The nation's school children are returning to classrooms this week. Parents pack millions of school lunches daily, and while kids need snacks to help fuel their brains in the classroom, some choices are clearly better than others.
According to USA Today, nutritious snacks help keep kids healthy and alert. Active students require more calories to fuel their brain, energy and growth.
A 2010 National Survey on Children's Health reported that nearly 32 percent of America's kids are overweight or obese.
But not all snacks are bad. The key is eating the right snacks in the right amount. Give kids smart choices, not junk. Parents play a part in helping children focus on healthy snacking for a healthy body and alert mind. A 2009 study published found that children who ate a diet high in junk food were more likely to be hyperactive than those who did not.
"There is a difference between mindless and purposeful snacking," said Angela Lemond, a Dallas dietitian and childhood-nutrition spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, according to USA Today. "What a child eats and how much they eat for snacks has a huge impact on their overall nutrition."
According to Yahoo Health, nutritionists recommend packing snacks for your children that include fresh and dried fruits, whole-grain crackers and cheeses, nuts, yogurt, and vegetable sticks and baby carrots.
Avoid processed snacks high in fat and sugar. Studies suggest that children are more likely to eat foods that they select themselves. Healthy snacking can come from teaching kids to be adventuresome eaters who enjoy healthy foods.
"Parents can teach their children that good health and nutrition start with a simple appreciation for quality foods, whether snacks or dinner," said Kimberly Brown, according to USA Today. Brown is the founder of Raise a Foodie, a year-old venture in Phoenix that holds "foodie adventures" for kids ages 6-10 at restaurants, schools and camps.
According to USA Today, there are 5 tips for parents who are sending their children to school with snacks.
1. Parents should let their children help choose and make snack decisions. Studies show that kids are more likely to eat the food they select.
2. Do the cooking yourself if there is no adults supervising snack time.
3. Educate your kids about healthy snacking. Kid-friendly training in good nutrition can get children 8- to 10-year-olds to eat more healthfully for three years, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
4. Avoid meals or snacks two to four hours before bedtime.
5. Children learn by example. If they see their parents eating a lot of unhealthy snack foods, that's what they are likely to do as well.
Food Safety Education are hosting a "Home Food Safety Mythbusters" webinar to help kids stay safe when preparing snacks and other meals after school. During the webinar, experts will present the science basis behind food safety myths and facts and help to shed light on food safety behaviors of kids.
The webinar was created for National Food Safety Education Month and will take place Thursday, Sept. 5, from 1-2 p.m. EST. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also released information about how to keep those lunches safe.