Healthy Lunchbox Snacks

A healthy snack supplies the body with vitamins and minerals, and gives body and mind energy needed between meals. This is particularly important for children, who must comprehend and retain lessons taught in the classroom. The ideal snack will bring health benefits, not merely calories, to your child's lunchbox.

Whole-Grain Snacks

Whole-grain snacks are an excellent source of fiber, and can be filling. Air-popped popcorn uses no fat, and as a result is low in calories at about 30 per cup. Whole-wheat pretzels, whole-wheat crackers, and graham crackers also make healthy snacks, as does a small bag of whole-grain cereal. Include tortilla chips (baked, not fried) with some salsa in your child's lunchbox; nine baked tortilla chips and nine teaspoons of salsa contains approximately 90 calories.

Fruit Snacks

Slice a fresh banana, a fresh apple, or both, and store in a plastic container for snack time. Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on the apple pieces to add healthy protein. One small banana is only 90 calories, and is a good source of potassium; a medium-sized apple amounts to 72 calories. Applesauce --- at about 50 calories per half-cup --- is a good lunchbox addition, as is a large, fresh orange and its 100 calories. A half-cup of fruit cocktail amounts to 62 calories; a half-cup of fresh grapes equals about 50; and a cup of fresh, uncut strawberries is also about 50 calories. All these fruits contain vitamin C.

Vegetable Snacks

Cut raw vegetables up into bite-size pieces and put them in the lunchbox. One cup of broccoli contributes about 30 calories, a high amount of vitamin C, and some vitamin A to snack time. A cup of carrots brings a high dose of vitamin A, some vitamin C, and approximately 30 calories; a cup of cauliflower packs vitamin C and just 25 calories. Large stalks of celery run only nine calories, while adding vitamins A and C. Four sweet red pepper rings put vitamins A and C in the lunchbox, for a total of eight calories; a cup of cherry tomatoes includes vitamins A and C and about 27 calories. Include a small (two-tablespoon) container of fat-free salad dressing for dipping. Some such dressings contain as little as 15 calories per tablespoon.