by Jennifer Macon-Steele

Created on: October 19, 2009   Last Updated: October 20, 2009

Remember Mom telling you not to snack between meals? In this case, Mom may have been wrong. Snacking has plenty of benefits, especially if you choose healthy foods. Eating throughout the day helps to keep your blood sugar level so you can avoid mood swings and sudden hunger. It can also keep you from eating too much when meal-time does roll around.

Keeping a healthy snack on hand makes a lot of sense. Life can be incredibly fast-paced, and sometimes meals just have to wait until later. What do you do when you're on the go and hunger attacks? If you're like me, you might be tempted to pull into the nearest drive-thru lane and scarf down something that is guaranteed to clog those arteries.

Before you reach for a snack you'll regret, think about being prepared with some healthy alternatives.

You can easily make it a habit to leave the house with a healthy bite in tow. You won't regret it, especially if you have children. Kids will be better behaved and will be able to stay out longer if you have food for them on hand.

Fruit is the ultimate snack choice. It's portable, healthy and you don't need a knife and fork to eat it. Throw an apple or banana into a paper sack and toss it into your handbag when you head out the door. You can grab it any time and then throw the whole thing away when you're finished.

If you need something more than just a piece of fruit, bring along some peanut butter for a yummy spread. Apples dipped in peanut butter make such a luscious treat that you might not even want your lunch.

Mixed nuts area also a terrific choice. Choose them when you think you're going to need an afternoon pick-me-up. The protein and healthy oils will fill you up and give you a burst of energy so you can keep going even on your most demanding days.

Get yourself an insulated lunch bag, and increase your snacking possibilities! Stick a small ice pack inside, and you can bring along cheese, yogurt sticks, grapes, strawberries and anything else that you keep in the fridge.

There are all kinds of quick and easy snacking possibilities for kids. Many schools require kids to bring in a snack each day. Try cheese sticks, applesauce squirters or a bag of pretzels. Small crackers also make a great snack. You can find kid-sized water bottles in grocery stores as well as boxed juices and milk.

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