5 Healthy Snack Tips For Back to School

It’s that time of year again – school is officially back in session. While it may not be on the top of the homework list, it’s important to have a plan for healthy snack options for your kids throughout the day. At any point in life, staying healthy is demanding and the stress of just getting your kids off to school makes it seem even more difficult to keep up with healthy habits. But with the proper knowledge and a little planning, you will be on the right track before you know it.

Here’s how to help keep your kids healthy and happy this fall:

Keep it Simple

Try to incorporate fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Try to avoid high sugary juices, caffeine, sweets, and chips. Some quick and easy snack choices include cheese and crackers; yogurt and sliced fruit; peanut butter on rice cakes; trail mix; hummus on vegetables; and popcorn. If you are more the grab-and-go type, prepackaged snack bags, fruit cups, applesauce, cheese sticks, whole fruits, or crackers are also great options.

Portion Size

Think small. Something the right size for your child will allow them to satisfy their hunger between meals, get the right amount of nutrients they need to fuel their growth, and ultimately boost their energy throughout the day.  

Plan in Advance

Nothing is better than starting off the week ahead of schedule. Most kids will have a morning and afternoon snack, so plan on preparing two snacks per day per kid. Designate one or two days throughout the week for snack prep. A good starting point would be Sunday (beginning of the week) and Wednesday (midweek). Choose one snack for the morning and one snack for the afternoon and do as much prepping in as you can in advance on your designated days. Portion out dry snacks like popcorn, crackers, and pretzels into small containers, slice fruit, cut up cheese, or anything else to simply get ahead.

Let the Kids Help

Have a little fun, share some time together, and allow your kids to help pick out healthy options, prepare the servings for the week, and maybe even choose what they would like to bring each day. Not only are you spending time together, but you are teaching them healthy habits that will impact their lives for years to come.

Prepare Breakfast

Most important of all, make sure your kids are starting their mornings off right by eating a well-balanced breakfast. By eating breakfast, your kids are less likely to focus on being hungry and more likely to be attentive in class, participate in activities, and be in a better mood throughout the day.

With a little planning and prep time, you will always have a healthy choice on hand that your kids will thank you for. For more healthy eating inspiration, check out Pinterest board here.