What do most hungry kids grab for a snack when they come home from school? Usually it is whatever is the quickest to grab and eat. Unfortunately, these quick grabs are not always the healthiest choices. Many pre-made snack foods that are purchased in a grocery store, and typically marketed to children, are high in added sugars, fat, and sodium. This is a concern especially considering the dramatic rise in childhood obesity and obesity related diseases that are becoming more prevalent among children.

So how can moms and other caregivers fight this battle of unhealthy after school snacking? The solution is simple. We need to remove the unhealthy snack food choices and provide ready-to-eat healthy snack foods that are kid friendly. The first step in the healthy after school snack makeover is to plan ahead. Get your children involved and let them help you plan some healthy snacks that they will enjoy. The more you let them help, the more willing they will be to eat and enjoy the snacks.

Plan snacks that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy foods. Remember that kids are more willing to eat fresh vegetables if they are served with dip. Try various dips like low fat salad dressing, light vegetable dips, bean dips, hummus and salsa.

Serve fresh fruits with dip too, many kids love to dip their fruit into a low fat fruit flavored yogurt. For an extra sweet treat, try freezing grapes or serving frozen berries like raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Another option is to make a fruit smoothie using your child's favorite fruits, ice and yogurt or milk. It is also good to include some whole grain snacks that are high in fiber. These can include whole grain pitas (maybe filled with fresh veggies and dip), whole grain tortillas, or low fat or fat free popcorn. The main point is to use your imagination and your child's too! Younger children may find it fun to choose snacks that they can help prepare and "play" with using their imagination, while older children may want snacks that are prepared ahead and can be more of a "grab and go" snack. Just remember to refrain from snacks that have added sugar, fat and sodium and you will be well on your way to choosing healthy snacks.

The second step in ensuring your kids eat their healthy after school snacks is to assign specific shelves or areas in your refrigerator, freezer and cupboards for their snack foods. This will quickly help them know exactly where to find their snack and will ensure you that they are choosing the right snack foods.

Overall we want to ensure that our children are getting healthy after school snacks. If we can involve them in helping to plan and prepare these snacks and make them quick and easy for them to grab when they get home from school they will be much more likely to enjoy these foods and develop a healthier lifestyle. These few easy steps will ensure that your child's snacks are kid friendly and mom approved, too.