Healthy Snacks for Kids On the Go

With the change of seasons in full swing, so too, has the pace of life quickened — especially life with kids. Soccer, baseball and lacrosse schedules fill up the calendar, and heaped on top of school, work and commitments, there is little time for healthy meals, let alone family dinners.

More often than not, parents crunched for time reluctantly find themselves at the drive-thru or the counter of the nearest fast food chain. While that’s not a bad thing once in a while, it’s not a good thing for children to have a steady diet of cheeseburgers, French fries, or milk shakes.

Keeping healthy snacks on hand is a great way to be prepared for those busy days. Include them on your next grocery list, and store them in a separate cabinet or drawer. You’ll be armed and ready to drive guilt-free right past that burger joint. Here are a few suggestions:

Baby carrots and ranch dressing — store in individual containers to reduce any mess.

Peanut butter and crackers — or peanut butter and anything — a great source of protein, and a favorite of all ages.

Cut up fresh fruit — an orange, for example, is easier for a child to eat when it is cut into sections, ready to be consumed.

Granola bars — be sure to look at the nutritional information on the boxes. Some have less sodium and sugar than others.

Ham or turkey and cheese “roll ups” — no bread needed.

Raisins, Craisins, and other dried fruits — buy in bulk and bag portions as needed. Toss in pretzels, nuts, granola and a few M&Ms, and you’ve just made your own snack mix.

Cheese — prepackaged string cheese is great to grab, go and eat.

Yogurt — with its new packaging, it’s now easier than ever to enjoy, with no spoon needed.

Smoothies — as simple as keeping fresh or frozen berry fruits and orange juice on hand. Blend, and voila.

See you at the fields!