Flip Shelton - Smart Snacks: 100+ quick and nutritious recipes for surviving the school years

A few years ago, I met Professor Felice Jacka from the Food and Mood Centre at Deakin University, who was studying the relationship between what young people were putting in their mouths and their psychology. I was instantly converted by her scientific rigour and convincing data. Dr Jackas team has subsequently demonstrated that eating junk foods does indeed increase the likelihood of psychological problems and can also impact on parts of the brain associated with memory and learning. Through her cutting-edge work she has taught me and a generation of psychologists that we need to encourage our clients to adopt a good-quality, healthy diet with plenty of nuts, fruits and vegetables and that doing so can truly be protective of mental health. I have long believed that parents need to fight over things that matter: sex, drugs, sleep, curfews, internet use, exercise and, of course, diet. These are issues that relate directly to the wellbeing of our offspring.

When I raise the topic of food with my clients, I usually get an eye roll so big that they are in danger of detaching a retina. They are expecting a finger-wagging lecture on the food pyramid and the dangers inherent in a diet of cheap, fast food. And while those dangers are indeed undeniable, Flip and I have written this book not to preach or pass judgement, but to provide parents with a wealth of recipes and ideas for swapping processed snacks and sugary drinks with alternatives that are packed with nourishment, to help tip the balance towards a healthier diet. Weve chosen to focus on snacks because theyre a key and often overlooked part of kids food routines. These mini meals are important for maintaining blood sugar levels with