Dietitian offers meal preps and healthy eating advice as kids go back to school

The useful part

School is back in session across North Texas and as families get back into the swing of the daily routine, knowing what to make for lunch or snack can sometimes be time consuming. To help make parents lives easier, Stacie Ellis, a registered dietitian and nutritionist said making health and fun meals for kids doesn't have to be hard. They are growing really fast, so they need certain nutrients to help with that growth," said Ellis.

How it works

• "You also need a source of calcium whether that' is a milk base or a milk substitute," said Ellis.
• Suggestions like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with fruits like strawberries helps.
• "The jelly is fine, you know, it makes it sweet, but it's not enough, of fruit.
• So I added strawberries, you can do other fruits," said Ellis about her examples of what to eat.
• Adding some berries and some nuts helps balance it out and adds a little crunch.

What to take from it

"A lot of people feel that, you know, kids don't like vegetables, but, you know, that's because they need to be exposed to them repeatedly. As they get exposed to it, they will get desensitized to the vegetables, and they'll eat it more likely.

Details worth keeping

"It's important as parents that we provide those nutrients for them. She said a parfait with yogurt is a popular choice. Vegetables are also an important side to add.