How To Make Snack Time Fun and Healthy

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This week's How To is: how to feed your kids healthy snacks.

Getting your kids to make healthy choices at snack time can be a challenge. Sugary snacks attract kids with their colorful packaging and fun shapes. And who can blame a kid for choosing a candy bar over a vegetable? Face it - many healthy foods just aren't that appealing to kids.

However, teaching your child healthy eating habits is an important lesson and will likely encourage him or her to make health-conscious decisions as an adult.

John Paul Carpenter, director of Le Bonheur's Nutrition and Food Services Department, shares his creative ideas for how to give your kids fun and healthy snacks. With his tips, snack time can be not only nutritious, but also a fun activity for you and your kids. Here's how to make some really fun and different snacks that will please your kids imagination and fit the healthy bill.

Ants on a Log: This tasty treat provides a source of protein, fiber and vitamin C. Spread a stalk of celery with peanut butter and have your child place raisins -"ants" - in the peanut butter.

Banana Sushi: For vitamin C and potassium, have your child spread peanut butter on a thin tortilla. Then, roll up a peeled banana in the tortilla and cut it up into sushi-sized pieces. Make sure an adult helps with the cutting. Eat the sushi with chopsticks for even more fun!

Mini Pizza: For a healthier version of this kids' favorite, spread tomato sauce on a tortilla. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and have your child add his favorite toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers. Place into a heated oven until cheese is melted and cut into slices.

Happy Faces: Spice up ordinary round crackers by turning them into a face. Raisins or dried cranberries make great eyes, and fruit leather strips made with real fruit juices can be peeled into strips for a mouth.

Summer-time Smoothie: Smoothies are a refreshing snack during the hot summer months. Have your child pick out frozen berries and yogurt to mix together in a blender. To sneak in some veggies, Carpenter suggests adding a cup of raw spinach leaves. Your child won't even taste the spinach.

Fruit Skewers: Make eating fruit more fun by turning it into a fruit-kabob! Let your child thread a wooden skewer through pieces of watermelon, pineapple, strawberries or any favorite fruits for an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C.

With a little creativity and imagination, snack time can be fun and nutritious. The next time your child won't eat a healthy spreparing one of these snacks together.