Summer is upon us. Days are longer and hotter. We are out and about doing our thing. It’s easy to miss a meal or even go longer without food in between meals. Hello snacks!

Snacks are a great way for us to keep our energy level up and get thru our days. Having sufficient energy throughout the day not only helps us get thru our chores and tasks, but it also helps our immune system to keep us from falling ill. But not all snacks are created equal. And what’s more, people are generally drawn to snacks that are not 100% healthy. Do you ever get home after work all tired and hungry and before your dinner you dig in the bag of potato chips? Before you know it the bag is half gone (especially if it’s Doritos in my case!) If you had a snack around 4 pm or so, you’d be able to pass the chips and wait for dinner.

With that said, we have put together 10 healthy snacks for you to munch on during the hot summer months.

Lightly salted apple slices – Get your favorite kind of apple. Chop it into slices (do not peel). Soak the cut slices in cold water for 30 minutes. Take out and pat dry. Sprinkle a very small amount of salt (very small amount). Put these in a zip lock bag and stick them in the fridge. This is a perfectly healthy snack that tastes good and also doesn’t ruin your teeth (or your waist line!).
Carrots dipped in guacamole or hummus – Baby carrots are the best. They come all ready to eat. Pair these up with some guacamole or hummus and voila.
Ants on a log – Take a few celery sticks. Cut off the leafy part. Smear peanut butter on one side and sprinkle some raisins on top. While raisins are sticky and sweet and not so good for teeth, the celery sticks will help in removing these bits and pieces. Peanut butter is a great source of protein as well. Apples also go really well with peanut butter, plus you need no raisins.
Frozen yogurt – Instead of that scoop of ice cream, have some frozen yogurt. There are very easy delicious recipes for making homemade froyo.
Yogurt with fruit – Take plain (or vanilla yogurt) and add in a handful of blue berries. Quick, simple and delicious. Try different fruits to see what you like the most.
Whole grain crackers and cheese – Fulfilling and healthy. You can substitute apples for the crackers. Apple and cheese slices. Yum.
Trail mix – Make your own or buy from the store. Just don’t buy the one with all the “m & m’s” in there. Solid snack to keep you going.
Fruit salad – Making a small container the night before and sticking it in the fridge will give you an excellent snack the next day. Plus, you really cannot pick an unhealthy fruit.
Milk – Excellent source of calcium. Good for the teeth and the bones. Plus tastes good to drink without adding chocolate. Pair the milk with half a banana. Tasty and healthy.
Chia seeds – They make healthy delicious snacks that everyone can enjoy. The texture might need a little getting used to. But a great healthy snack.

Follow these suggestions for snacking not just for the sake of eating healthy snacks, but also snacks that are good for your teeth.

Happy summer.