In the past, I have been completely frustrated when it comes to providing snacks for my healthy, growing brood of children. It would seem that the "system" of factories and fast-food are out to get me and my money, when it comes to convenient snacks. Unfortunately, most of the snacks on the shelves in the store tend to be highly processed, low-nutrition, carb-and-sugar laden foods. Everything from goldfish crackers to handi-snacks to those "fruit gummies" that are supposedly "now made with REAL fruit!" just don't made the grade in my house. Sure, on occasion I don't have a problem with these as a treat, but on a regular basis, I would like to fuel my kids with something a little more... natural.
Having six kids also raises the problem of cost. I can't just run out to the health food store and pick up their organic fruit and veggie smoothies or 16 grain, gluten-free cupcakes or super-vitamin-brain-stimulating magical cookies, because our food budget would probably double (if not triple)!
So, just for simplicity's sake, here are the snacks that we typically eat in my house:
1. Organic apples (whole... never peeled!). This is one product I typically buy organically because apples are one of the worst culprits for heavy pesticide/herbicide use. (We also eat a lot of other whole fresh, whole fruits: bananas, oranges, kiwis, mangoes, grapes, etc.)
2. Homemade "snack mix". This usually consists of dried fruit - banana chips, raisins, apricots, etc - along with nuts (pecans, almonds or walnuts), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc.), and then I will use a "filler cereal" such as Cheerios or, better yet, organic shredded wheat squares (President's Choice brand from Superstore). I will mix up a huge container-full and if it is running low, just add in some more goodies and keep it going...
3. Frozen mixed veggies. Back when my 12 year old was a baby, I came up with the idea to give her frozen (or very slightly thawed) mixed veggies. They were a hit! Now I can set out a bowl of them and the kids will eat it like popcorn.
4. "Bilk" Which is my special name for Frozen Blueberries mixed with Milk. It's as simple as that. Fill a cup or mug 3/4 full of frozen blueberries and top with your choice of milk... skim, 2%, goats-milk... After a couple of minutes, the blueberries thaw a little and turn the milk an amazing purple color! It's just as good (but nutritionally much better) than a real milkshake!
5. Smoothies. Do yourself a favor and buy a good blender. I have found that it is much more economical to buy tasty, ripe fruit from the frozen food section than it is to buy over-priced, out-of-season fruits throughout the year. Yes, do buy local fruit when it is in season - but if you live in a colder climate, like me, then you know the fresh-local-fruit season is quite limited. Nowadays, I will throw random frozen fruit into a blender, along with seasonal fresh fruit including apples with the skin or mangoes, or kiwis and top with either milk or yogurt or occasionally some real fruit juice (not fruit punch) and blend it with ice until my kids have what they think is as good as a slurpee or milkshake. ($$$ Saving hint: Throw your over-ripe bananas, pears, peaches or plums into the freezer to use in a smoothie later. Another thing I do is take the half-eaten apples, cut out the core and "eaten" part, chop it up and throw it into the freezer for a smoothie later.)
6. Yogurt mixed with fruit and nuts. A while back, I weaned myself off of sugar for a few weeks and made up a snack that consisted of plain Greek yogurt, mixed with either walnuts, banana slices, cinnamon and nutmeg - or mixed with apples, pecans and cinnamon. Recently, I even mixed my yogurt with frozen blueberries and freshly ground flax - although I'm not sure the kids would like that one as much! The trick is to buy good Greek or Balkin style yogurt. To me, it tastes less acidic and it is nice and thick and creamy.
7. Nuts and Seeds. I mentioned these before in the context of a snack mix, but nuts are such an excellent snack and good for you in so many ways. You won't have a sugar-high to deal with and they are full of protein, so you will get a longer-lasting energy from eating them!
8. Seaweed or Nori. If you want something salty and flavorful, try some dried seaweed! Look for one that doesn't use any artificial seasoning...(no MSG!). My kids absolutely love to munch on it, and my 2 year old will even preform a "happy dance" to earn his piece of seaweed!
9. Raw Veggies - plain or dipped in homemade Hummus. Carrot sticks, cucumber, peppers, broccoli, sugar-snap peas, turnip slices, and whatever else looks fresh - just cut it into appealing, bite-able sticks and dip away! (Time-saving hint: On shopping day or the day after, wash and cut up your veggies and store them in an air tight container in the fridge. Then when you (or your little snack-ers) are hungry the veggies are ready to eat!)
and now, for number 10.....
10. Homemade baking. Okay, I bet you were waiting for something that sounded super-healthy. Yet I have no trouble admitting that we like our homemade cookies/pretzels/muffins/'fill in the blank' around here. At least when you make it at home, it isn't full of strange un-pronounceable ingredients and preservatives. Also, when you make it at home, you can sneak in the healthy stuff - shredded zucchini in your muffins or flax seeds in the cookies... just use your imagination and try not to eat the whole batch at once!
There you have it... my Top 10, off the top of my head snacks that we eat in our busy household. Did I miss something good? I invite your comments on the healthy snacks that you (and your family) enjoy eating!
Having six kids also raises the problem of cost. I can't just run out to the health food store and pick up their organic fruit and veggie smoothies or 16 grain, gluten-free cupcakes or super-vitamin-brain-stimulating magical cookies, because our food budget would probably double (if not triple)!
So, just for simplicity's sake, here are the snacks that we typically eat in my house:
1. Organic apples (whole... never peeled!). This is one product I typically buy organically because apples are one of the worst culprits for heavy pesticide/herbicide use. (We also eat a lot of other whole fresh, whole fruits: bananas, oranges, kiwis, mangoes, grapes, etc.)
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| My 4 year old "preparing" apples for a snack... |
3. Frozen mixed veggies. Back when my 12 year old was a baby, I came up with the idea to give her frozen (or very slightly thawed) mixed veggies. They were a hit! Now I can set out a bowl of them and the kids will eat it like popcorn.
4. "Bilk" Which is my special name for Frozen Blueberries mixed with Milk. It's as simple as that. Fill a cup or mug 3/4 full of frozen blueberries and top with your choice of milk... skim, 2%, goats-milk... After a couple of minutes, the blueberries thaw a little and turn the milk an amazing purple color! It's just as good (but nutritionally much better) than a real milkshake!
5. Smoothies. Do yourself a favor and buy a good blender. I have found that it is much more economical to buy tasty, ripe fruit from the frozen food section than it is to buy over-priced, out-of-season fruits throughout the year. Yes, do buy local fruit when it is in season - but if you live in a colder climate, like me, then you know the fresh-local-fruit season is quite limited. Nowadays, I will throw random frozen fruit into a blender, along with seasonal fresh fruit including apples with the skin or mangoes, or kiwis and top with either milk or yogurt or occasionally some real fruit juice (not fruit punch) and blend it with ice until my kids have what they think is as good as a slurpee or milkshake. ($$$ Saving hint: Throw your over-ripe bananas, pears, peaches or plums into the freezer to use in a smoothie later. Another thing I do is take the half-eaten apples, cut out the core and "eaten" part, chop it up and throw it into the freezer for a smoothie later.)
6. Yogurt mixed with fruit and nuts. A while back, I weaned myself off of sugar for a few weeks and made up a snack that consisted of plain Greek yogurt, mixed with either walnuts, banana slices, cinnamon and nutmeg - or mixed with apples, pecans and cinnamon. Recently, I even mixed my yogurt with frozen blueberries and freshly ground flax - although I'm not sure the kids would like that one as much! The trick is to buy good Greek or Balkin style yogurt. To me, it tastes less acidic and it is nice and thick and creamy.
7. Nuts and Seeds. I mentioned these before in the context of a snack mix, but nuts are such an excellent snack and good for you in so many ways. You won't have a sugar-high to deal with and they are full of protein, so you will get a longer-lasting energy from eating them!
8. Seaweed or Nori. If you want something salty and flavorful, try some dried seaweed! Look for one that doesn't use any artificial seasoning...(no MSG!). My kids absolutely love to munch on it, and my 2 year old will even preform a "happy dance" to earn his piece of seaweed!
9. Raw Veggies - plain or dipped in homemade Hummus. Carrot sticks, cucumber, peppers, broccoli, sugar-snap peas, turnip slices, and whatever else looks fresh - just cut it into appealing, bite-able sticks and dip away! (Time-saving hint: On shopping day or the day after, wash and cut up your veggies and store them in an air tight container in the fridge. Then when you (or your little snack-ers) are hungry the veggies are ready to eat!)
and now, for number 10.....
10. Homemade baking. Okay, I bet you were waiting for something that sounded super-healthy. Yet I have no trouble admitting that we like our homemade cookies/pretzels/muffins/'fill in the blank' around here. At least when you make it at home, it isn't full of strange un-pronounceable ingredients and preservatives. Also, when you make it at home, you can sneak in the healthy stuff - shredded zucchini in your muffins or flax seeds in the cookies... just use your imagination and try not to eat the whole batch at once!There you have it... my Top 10, off the top of my head snacks that we eat in our busy household. Did I miss something good? I invite your comments on the healthy snacks that you (and your family) enjoy eating!
Awesome ideas! I love the Bilk idea...I'll have to try that one for sure!
ReplyDelete-Audrey