My son started soccer last year at the age of five. I loved watching him smack the ball around when he wasn't picking grass. But I could not stand watching the soccer snacks handed out after each and every game. Sugary cookies, juice boxes filled with sugar -- one family even brought Krispy Creme doughnuts and chocolate milk. I was disgusted. Call me a soccer snack grouch if you will, but why do kids need a snack after sporting activities? What happened to the coach taking the team to the ice cream shop ONCE during the season? According to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, about 17 percent of American students are overweight.

But there's hope. This year, his soccer league handed out a flyer requiring healthy snacks. For parents unaware of the distinction, they listed a few examples. This grouch actually smiled upon reading the flyer, but it was fleeting as I think the snack should be banned altogether. This is exactly the policy change taken by our park district's preschool this year. Snack time was taken out of the curriculum. No surge of calories near the end of the two hour and fifteeen minute class. The snack never made any sense to me -- class ends at 11:30 am, just in time for lunch.

Don't get me wrong, I admire parents inspiring kids to keep fit and learn new skills via organized sports. But if you still believe in that soccer snack, check out these healthier alternatives provided by No Junk Food.

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Today mark's the official end of summer, and by tomorrow most kids will be back in school, hitting the books. Daily exercise, good sleep habits, and consistent good nutrition will help your child have the energy to soak up all that new found knowledge, but studying for midterms or writing that English paper can bring even the most well-rested, well-fed student down.

Snacks can give hard working kids a pick-me-up, and according to this article, the best foods for studying include carbs and comfort foods. But before you let your little Einstein reach for cookies and potato chips, keep in mind that healthy carbs will provide a slow and steady pipeline of energy to the brain, instead of the crash and burn roller coaster of refined carbs. So what's a healthy carb? Try serving your student treats like apples and peanut butter, grapes, whole grain cereals or pretzels, soup, warm milk, or even a glass of herbal tea.

These snacks won't guarantee A's and B's, but they will provide energy and cut down on stress while your child puts in that extra effort.

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