Ants on a Log

Ants on a log is a classic after-school snack with protein-rich peanut butter, celery and raisins. Stick with the original or get your kids involved in making a tasty variation!

If you love snack recipes with peanut butter, you’ll also like peanut butter brownies, this peanut butter banana smoothie, and my chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies.

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Classic Ants on a Log

If there’s one food that consistently makes an appearance as part of our daily food intake, it’s peanut butter. This is even more true during the back-to-school season when meals need to be healthy, tasty, and quick.

During busy school days, my kids will often have peanut butter overnight oats for breakfast, enjoy a classic PB&J sandwich for lunch and enjoy ants on a log for a healthy snack!

Why I Love This Snack Recipe

• Kid friendly: Peanut butter snacks are the one thing I know will receive an A+ from my kiddos after a long school day. Ants on the log is crunchy, sweet and salty!
• Protein packed: No matter how you consume it, a two Tablespoon serving of peanut butter will get you eight powerful grams of protein, two grams of filling fiber and 12 grams of unsaturated fat (aka the good kind!).

Ingredients

• Peanut butter: Use any brand of peanut butter you like from no-sugar to honey-swirl. Any of them will work with these recipes even another nut butter or seed. butter. I find it easier to spread if it’s smooth but chunky works, too!
• Raisins: This adds sweetness to the peanut butter. Any dried fruit will work!
• Celery: Celery is traditional but some fun alternatives to celery stalks could be carrot sticks, sliced apples, halved bananas or even a romaine lettuce leaf.

Ants on a Log Variations

If you are looking for a winning snack, here it is! Combining celery and peanut butter creates a magical combination. Not only does it taste fantastic, but it also is a snack fueled with the right mix of good fat, protein, and fiber. Here are six ways to enjoy these easy snacks for kids.

Classic Ants on Log

It’s always good to start with the original. I remember eating the ants on a log recipe as a kid myself years ago, so it’s extra fun to pass it on to my own kids. Here’s how to make the classic version:

• Start with your celery. Wash and cut celery stalks in half lengthwise. If they are especially tall, you may want to cut them in half width-wise as well.
• Add peanut butter.  Take a spoonful and spread it on the cavity of the celery.
• Add the “ants”.  Grab some raisins and press them into the peanut butter.
• Enjoy!

As you can see, these are one of those super easy snacks for kids that sneaks a vegetable in too. They’ll barely notice thanks to that perfect peanut butter flavor!

Peanut Butter Snails

This is another fun snack for kids. This version is super cute and my kids always giggle as they are eating the “snails” — definitely a fun snack for kids! Here’s how to make it:

• Prepare your celery. The same way you did as the classic recipe.
• Add peanut butter. Again, add a spoonful into the cavity of the celery.
• Add an apple slice. To give the snail its round back, press a round slice of apple into the peanut butter.
• Give it eyes. Add eyes to the front by pressing them into the peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Caterpillars

You’ll feel like supermom as your kid eats this fun combination. These little caterpillars are adorable and delicious, too. If you want a unique way to enjoy celery with peanut butter, this is the one to try.

• Prepare your celery and add peanut butter. Spoonful of peanut butter spread through the celery slice is the base of this sweet treat.
• Add grapes and berries. There are a few different fruits you can use. Green grapes, raspberries, purple grapes, blueberries, or blackberries all work well. Whichever fruit you choose, press a line of them into the peanut butter.
• Add the eyes. Lastly, make sure your little caterpillar has eyes by pressing a pair of candy eyes into the peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Fish in a Stream

Okay, I made that name up, but it works! Rather than ants on a log, this version has fish “swimming” in a peanut butter river upstream. To make this tasty treat, combine equal parts peanut butter and cream cheese and mix well. Then, spread the mix into the celery.

Now the fun part—toppings! I will even let my youngest help me press the fish crackers into the mixture. Easy!

Peanut Butter Circus

This version is similar to the one above. You use the same creamy peanut butter and cream cheese combination with celery. This time, top the mix with animal crackers lined up.

Peanut Butter Parfait

This version is one of my newest favorites. It is similar to the classic parfait, except rather than just use yogurt, you will combine equal parts of yogurt and peanut butter.

Add the mixture into the celery bowl, then spread across. Grab some of your favorite fruit along with some granola, and sprinkle it on top. So. Good!

More Ways to Enjoy Celery and Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is so versatile! If you want more variations, try adding some of these toppings to your celery with peanut butter:

• chocolate chips
• chopped strawberries
• banana slices
• pretzel pieces
• dried cranberries
• shredded coconut
• whipped cream