10 Healthy Snacks for Back to School

I don’t think it really hit me that it was time to start stocking my pantry and refrigerator with school snacks until the monthly coupon book arrived in the mail from my big box store. The first third of the book was coupons for 20-count mini-bags of popcorn, variety packs of chips and gummies in every shape and color. Some of the options seemed OK, others not so much. According to experts at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, we should think of snacks like a mini-meal–one that includes some fiber and protein so it’s more satisfying, and a healthy addition to our daily diet. That little rule applies to us, and to the kids. So whether you’re packing your little one’s lunchbox, or prepping for the chorus of “I’m staaarving” after school, here are 10 expert-approved healthy snacks:

Kabobs: Skewer a cube low-fat cheese or grapes on the ends of pretzel sticks.

Personal pizza: Drizzle an English muffin with sauce, sprinkle with shredded low-fat mozzarella and pop in the toaster oven until melted.

Banana treat: Dip a peeled banana in yogurt, roll in crushed cereal and freeze.

Stuffed pita: Fill a whole-wheat pita pocket with a dollop of ricotta cheese, slices of Granny Smith apples and a dash of cinnamon, or try cream cheese and strawberry slices.

Peanut butter balls: Mix corn flakes and peanut butter, shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers.

Celery logs: Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese and top with raisins.

Parfait: Layer low-fat yogurt with strawberries or blueberries, topped with a little granola.

“Sandwich” sticks: Spread a little mustard on a turkey slice, and wrap it around a breadstick, or lay it on small whole-wheat wrap and roll.

Waffle “sundae”: Top a whole-grain waffle with low-fat yogurt and peaches.

Snack dips: Pair baby carrots and low-fat ranch; strawberry slices in low-fat yogurt; pita chips in hummus; or graham crackers in apple sauce.