Ants On A Log
By Carine Claudepierre
Published on 08/21/2022 - Last updated on 10/26/2023
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These Ants On A Log are my favorite back-to-school snack idea for kids aged between 5 and 15 years old.
They are low-sugar, low-carb, and packed with vitamins and nutrients from fruits and vegetables.
Back-to-school snacks are always a challenge, especially on hot days, because kids crave some sweet and cold treats.
While they love my strawberry smoothie or low-carb blueberry smoothie, sometimes they are after something more crunchy.
These classic celery snack sticks, also called ants on a log, are great healthy snacks for your little one.
I have been making this for my kids for years, so it’s time to share with you this simple snack idea that appears to also be low-carb and keto-friendly.
What Are Ants On A Log?
Ants on a log are celery sticks, usually stuffed with peanut butter and raisins as a fun and easy kid-friendly snack.
There’s a variety of food that can also be added to ants on a log, like cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, or hummus.
The recipe gets its name from the raisins on the celery that look like ants on a branch, and that’s why people call them ants on a log.
The name makes this snack even much more fun for the kids to eat, so it’s a win-win.
How To Make Ants On A Log Celery Snack
It is super easy to make this fun snack for you or your kids!
Ingredients
All you need are the following:
- Celery Stalks – Pick fresh celery and cut the sticks to about 6 inches or 15 cm long – that’s what we call the log.
- Creamy Filling
- Some Toppings
Preparation
First, cut the celery sticks to about 6 inches in length (15 cm). Wash and pat dry the celery.
I like to cut a flat base on the round side of the celery stick.
This makes it easier to stand the celery sticks on a plate, or they roll on their sides when filled later on.
Next, pick some of your favorite creamy fillings. I will list some sweet filling and savory filling ideas below.
Let me tell you a bit more about how you can fill the celery sticks.
Sweet Fillings
The best sweet filling for these sticks are:
- Creamy Peanut Butter or almond butter, or any nut butter you love.
- Sunflower Seed Butter.
- Plain Yogurt, like Greek yogurt
Savory Fillings
The savory fillings that taste great with celery are:
- Hummus or my cauliflower hummus for a low-carb option.
- Cottage Cheese
- Cream Cheese
- Babaganoush
- Guacamole or use my 4-ingredient guacamole recipe
- Onion Dip
- Pesto like my spinach pesto
Use a teaspoon and spread the peanut butter or any filling all over the curve part of the celery stick. Set aside on a plate.
Toppings And Variations
Now, time to add some crunchy toppings. There are sweet and savory options.
Sweet Toppings
Celery goes perfectly with sweet fruits and even with chocolate. Try some of the below:
- Berries like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries.
- Apple slices, pear chunks, or banana bites
- Dark chocolate chips, milk, or white chocolate chips.
- Dried fruits – like dried raisins, chopped dried dates, or apricots.
Savory Toppings
Savory toppings that are amazing with celery snacks are:
- Salted Peanuts
- Bacon Bites
- Chives finely chopped
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Bagels Seasoning
- Shredded Carrots
Neutral Toppings
These are toppings that I always add with any sweet or savory toppings. They are crunchy and go well with anything.
- Crushed Peanuts
- Crushed Almonds
- Sesame Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
Best Flavor Combinations
The best combinations of flavors to fill the celery are.
- Celery, peanut butter or almond butter base, berries or chocolate chips, desiccated coconut or crushed nuts.
- Celery, cottage cheese base, chopped dill, bacon bites, or bagel seasonings.
- Celery, yogurt, berries, dark chocolate chips.
- Celery, cream cheese, salted peanuts, sundried tomatoes.
- Celery, peanut butter, and raisins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below I answered some of your most popular questions about this easy celery snack recipe idea.
Yes, you can stir 2 teaspoons of maple syrup (or sugar-free syrup) per 1/4 cup of peanut butter before adding it to the celery to boost its sweet flavor.
For the savory filling, you can stir salt, pepper, garlic powder, or fresh herbs in the cottage cheese or yogurt before filling the sticks.
Yes, celery is one of the low-carb vegetables that can safely add to your keto snack list.
All these ants on a log are keto-friendly and delicious as part of a keto snack.
More Fresh Recipes
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these other healthy snack recipes:
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Ants On A Log Recipe
Ingredients
Peanut Butter
- 2 Celery Stalks
- ⅓ cup Peanut Butter
- 1 tablespoon Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips
- 1 tablespoon Sugar-Free White Chocolate Chips
Cream Cheese
- 2 Celery Stalks
- ⅓ cup Cream Cheese
- ¼ cup Berries
Instructions
- Cut the celery stalks into 10-15 cm long logs – I get 3 sticks from each stalk. Wash, pat dry and cut a part on the rough side of the celery stick to make sure it hold flat when placed on a plate.
- Use a teaspoon to spread the cream cheese or peanut butter on the concave part of the stick.
- Sprinkle berries or chocolate chips on top. Feel free to add crunch by adding chopped peanuts or coconut flakes.
- Serve immediately.
Tools
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About The Author
Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, published author of a cookbook and many ebooks, and founder of Sweet As Honey.
I have an Accredited Certificate in Nutrition and Wellness obtained in 2014 from Well College Global (formerly Cadence Health). I'm passionate about sharing all my easy and tasty recipes that are both delicious and healthy. My expertise in the field comes from my background in chemistry and years of following a keto low-carb diet. But I'm also well versed in vegetarian and vegan cooking since my husband is vegan.
I now eat a more balanced diet where I alternate between keto and a Mediterranean Diet
Cooking and Baking is my true passion. In fact, I only share a small portion of my recipes on Sweet As Honey. Most of them are eaten by my husband and my two kids before I have time to take any pictures!
All my recipes are at least triple tested to make sure they work and I take pride in keeping them as accurate as possible.
Browse all my recipes with my Recipe Index.
I hope that you too find the recipes you love on Sweet As Honey!
Disclaimer
The recipes, instructions, and articles on this website should not be taken or used as medical advice. You must consult with your doctor before starting on a keto or low-carb diet. The nutritional data provided on Sweetashoney is to be used as indicative only.
The nutrition data is calculated using WP Recipe Maker. Net Carbs is calculated by removing the fiber and some sweeteners from the total Carbohydrates. As an example, a recipe with 10 grams of Carbs per 100 grams that contains 3 grams of erythritol and 5 grams of fiber will have a net carbs content of 2 grams. Some sweeteners are excluded because they are not metabolized.
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My kids loved it, and they really don’t like celery!
Such a nice way of serving veggies to fussy kids, it was a hit