Healthy Treats to Try!

Eating healthy doesn't have to be hard and it's definitely worth the little bit of extra effort. Here are a few healthy snacking ideas that do the trick:

• Ants on a log: Spread peanut butter on celery sticks and top with raisins. See picture to the left.
  
• Banana ice: Peel several very ripe bananas, break them into 1-inch pieces, and freeze the pieces in a sealed plastic bag. Just before serving, whirl the pieces in the blender with a small amount of water or juice. Serve right away. Add berries for a different flavor or top with fruit or nuts.
  
• Healthy ice pops: Freeze fresh, unsweetened 100% juice in ice pop molds or ice cube trays.
  
• Whole-grain pita and hummus: Warm a pita in the oven on low, then cut it into small triangles. Dip it in a tasty, low-fat hummus. Hummus is available in yummy flavors like garlic and spicy red pepper. Hummus also makes a tasty dip for cut-up veggies.
  
• Happy trails mix: Combine 1 cup whole-grain toasted oat cereal with ¼ cup chopped walnuts and ¼ cup dried cranberries for a healthy trail mix.

As with everything, moderation is the key to smart snacking. Students who eat regular meals and healthy snacks are less likely to overeat and gain weight than those who skip meals or go for long periods without eating and then munch down a large order of fries.

It's also natural to feel hungrier at certain times — like between a long afternoon of classes and your sports game meet. Knowing how much food your body needs to satisfy this hunger is critical. A handful of walnuts is great brain food before sitting down to do that math homework. But a whole bag won't help you add anything — except pounds!