Smart Snacks for Kids

This super snack planner—with six recipes to prepare ahead and six you can whip up in minutes—will stack the chips in favor of your kid's health.Breadstick Snails

Made with refrigerated breadsticks and pesto, these cute creatures can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator.Nutrition Per Piece: 96 calories; 3g fat

Biscotti Gone Bananas

If your kids like banana bread, they'll love these crispy biscotti strips. Keep them in a tightly sealed container and they'll stay fresh for up to a week.

Nutrition Per Piece: 101 calories; 3g fat

Rainbow Chips & Dip

It's a snap to make your own chips using colorful whole-grain tortillas. This fresh pineapple salsa beats bottled dip any day. Both the chips and salsa can be made ahead for anytime snacking.Nutrition Per Serving: 112 calories; 2g fat

Confetti Yogurt Pops

Packed with antioxidants, protein, and calcium, these portable yogurt pops are a perfect on-the-go snack.

Nutrition Per Pop: 99 calories; 1g fat

Cranberry-Apricot Granola Bars

Dried apricots, cranberries, and cinnamon sweeten up these fiber-rich granola bars.

Nutrition Per Bar: 157 calories; 5g fat

Fruit & Cheese Kabobs

Create these fun shapes using your child's favorite cookie cutters. You can also mix things up by substituting different kinds of fruit.

Nutrition Per Serving: 99 calories; 6g fat

Starry Chocolate Fruit

Kids can help with this five-minute snack. Just set out the melted chocolate and let them dip in the fruit.

Nutrition Per Serving: 134 calories; 8g fat

No-Bake Peach Crisp

Ready in no time, this cinnamon-peach crisp is topped with low-fat vanilla yogurt.Nutrition Per Serving: 101 calories; 1g fat

Strawberry PB Crepes

Filled with peanut butter and chopped strawberries, these bite-size crepes are an excellent source of protein.

Nutrition Per Serving: 125 calories; 9g fat

Blueberry-Banana Stacks

Mini popcorn cakes are the perfect base for these tiny towers of strawberry cream cheese, bananas, and blueberries.

Nutrition Per Serving: 114 calories; 6g fat

Monarch Munchies

Loaded with iron, these little munchies are almost as fun to make as they are to eat.

Nutrition Per Serving: 104 calories; 4g fat

Polka-Dot Waffle Sticks

These sweet treats can be made on the fly. Just cover whole-grain waffles with reduced-fat cream cheese and top with jelly.

Nutrition Per Serving: 134 calories; 6g fat

Originally published in the April 2009 issue of Parents magazine.