Do not assume that everything you see in a health food store is nutritious. Read labels to avoid unnecessary additives and sweeteners. If a sweetener is one of the first items on a list of ingredients, it is one of the predominant ingredients. Pay attention to the type of sweetener used and avoid items that include any type of sugar or sweetener as a main ingredient. Here are some healthy snack suggestions:

• whole fruit, raw veggies, organic juices
• cookies, sweetened with fruit juice, rice syrup or barley malt
• rice cakes with almond or cashew or apple butter
• apple or pear slices with nut butter
• celery sticks stuffed with nut butter or soy cream cheese
• whole-grain muffins with nuts, fruit (Prepared mixes are available at health food stores.)
• raw, unsalted nuts or seeds
• popcorn, plain or with a little sea salt (Be careful of unhealthy saturated or trans-fats in some popcorn.)
• baked (not fried) corn puffs or potato chips
• dry cereal and granola
• whole-grain frozen waffles with small amount all-fruit jam or apple butter
• unsweetened sorbets (These are usually made from fruit juice and water and are quite delicious.)

Please be careful if your child has food allergies.