To Buy:

• 2 tablepoons honey
• 4 tablepoons peanut butter
• 2 cups granola
• 2-4 tablepoons milk, or as needed

The kids can help out with these, no cooking required. In a large mixing bowl, stir the honey and peanut butter well. Take a spatula and use that to stir in the granola. Add only enough milk as needed to moisten everything just enough to stick together. Form the mix into balls. Chill until ready to serve.

Nutella Sandwich

(Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis' recipe on the Food Network website)

Do your kids know about Nutella? Do you? It is an Italian spread created by Pietro Ferrero during World War II. The supply of cocoa was cut for rationing and so Mr. Ferrero made up his own replacement concoction comprised of hazelnuts. Italians love this milky hazelnut spread on crusty bread paired with a glass of juice for breakfast. Luckily for us, its popularity has spread across continents and now we can serve it as a sweet substitute for peanut butter when our kids want something sweet and we want them to eat something filling and nutritious.

Prep: 5 min | Cook: 4 min

To Buy:

• 6 slices (1/2 inch thick) ciabatta bread
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the sliced bread until it is toasted, about 2 minutes per side. When finished, spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread over 1 piece of the toast. Top with the second piece of toast and serve. Quick and easy!

Portion Distortion

Filling after school snacks are an important part of a healthy child's diet. However, considering the obesity epidemic rampant in America today, it is probably a good idea to discuss portion sizes. For example, a bagel from 20 years ago was 3 inches in diameter and contained about 150 calories. Today's bagels have ballooned up to 6 inches and 300 calories or more. If serving your child a bagel, only give them half.