Lisa Cain, Ph.D., is an avid healthy snacker, foodie, published author, and mother of 2.

An evolutionary biologist by training, she has become obsessed with how food contributes to our overall health. Check out her Snack Girl website for other healthy snack ideas.

Do you have a food fight with your child after school? Is your child starving because he tossed out his uneaten lunch because he was having too much fun in the school cafeteria?

Afternoon snacks tend to fall into the treat category more than parents would like to admit. Cookies, candy, chips, along with “healthy” packaged snacks like fruit snacks are common.

We all want to ensure our kids don't get too cranky before dinnertime. But, we should try to feed them something that will feed their brains (homework time!).

What can we feed them without a war? Here are five afternoon snacks that have promise as peaceful substitutes for unhealthy treats. Replace brownies, potato chips, candy, pizza bites, and ice-cream with these suggestions:

1. LÄRABAR is a packaged snack that includes only a few ingredients. The are made with dates, cashews and other whole foods. Let you kid choose his or her favorite and relax.

2. Make “Ants on a Log” for a fun treat. Take a celery stick, spread with peanut butter or cream cheese, and add some raisins. These logs have a great crunch and combination of vegetable and protein.

3. Instead of junky candy try dark chocolate covered raisins. Dark chocolate and raisins are both healthy foods (remember chocolate is made from plants). You can give out a handful of these after your kid eats that healthy apple.

4. Mini pizzas are a simple snack that kids will love to make. Layer crackers with pizza sauce and shredded cheese and pop them in the toaster or microwave.

5. Plain yogurt with jam is a wonderful snack. If you add your own jam versus buying a packaged yogurt, you can control the amount of added sugar.