baggies are available at the American Food Store, as a variety of US snacks such as Goldfish, raisin boxes, etc…Marie’s Kitchen makes and delivers THE BEST tortillas and English muffins. She can also make whole wheat banana bread or apple bread. Veronique’s peanut butter and brittle are amazing. And she delivers too. (Following recommendations of Senegalese friends and based on a few experiences, we don’t give our kids peanuts or cashews sold on the street. But we love Veronique’s peanut goodies!)Shady Shack hummus freezes great. Order in bulk and stock up. Use the plastic ‘bissap baggies’ from your local buutik to freeze single servings of fruit.