After a long day at school (or in your Zoom lecture), there’s no better way to refuel than with a quick and easy snack. Make one of these Mexican-inspired recipes over the weekend to prep your fridge with easy-to-reach-for snacks that will keep the whole family fueled up and full until dinnertime. 

Arroz Con Leche

Recipe from Food Network

This popular Mexican dessert is a comfort food classic. Top your Mexican rice pudding with dried or candied fruit and extra cinnamon for a sweet and filling after-school treat. 

Ingredients:

  • 7 cups water 
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1 4-inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
  • 1 14-oz. can condensed milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup golden raisins 
  • Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Instructions:

  1. Put the water, rice, and cinnamon stick in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. 
  2. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and cook until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Strain out the liquid, discard the cinnamon and reserve the rice. 
  3. Return the rice to the saucepan. Stir in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. 
  4. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick, about 20 minutes. Add the raisins and stir well. 
  5. Transfer the pudding to a serving bowl, or portion out into individual jars or bowls to prep snacks for the week. Dust the top of the pudding with ground cinnamon and serve. 
Creamy Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Dip

Recipe adapted from Little Spice Jar

One of the most popular Mexican street snacks is elote, made with roasted corn topped with mayo, lime, Cojita cheese and spices. Make your own snackable version at home with this recipe for elote dip. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • ½ cup mayonnaise 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder or small pinch cayenne 
  • 1 pound roasted corn, defrosted/drained 
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno, minced 
  • 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese 

Instructions:

  1. Whisk together the melted butter, lime juice, and mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Season with garlic powder, salt, and ancho chili powder. 
  2. Add the corn, cilantro, jalapeños, Cotija cheese and stir.
  3. Allow to cool for several hours or serve immediately along with tortilla chips.
Cilantro-Lime Roasted Chickpeas

Recipe from Isabel Eats

Chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans) make a healthy and delicious snack when roasted in a hot oven until crispy. Kids will love popping these protein-packed cilantro-lime chickpeas by the handful. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • Salt, to taste 
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 
  • ½ lime, juiced 

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Thoroughly dry rinsed chickpeas by patting with a clean dish towel or paper towel.
  2. Spread chickpeas evenly onto a baking sheet. Add olive oil and mix using fingers until chickpeas are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle chickpeas with a pinch of salt.
  3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, checking every 15 minutes to make sure chickpeas are browning evenly. Remove from oven when chickpeas are a light golden brown.
  4. Let roasted chickpeas cool for 5 minutes. Add cilantro and lime juice and mix. Add more salt if necessary. 
Squash Blossom Quesadillas

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Squash blossoms are a classic ingredient in Mexican cuisine, and they make an excellent addition to cheesy, melty quesadillas. Whether you whip these up for an after-school snack or for a low-key weeknight dinner, they’re sure to get the whole family smiling. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ white onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • 2 ounces Oaxacan cheese or fresh mozzarella, grated (about ½ cup)
  • 8 squash blossoms, stems and stamens removed

Instructions: 

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 10–12 minutes; season with salt. Transfer to a small bowl and wipe skillet clean.
  2. Toast a tortilla in the same skillet over medium-high until golden brown but not crunchy on one side, about 1 minute. Turn tortilla over and scatter one-quarter of cheese over one half of toasted side. Arrange 2 squash blossoms and one-quarter of onion mixture on top of cheese and fold tortilla in half to create a half-moon. Press down on it lightly to help tortilla adhere. Continue cooking, turning once or twice and pressing occasionally, until cheese is melted and tortilla begins to brown and crisp in spots (turn down the heat if needed), about 3 minutes. Transfer quesadilla to a plate. 
  3. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, squash blossoms, and onion mixture to make 3 more quesadillas.
Fresh Mango Salsa

Recipe from Cookie and Kate

No list of our favorite snacks would be complete without some version of chips and salsa. We’ve been hitting repeat on this simple and colorful mango version all summer long — try it yourself with the recipe below. 

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe mangos, diced 
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 1 large lime, juiced (about ¼ cup lime juice
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste

Instructions: 

  1. In a serving bowl, combine the prepared mango, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeño. Drizzle with the juice of one lime.
  2. Using a large spoon, stir the ingredients together. Season to taste with salt, and stir again. For best flavor, let the salsa rest for 10 minutes or longer.