SALT LAKE CITY — Summertime is here, and with summer comes all the fun, on-the-go outdoor activities. Keeping yourself and your family well fed throughout all the summer fun can sometimes be a hassle.

Here are some quick and easy tips to help make summer snack time fast and healthy for the busy summer months:

1. Yummy snack ideas

Sometimes the hardest part about eating healthy is thinking up healthy food ideas. Remember, all foods can fit into a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. There is no need to feel guilty for feeding your kids fruit snacks. I do it all the time. You can’t beat how easy they are for on-the-go snacking. However, adding a variety of snacks is also a good idea. Here are a few healthy snack ideas for you and your family:

• Mixed Nuts or Trail Mixes: Nuts are a great way to add healthy fats into your diet, which your body uses for many different functions.
• Raisins or other dried fruit: Individually wrapped raisins boxes are a great alternative to your average fruit snack. They are tasty and help provide your body with fiber and potassium. My daughter enjoys the regular raisins, craisins or yogurt covered raisins.
• In-season fruit: Grapes, nectarines, peaches, strawberries and cut melons are all great snacks for the summer; and since they're in season, they are generally less expensive.
• Cheese sticks or individually packaged cheese: There are so many options for cheese, which can be bought in individual packages and ready for on-the-go snacking. Next time you are in the cheese section look for the different individually packed cheese options and give one a try.

2. Make grab-and-go snack bags

Now that you have some ideas for healthy snacks, it's time to make easy grab-and-go snack bags. Take a large gallon-size Ziploc bag and fill it with a few of each of your healthy snacks. I like to create separate grab-and-go bags for the food that needs to be refrigerated and for the food found in the pantry.

Having multiple snack bags ready to go makes getting out the door and to the pool or playground so much easier. I can quickly grab a variety of snacks without having to think about it. This works great for prepping kids' snacks as well as adult snacks for hiking or a day on the lake.

3. Create a fruit/veggie tray

We've all seen fruit and vegetable trays at the grocery store. They're super convenient and often used for parties and get-togethers, but have you ever thought about just keeping one in your fridge for snacks? Having fruits and vegetables that are already washed, cut and ready to eat can make it so much easier to get your daily servings in. You can either buy a pre-made fruit or vegetable tray or simply make your own.

Reusable vegetable trays can be bought online. Having your own tray allows you to rotate and select different fruits and vegetables to add to your tray each week. When you or your kids want a snack while hanging out at the house this summer, simply pull out the veggie tray and dig in.

Danielle Billat is a local RDN and mother. Contact her at danielle.billat@gmail.com

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