11 Healthy Snacks To Pack In Your Kid's Backpack

Make nutrition a priority this school year. As the kids go back to school, portable snacks and meals become a larger part of daily life. Ensuring your kids make healthy eating choices can be difficult when they are out of sight.

Click here for the 11 healthy snacks to pack in your kid's backpack slideshow.

A balanced diet is essential, according to registered dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet Keri Gans. "Typically during a school day there is a wide gap between lunch and dinner for your child," Gans notes. "With afterschool activities, homework to be done, etc., a snack can help your child stay energized and focused." She suggests packing portable healthy snacks that provide plenty of nutrients to keep your kids focused all school day long.

"The snack should contain protein, fiber, and a little fat, which helps with satiety, such as a KIND nuts and spices bar, a Mini Babybel cheese, and piece of fruit, or hummus with raw veggies," says Gans. So next time you go to pack your lunch for your kids, remember to include a brain-boosting midday snack to help them adjust to the long school days ahead.

The Daily Meal has rounded up some of our favorite snack time options so you can add healthy nutrients to their diet — plus a little kid-friendly fun — all with the portability of a backpack in mind.

Let your kids play with their food.  , these apple turtles will keep them entertained and full until dinner.

This is an easy-to-make sushi that, well, isn't sushi at all. This quick snack combines fresh bananas and peanut butter, neatly rolled in the topping of your choice to mimic a cute sushi roll that is a little easier for tiny hands to craft.

For the Banana 'Sushi' recipe, click here.

Angela Carlos is the Cook Editor at The Daily Meal. Find her on Twitter and tweet @angelaccarlos.