5 Healthy & Delicious Snacks Worth Packing

Whether it's back to school or a post-summer healthy fresh start, September is the perfect time to pump-up your snack repertoire.

To make sure they don't make the return trip home, here are 5 healthy and delicious snacks worth packing.

1. Not Your Typical Hummus. Veggie sticks and hummus is a classic healthy and delicious snack option. But if hummus is starting to feel ho-hum, give it a kick in the chickpeas with these oh-so-tasty variations on the traditional. We guarantee that snack-size container will come home licked clean.

2. Smoothie. We couldn't talk snacks in September without mentioning smoothies (the 30-day Challenge is well underway but it’s not too late to join). You don't need to have a blender handy to enjoy a smoothie as a recess or mid-morning snack. Simply blend in the morning and pour it in an insulated water bottle or add ice to the blend and pop your frosty smoothie in a to-go mason jar. When you're ready, just shake and slurp.

3. Power Treats. Who doesn't love a cookie or candy bar as a snack? To keep it on the healthy side (and avoid the sugar crash), forget those store-bought processed numbers and power up with homemade options packed with serious, energy-boosting ingredients. We love this recipe for double chocolate oat cookies and this healthier version of a chocolate bar packed with nuts and goodness. Yes, you can have your cookie and eat it too.

4. Delectably Dry Roasted. This snack can be made in bulk during the weekend and be a treat all week. Dry roasting nuts and legumes is a great way to keep it healthy but still add that satisfying, salty crunch to snack time. It's fun to play around with different flavours but some of our favourites are these spicy Chili Lime Almonds and these even spicier Sriracha Sesame Chickpeas. We suggest this as a Sunday afternoon project because, in our experience, any earlier in the weekend and they won't make it to Monday.

5. Go Crackers. We know crackers are a convenient and quick way to stave off the between-meals-munchies but many of the store-bought varieties are laden with preservatives, sugar, salt and trans fats. Satisfy your cracker cravings the healthy way with these homemade seed crackers. One crunch and you'll be pumped up, seed powered and ready to fly through the rest of your day.

With these nibble-icious options, snack time won't be a danger zone threatening to throw you off the healthy rails. And, you can be sure that these snacks won't be abandoned in the bottom of the lunch box.

Let the birdies forage from the land instead of your lunch pack.