Five Healthy Snacks

Not to pump a dry well, but to follow up on the theme of childhood obesity I wanted to offer some healthy snacks. Snacking is one of the biggest problems when it comes to weight control; both the frequency and quality of the snack need to be regulated. Ideally we should eat five small meals a day, 3 full course meals and two smaller snack-type meals. Now what to do about the two:

1. Fruit. It's so easy, but we often forget about the fruit. We want a sweet snack and we reach for thirty other things with terrible things in them. Next time you want a cookie, eat some grapes, it'll curb your sugar appetite and it will make you feel better as well.

2. Ants on a Log. Celery + Peanut Butter + Raisins. It doesn't get better or tastier in my opinion. If you want to take the snack from an A to an A+ use natural peanut butter. If your child is used to regular peanut butter the difference can be jarring, but if they're not then you're good to go.

3. Chocolate milk. Keeping with the theme of sweet, healthy snacks because (lets face it) kids love sweet snacks. Chocolate milk is delicious, provides vitamins and is the perfect blend of good and bad.

4. PB and Jelly. This sandwich is a classic. And it's easy, you can even have your child make it. You could buy the Smucker's brand that is loaded with preservatives and God knows what else. I prefer to make it myself. Also, not a bad idea to buy some kind of jelly that isn't pure sugar, something that is natural and organic. Peanut butter is already sweet enough.

5. Yogurt. 1 in 4 kids do not get enough calcium. Give them yogurt and some chocolate milk and you've successfully combated the problem.

I think I'm going to make some ants on a log. Enjoy!