Dear Internet,
I have hit a snack brick wall. I want to prepare healthful snacks for my Kiddo, but sometimes I need something else in addition to fresh fruit and veggie sticks. I've tried nuts and dried fruit, too. But I'm bored and need great inspiration. What other great snacks are there that don't come wrapped in plastic, cardboard or are extruded?
Please help me.
Sincerely,
Mom.
I like to make parfaits with yogurt, sliced fruit, and chopped nuts. I also pop popcorn on the stove in our Whirly Pop - I use coconut oil to pop it. FruitAbu is a big hit with my kiddos. Whole wheat pretzels. Dry cereal. Peanut butter or almond butter spread on a banana and drizzled with honey. Those are our favorites!
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for the answer too! I was just compaining to my husband about this a few days ago. I just purchased one of the Lunchbot Duo's for Cate's lunchbox. We have the larger one but her little hands couldn't open it.
ReplyDeleteWe do eat a few Lara Bars, still packaed but at least healthy. Boiled eggs.
I'm going to try nori sheets this week. I'll let you know how it goes.
Any cereal by Nature's Path is acceptable in my book. The company is still independent and all the cereals come in plastic bags. We don't eat oats or much wheat so I mostly stick to the corn ceral balls.
My kids love to shell peanuts. A few go a long way.
My girls like cereal with milk, mini bagels, yogurt with fruit, string cheese or cheese and crackers, smoothies, whole wheat English muffins...look forward to hearing everyone's ideas - I can always use new snack choices! :)
ReplyDeleteWe do pretzles and dry cereal alot. Mine likes the peanuts in a shell because she can open them herself (we are in the big girl stage). Also try mixing fruit and cheese- the combo is great because of the sweet/salty factor!
ReplyDeleteHave you tried boiled peanuts? People I know tend to love 'em or hate 'em. I'm the only one in my house who like them. They're easier to open than raw or roasted, though, which could be a plus for Kiddo.
ReplyDeleteWe love whole grain crackers with peanut butter. And fruit kabobs are always a hit!
ReplyDeletewe made great homemade snack bars adapted fromthe smuckers peanut butter recipe- honey, pb melted together on stove, mix in all sorts of raisins, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, cereals (purley o's and puffed rice, and of course, choc chips! press into buttered dish, let cool. cut into bit size pcs. can make as sweet as you want. a real treat!
ReplyDeletealso, i steam veggies like string beans, asparagus, broc, carrots, and add a. vogul's herbamare to sour cream for dipping.
cheese on apple slices. sometimes with pb.
jamie
Sunnyboy just started to enjoy hummus recently. He likes it with vegetable sticks and bread sticks to dip in it. I could definitely do with more snack ideas too though :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're getting lots of good ideas! One of our favorites is making smoothies. We use frozen soy yogurt, bananas, and orange juice, then we throw in some frozen berries or peaches. It never tastes quite the same twice, but they're always very yummy!
ReplyDeleteI make smoothies (http://www.heidisfullplate.com/2009/06/fruit-smoothie-recipe.html). Sometimes I make a double batch and then freeze the extra smoothie in screw top containers (the ball jar company makes some nice ones). The frozen smoothie containers can be packed in a lunch box or picnic basket. At lunch time the kids can eat them with a spoon like sorbet. Yummy, fun, and different!
ReplyDeleteOo! I just ordered a lunchbot duo but it's taking forever to get here. Wanted to get the pico too but thought at that price I better make sure the kid can get the lid off himself. Besides, they were backordered.
ReplyDeleteOK, snack ideas - you've started with the right idea and can always dress up your fruit and veggies if you want to start there. Adding a dip or using small cookie cutters to make fun shapes. Other ideas are cheese, rolled up lunch meat, or roll cheese in the lunch meat, crackers (come in a box, but you could easily make your own), peanut butter balls (loved these as a kid & they have wheat germ in them to boot), endless varieties of granola, yogurt with a little honey, trail mixes, look to bento recipes too for things like rice balls or try pinwheels - use a tortilla or a slice of bread slightly flattened with the crusts cut off, add filling (meat & cheese, pb&j, cream cheese & whatever), roll & cut into disks.
Do I win the longest comment award?
Dear Internet,
ReplyDeleteYou have the best snack ideas ever! I knew I could count on you. Thank you.
Now I am off to the kitchen to try making my own smoothies, snack bars, crackers, dips and the other great suggestions. I think I will try making mini bread sticks, too.
I also love the peanut idea because keeping Kiddo's hands busy earns some serious bonus points in my book.
Sincerley,
Mom
I have the same issue. I like the Archer Farms (Target brand) multigrain & seed crackers, even though they are a processed food. Those or Kashi brand are good for crackers, which I try to minimize in favor of fruits/veggies but are good sometimes.
ReplyDeleteOther things we have for snack quite frequently: all-natural string cheese, avocado, all-natural brown rice cakes spread with organic peanut butter, cream cheese, etc., plain yogurt sprinkled with granola, edamame.
Good luck, and sorry I'm late!