Packing Healthy Snacks for School

It is back to school time which means that it is also time for packing up school lunches every day. We want to make sure we are packing a healthy snack as most schools are requesting this as well, but how can we make sure that our kids are eating healthy while enjoying what they are eating? Here are some tips for packing healthy snacks for school:

Crackers

Try to go for a whole grain cracker with plenty of fiber to keep your child fuller longer until lunch time. Make sure to look at the nutrition label to ensure that it has at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving or more.

Fruit

A piece of fresh fruit that your child enjoys would make for a great snack and a great way to sneak in an extra serving of fruit during the day. A container of natural applesauce or a fruit cup packed in 100% juice can also work for something that is portable. Raisins can be a good snack as well, but the serving size is very small so it is important to watch portions with any dried fruit.

Cereal

If your child did not have cereal for breakfast, cereals can work well for a morning snack option, but you want to make sure it is a whole grain cereal that can be easily eaten dry. A few that could work will be oat squares, a shredded wheat or oat circles that contain 3 grams of dietary fiber or more.

Dairy-based Snacks

If your child is able to keep a snack cold before consuming it, a cheese stick or a yogurt would make for a great snack option. If choosing a yogurt, make sure that there is not too much added sugar in the product. If you use a yogurt tube, then you don’t have to worry about sending a spoon to school! There are also yogurt smoothies that can make great snack options as well and can be quickly packed and consumed.

Granola Bars 

If choosing a granola bar for your child, it would be optimal to have something with 5 grams of added sugar or less. There are also breakfast biscuits available that have some dietary fiber as well which could be good options. If the granola bar has a lot of ingredients in it, then it is probably going to be processed and not the best option.

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