When it comes to school snacks for your little ones, it’s easy to get into a rut. But by making a few delicious and convenient choices in the grocery store, you can break away from the same old routine and serve up nibbles and noshes your kids will love.
Whether your star pupils prefer a savory dip, a light and salty snack or a chewy fruit bar, here are a few great choices you can pack.
Keep Food Fresh
• Ensure that puddings and yogurts stay cold by freezing them the night before use. You can also freeze water bottles or juice boxes to act as ice packs in lunch containers.
• Keep PB&J sandwich bread fresh by spreading peanut butter on both slices of bread, and avoid saturation by placing jelly in the center.
• Add a paper towel to containers with freshly washed fruits and vegetables. This will absorb any extra moisture, retaining peak texture and flavor.
Pop Up Some Fun
For back-to-school snacking, you can’t beat popcorn. Pop up a bowl and let the fun flavor creations begin — sweet, savory or with just a dash of salt. Popcorn is a grab-n-go treat that takes minutes to make. Plus, it’s whole grain and contains fiber to fuel the body and keep you feeling fuller longer than other snacks. This beloved treat is also economical, costing mere pennies per serving. For more information, visit www.popcorn.org.
Serve a Satisfying Snack
Do you need an easy way to pack more protein, calcium and other nutrients into your family’s diet? You can’t go wrong with a kid-friendly kitchen staple like low-fat yogurt. With a wide array of textures, consistencies and flavors, there are sure to be several varieties that even the pickiest eater will enjoy. Take these beloved flavors to new heights with toppings such as dried fruit, organic granola, dark chocolate and coconut shavings.
Also, try these tips from Wilton to keep snacks healthy and tasty:
- Make it fun. Let kids get creative by using cookie cutters on low-fat cheese slices and whole grain bread or tortillas to build their own snacks. Or, have them make funny faces using natural peanut butter, raisins and fruit, like sliced bananas, apples or pears.
- Sneak in veggies. Bakers are using veggies more than ever before in new, inspirational baked treats. Many vegetables have a natural sweetness, so your family won’t taste the difference during snack time. Try sweet potato cupcakes or carrot and zucchini cookies.
- Think Greek. With more protein and richness than other yogurt varieties, Greek yogurt can be used in many different ways. Try it in fruit dips or as an alternative for mayo or sour cream. You can even substitute it for some of the butter in baking recipes to reduce calories and fat.Here are some fun snack recipes to try:
Squash and Banana Mini Muffins
Makes about 48 mini muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats (uncooked)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups thawed frozen pureed winter squash
3/4 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
1 egg
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare mini muffin pan with vegetable pan spray. In large bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. In medium bowl, whisk together squash, sugar, banana, egg and oil. Make a well in center of flour mixture; whisk in squash mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries. Fill cavities 2/3 full with batter. Bake 12-14 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.
Recipe from wilton.com.
Honey Nut Raisin Snack Mix
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Cool time: 30 minutes Servings: 6 cups
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons almond butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups brown crispy rice cereal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup rolled gluten-free oats
2 cups California raisins
1/2 cup California golden raisins
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add honey, almond butter and cinnamon and bring to full boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in cereal, almonds and oats. Spread 1-inch thick on baking sheet then separate into 1-inch clusters. Let cool completely, then sprinkle in raisins. Store in an airtight container.
Note: For crunchy clusters, spread cooked mixture 1-inch thick on a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir to form clusters and let cool completely. Sprinkle in raisins.
Recipe from loveyourraisins.com
Article courtesy of Family Features.
