by Anna Wright

Created on: November 03, 2008

Grab and go! That's the way most teens snack. Whatever is easiest to grab is what they will eat. That is usually a bag of chips, cookies or candy washed down with a soda. Teens are growing in every way so it is important that they nourish their bodies with healthy foods. Healthy snacks help to keep up teens energy levels between meals which is very important with their hectic schedules with school, sports, clubs, work and homework.

Having healthy snacks around the house is essential. The keys are preparing and planning ahead. That way when the teen steps into the kitchen or puts their hand on the refrigerator door the snacks are already in place. One of the biggest things with eating healthy is controlling the size of the portions. Filling Rubbermaid containers, small bowls or baggies with the proper snack sizes is critical in helping teens eat healthy snacks without overdoing it. Proper snacking also helps the teen from overeating at meal times. There are also pre-packaged serving size foods in grocery stores from veggies to pretzel size snack bags. You may pay a bit more for the pre-packaged items but the health benefits are well worth it.

Here is a list of healthy teen snack ideas: fruits; vegetables cut into snack size portions with a small side of low fat ranch dressing for dipping; whole grain breads or cereal; popcorn without butter; grapes and cheese; peanut butter spread on whole wheat bread, mini bagels, rice cakes, celery or apple slices; baggies of trail mix; cheese toast; leftovers; nuts and seeds; fruit smoothies; tuna on whole wheat; yogurt with low fat granola or walnuts; crackers with peanut butter or cheese; cottage cheese with fruit; bagels with cream cheese; and a taco or tortilla with refried beans.

It's a good idea to start by choosing 3-5 ideas from the list. Start with some food choices that you know your teen already likes and add something new. See what works and what doesn't. Eliminate the snacks that don't work, there's no use wasting time on those and focus on the ones they enjoy.

Remember, planning ahead and preparing the snacks in advance are the keys to teens eating healthy snacks. It takes a little time but the health benefits are well worth it. A major benefit is that what teens learn now about healthy snacking will become a good habit that they will carry into adulthood. That is something we can all be happy about.

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