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When it comes to afternoon snacks for your children, tasting good and being healthy don't have to be mutually exclusive. It just takes a little planning.

To complete this How-To you will need:

Planning time
Shopping time
Counter space
Assorted dairy products
Fruits
Vegetables
​Grains

Step 1: Get the kids involved

Give your children a list of healthy options. If they insist on an empty calorie treat like potato chips or cookies, see if you can find a recipe for a more nutritious, homemade version -- like baking thinly-sliced yams brushed with a little olive oil until they're crisp, or making cookies out of natural peanut butter.

Tip: Use applesauce instead of butter in baked goods. Make cookies and muffins with oats, dried fruit, and nuts.

Step 2: Plan your shopping

Plan your shopping list for a week's worth of after-school snacks before going to the grocery store. Decide whether you will prepare snacks ahead of time or make them daily.

Tip: If time is an issue, prepare snacks ahead of time and package them individually for ease of availability.

Step 3: Make a dip

Make a dip to accompany some of the snacks. For fruit, make a sweet dip with flavored yogurt or apple sauce. For veggies make a low-calorie ranch dip. Grains such as baked tortilla chips or whole wheat crackers go well with salsa or hummus.

Step 4: Plan activities

Make snack time interactive. Let the kids construct their own kid-sized pizzas, or pile assorted fruits onto toothpick skewers for a fruit kabob.

Tip: Use low-fat mozzarella and a whole-grain English muffin or pita for kid-sized pizza.

Step 5: Try frozen snacks

Freeze bananas and then roll them in low-fat chocolate sauce and nuts. Make your own frozen pops out of pure pureed fruit. Or offer them a handful of frozen grapes. Anything fruity that comes out of the freezer will seem like an ice cream treat.

Step 6: Be open to non-traditional snacks

Don't become boxed in by what you feel a "snack" should look like. It can be a petite portion of whatever your child likes to eat. The important thing is that it's nutritious and not too caloric. Happy noshing!

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