Years of watching my kids' daily snack attacks has convinced me that these mini-meals are not small indulgences; active children like my Matt and Rebecca need that afternoon lift.
So I decided to view snacks as the fourth meal of their day. After all, kids receive at least one-fourth of their calories from snacks.
As with breakfast, lunch and dinner, the challenge at snack time became serving healthy foods that my children would eat.
I smuggled nutritious foods like fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains into old favorites (shakes, sandwiches, dips) and disguised them with parfait glasses and crazy straws. I called this "sneaking in the enemy."
Here are some tips and recipes so you can make the fourth meal of the day another healthy and fun meal for your children.
See more great snacks for kids in our gallery.
