Ants on A Log are nutritious snacks that are loaded with celery, peanut butter, and raisins. They are so fun to make with kids and you can customize them easily with your favorite nuts and fruits.
Are you forever telling your kids to stop playing with their food? To eat better? Or to experiment with the things they eat?
Well, now’s your chance to not only let your kids play with their food, but to get them a dose of nutrition too! Plus, you can give them a bit of a lesson while they eat too!
What is the Meaning of Ants on a Log?
It’s easy to see what exactly ants on a log are just by looking at it. When you take a celery stick, spread some peanut butter, cream cheese, or ricotta cheese on it with some raisins on top – what would your guess be? A fun snack? Yes! It’s simply made to look like ants are on a log, while providing you with the opportunity for a fast and easy snack!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Celery Sticks: use fresh celery for the best result.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: or other fillings
- Raisins: or other toppings such as chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, cubed strawberries and blueberries.
How to Make Ants on a Log
1. Wash the celery sticks and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Use a paring knife to cut the celery sticks horizontally if they’re too wide.
3. Cut the sticks into segments about 4-5 inches long.
4. Using a small spatula or a butter knife, spread the peanut butter or other filling to fill the celery with slight mounding if desired.
5. Press the raisins or other toppings into the filling one by one to form a line. Repeat the last two steps for the remaining segments.
Tips and Tricks
- Get the kids involved: Kids like to make their own variations and will enjoy them more when they’re involved.
- Use creamy peanut butter: You can use chunky, but creamy is easier to spread.
- On-the-go: To make these suitable for grab-and-go or a picnic, cut the celery first and pack the filling and ants separately. Then assemble in minutes right before serving.
Are Ants on a Log Healthy?
Ants on a log are a quick and healthy snack for both kids and adults alike! All you need are 3 simple ingredients – peanut butter, raisins, and spread.
It’s a delicious and budget-friendly snack that’s packed full of nutrition. The celery is packed with fiber, the peanut butter is a great source of protein, vitamin B3, and magnesium, while raisins are dried-up fruit – what more could you ask for?
Where Did Ants on a Log Originate?
Although there are many ideas and claims, the exact origin of ants on a log remains a mystery. Found in old cookbooks, stuffed celery was said to be served as an appetizer or served to children as snacks.
Remaining a popular choice through the 1960s with some of the recipes including nuts and raisins, peanut butter as a filling surfaced around this time too, however the name ants on a log wasn’t used just yet.
However, in the 1980s, many magazines and newspaper articles gave credit to the Girl Scouts. Whoever invented it, thank you for helping our kids eat a healthy snack!
Can I Make Ants on a Log without Peanut Butter?
If peanut butter isn’t your thing, don’t worry! You can use just about any tasty spread to make ants on a log. The choice is truly yours – or possibly in this case, your kid’s!
Some popular options include Cheese Whiz, Ricotta cheese, cream cheese, greek yogurt or hummus. The idea is that you want to use something that’s on the healthy side of things so that you or your kids can get a dose of nutrition in every bite!
Ants on a Log Snack Variations
- Ants on a Log Banana: Instead of celery, use firm bananas cut into 4-5 inch segments.
- Ants on a Log without Peanut Butter: Other filling options include another nut butter, cream cheese, ricotta, Greek yogurt, hummus, or your favorite dip/spread.
- Ants on a Log with Apples: Cut an apple in half and remove the core. Then cut into long strips an inch wide. You may need to pay dry with paper towels to make spreading easier.
- Other variations: You can also use halved carrots as logs. Other topping options include raisins, you can use cut apricots, figs, currants, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips, blueberries, pine nuts, corn or peas.
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Ants on a Log Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 celery sticks or other logs (see note)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter or other fillings (see note)
- ½ cup raisins or other toppings (see note)
Instructions
- Wash the celery sticks and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a work surface.
- Using a paring knife, cut the celery sticks horizontally if they’re too wide.
- Cut them into segments about 4-5 inches long, discarding any leaves.
- Using a small spatula, spread the peanut butter or other filling to fill the celery with slight mounding if desired. Repeat for remaining segments.
- Press the raisins or other toppings into the filling one by one to form a line. Repeat for remaining segments.
Notes
- Logs: Instead of celery, you can use carrots, bananas or apples cut lengthwise.
- Fillings: Instead of peanut butter, you can use another nut butter, cream cheese, ricotta, Greek yogurt, hummus, or your favorite dip/spread.
- Ants: Instead of raisins, you can use cut apricots, figs, currants, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, blueberries, corn or peas.
- Make Ahead: You can make these ahead of time the same day, up to 8 hours in advance. Store them covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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