On average, kids consume 500 calories a day from snacks alone, and they often opt for refined and processed foods like chips, cookies, and crackers. Parents can help to boost the quality of all those nibbles by offering an array of better-for-you options brimming with fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean, high quality protein. The five back-to-school snack recipes below from some of our favorite registered dietitians on the web are fun to eat, packed with great flavor, and they all get an A-plus for good nutrition.

Blueberry Banana Snack Cake (shown above): We don’t know too many kids who would turn their noses up to a slice of cake, but this cake is different because it’s made with nutrient-rich ingredients like whole wheat flour, flaxseed, eggs, banana, and blueberries. Serve a slice with a glass of low-fat milk and your kids will be ready to tackle homework, sports, or whatever else they have planned after school.

Fresh-Baked Whole Wheat Pretzels: This recipe is so easy, you can definitely make it with your kids. All you need is a ball of ready-made whole wheat pizza dough, one egg, and a variety of toppings: salt, grated Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, cinnamon, and granulated sugar. Twenty minutes later, you’ll have warm, soft homemade pretzels.

Smoky Sweet Potato Dip: Naturally sweet and packed with immune-boosting vitamin A, roasted sweet potatoes are the foundation for this healthy dip. Besides baked chips, other smart dippers include whole grain crackers, sliced bell peppers, and celery sticks.

Strawberry Fruit Leather: Fruit leathers and gummies get a bad rap because they’re loaded with sugar but not much real fruit (if any at all). But this recipe, made with three cups of strawberries and just three tablespoons of sugar, works wonders to improve the reputation of fruit leather. Plus, it’s absolutely irresistible.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes: Instead of the predictable milk and cookies after school, shake things up by serving these veggie-filled cupcakes instead. Given all the nutritious ingredients—zucchini, whole wheat flour, eggs, and yogurt—they’re some of the healthiest cupcakes we’ve seen in a while!

http://www.gourmandia.fr