Snack smart with these back-to-school tips

It's time for your kids to go back to school the early mornings, after-school activities and the constantdemands of your own work life are about to return full swing.

So where in the grind do you find time to make sure your child is eating healthy foods?

Nutritionist Tara Antlejoined the St. John's Morning Show on Tuesday to share some of her tipswith parents.

Read the labels good snacks are out there

When it comes to school snacks, parents often buy the same things over and over.

Most fall victim to clever marketing, Antle said, opting for colourfulpackaging over hard nutritional facts.

When you do flip that box over and look at what's in it, Antlehas a tip for how to read nutrition labels.

Read it from the bottom to the top.

"When you do that, sometimes you'll see what's not in it, for vitamin and mineral content," she said.

While people often pay attention to carbohydrates, fat and sugar content, Antle saidminerals and vitamins are equally as important, especially for growing children.

Evaluate sugar content with a handy trick

When it comes to snacks like Fruit to Goor Quaker granola bars, parents can sometimes assume no harm can be done by eating something claiming to contain natural ingredients.

But Antlewarns people to always look at the amount of sugar and fibre in anything.

"Typically, when we look at sugar on a food label, we have no idea what that is. But as a general rule, if you divide by four, it gives us the number of teaspoons, and teaspoons are something we can visualize."

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One small Fruit to Go bar has 11 grams of sugar the equivalent of almost three teaspoons and a low dose of fibre.

While real fruit is high in sugar, it also contains a heavier content of fibre. This allows the body to absorb the sugar slowly and keep blood sugar levels in check.

Without fibre, the sugar is more detrimental to the body.

Learn from the big companies

It's no coincidence so many people buy the same products in grocery stores.

Marketing among children's snack foods is a multi-million dollar industry in Canada, and it's often very effective, Antle said.

But she believes the work major companies have done on influencing consumers can be stolen to sell your kids on healthy food.

"One thing that's good about marketing is they've done their research, they've done their homework. We can copy a lot from them."

Take the Schneiders Lunch Mate line of products, for example.

Three or four different snacks are combined in one box, separated by compartments. This layout is a major hit for kids, Antle said, and is something easily replicated by parents looking to give their childrena healthier option.

Her main warning, however, is to avoid foods with empty calories low in nutrients and vitamins, but high in other things.

"If our children are eating these, they are missing out on good wholesome foods in other areas."