Healthy Snacks & Recipes for the School Year

by | Aug 31, 2023 | Articles

It’s that time of year again… The kids are back in school, our schedules are jam-packed, and it’s becoming increasingly easy to make a trip to the drive-thru instead of cooking dinners at home. Let this time of change be an opportunity to implement routines and healthy habits to keep you and your family fed and focused this school year. In today’s blog, we’ll be dropping some of our favorite recipes and tips on how to pack a nutritious lunch for you and your family.

Instead of reaching for a coffee or a sugary snack in the middle of the day, opt for a homemade treat that is nourishing and energizing! One of these energy bites would make an excellent after school snack for the kiddos or for yourself. My daughter Gabby crafted this recipe herself using her favorite ingredients that help her stay full and focused whenever she reaches that midday slump. Give Gabby’s Decadent Energy Bites a go.

It can be difficult finding that quick and easy dinner solution that can appease a whole family, especially one with a picky eater. Luckily, we have just the meal to accommodate our hectic schedules and healthy lifestyles. This recipe has been in rotation in my household for years now and all my children specifically request “Moroccan Salmon” from time to time. Give this Moroccan Salmon with Nectarine Couscous recipe a try and win over the whole family!

When it comes to packing lunches, it’s important that the snacks we choose are appealing to our children, prepared ahead of time for easy serving, and are healthy! To give a better idea of what should be inside those lunchboxes, here’s what we recommend packing:

Good Healthy Protein Snacks:

  • Pita Bread + Hummus
  • Cheese + Crackers
  • Turkey + Cheese Roll-ups
  • Almond Butter + Jam Sandwich
  • Cheese Quesadilla
  • Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Chickpea Pasta Salad
  • Turkey Jerky
  • Kefir
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Low-fat cheese (slices or sticks)

Good Complex Carbohydrate Snacks:

  • Fresh fruit
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Fat-free or low-fat yogurt
  • Canned fruit or fruit cups in water or 100% fruit juice
  • Dried fruit with no added sugar
  • Whole grain crackers
  • Rice cakes
  • Pretzels
  • Low-fat or air popped popcorn without butter or salt
  • Graham crackers
  • Jelly (from 100% fruit) sandwiches on whole wheat bread
  • Whole grain bagels or English muffins with cream cheese
  • Fat-free or low-fat pudding
  • Whole grain cereal bars
  • Baked whole grain tortilla chips and salsa
  • Baked chips (small portions)

Good Hydrating Drinks:

  • Water
  • Sparkling/carbonated water, no sugar
  • Fat-free or low-fat milk
  • Fruit smoothies
  • Fair Life Milk
  • Kefir

Make this school year a successful one for you and your family with thoughtful consideration and food planning! Be sure to try these recipes out and follow my Instagram @pattyrd.thesugarlanddietian for more health tips this fall!

Share this

PATTY MARTIN

REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST

Have you found the right weight loss solution for you, yet? You can! Together, we’ll resolve your past weight loss struggles, transform your energy and health and you will look and feel your best. I truly enjoy helping my clients to reach her or his most desired goals. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I can help you become all you want to be and more.

Related Posts

How to Improve Your Body Composition in 2023

How to Improve Your Body Composition in 2023

Forget setting that same old weight loss resolution this year — 2023 is all about improving your body composition! By shifting your fitness focus from the scale, you'll get a more holistic and trackable picture of your health. What improving your body composition...

Eat Your Protein to Fight Diabetes

Eat Your Protein to Fight Diabetes

Did you know that pre-diabetes and type II diabetes are on the rise and are estimated to affect 422 million people worldwide? And our risk increases, especially after 40 years old. As we age, we also experience a progressive decline in muscle mass. That’s why protein...

How to order and eat healthy at restaurants

How to order and eat healthy at restaurants

Do you diligently monitor your diet, only to “blow it” when you eat out? Do you struggle to maintain healthy eating habits because a lot of your meals come from take-out or dining out? You’re not alone. A study by researchers at Tuft University found that restaurant...