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.