Snacks

Advice from sports nutritionist Nancy Clark on what parents can do to help their young athlete overcome cravings and perceived addictions.

Kids are notorious for jumping off the school bus and heading straight for the candy jar full of sugary junk food. Since children get about one-third of their daily calories from after-school snacks, it is essential that they receive the nutrients they need to support proper growth and health. So when you are shopping for school supplies, clothing, and gadgets, don't forget to stock the pantry with healthy after-school snacks. Here's how to transform five basic snacks items into tasty after-school treats guaranteed to please.

If all the ads for sports drinks, energy bars, energy drinks, electrolyte replacers, and sports candies are to believed, they are a necessary part of a sports diet, particularly if a child is participating in endurance exercise such as training for a marathon or a triathlon.  While there is a time and a place for engineered sports foods (particularly among kids who train at a high intensity), in most cases sports-active children can get their needs met with a wisely chosen diet.

The recent Natural Food Products Expo East gave Youth Sports Parents a chance to sample new products ranging from vitamins, sports drinks, granola bars and protein mixes, to muscle rubs, juicers, lip balms, and our favorite, snacks. Out of all of the snacks we tried, here are some of our top picks, all great, healthier alternatives to the usual doritos, fruit rollups, potato chips and candy. Put them in with your kid’s lunch, they won’t know the difference, but you'll know they will be eating healthy!

With the start of school and the fall sports season comes the usual scramble by parents to find a nutritious snack to throw in their child's backpack or sports bag before they go off to school.  We've reviewed 9 high protein options that will help ensure that your young athlete has a nutritious snack that will give her the energy she needs for after-school sports and isn't tempted to hit the vending machine in the cafeteria for the empty calories of a candy bar.

One of the biggest challenges to healthy eating is between-meal snacking. Popcorn, a whole grain food that's low in calories, is a great snack food that's economical and also fun to eat.

Because most children and teens eat a lot of snacks, their nutritional content may go a long way in determining whether their nutritional needs are being met. There are a wide variety of healthy snack choices for children and teens, including crunch, chewy, creamy and juicy snacks.