Tip #27 Snacks

I was asked to write about snacks eons ago.  I haven't meant to neglect posting to this blog.  The problem is that most of my free time is at night when my kids are asleep and now one of my kids sleeps in the office.  Hence, no computer time in the evening.  Right now he is sleeping in my bed.  Lucky.
Anyway, snacks.  I have some pretty simple rules about snacks in my house.  They either need to have protein or are a fruit or vegetable.  That's pretty much it.  Often my snacks are just one part of what I would give my kid for a lunch.  For example:  Cheesy bread might be a snack by itself or lunch when combined with a fruit or vegetable.  Cheesy bread is just a slice of cheese melted on a piece of whole wheat bread.  My kids eat mostly the following for a snack- cheese (slice cheddar or string cheese) and whole wheat crackers (usually Triscuits, sometimes some Wheat Thins as well) OR fruit, fruit and more fruit.  I have to buy fruit at least once or twice a week, but it's a priority for me and my budget, so it's ok.  We sometimes have yogurt for snack.  We either put some homemade freezer jam in plain yogurt or mix 1/2 Tillamook with 1/2 plain to cut the sweet.  My kids like apple slices with peanut butter and my youngest has even asked for a bowl of cereal which I let her have because that's healthy enough.  We have a tradition: on Fridays we make air popped popcorn after school.  If granola bars appeal to you, revisit my blog post about homemade granola bars so you can make them healthier and save money- click HERE.  Sometimes we have goldfish in the house, but those are usually for snacks on the go in the car or something.  I have stopped taking many snacks on outings- usually if we are going somewhere for long we take a peanut butter sandwich.

I also almost always have Trident gum with me.  Ever since my kids were old enough to know not to swallow the gum, I have let them have 1 piece while running errands or during the long hours at church.  My dentist says they can have up to 5 pieces a day, but I put the limit on one due to cost.  This, combined with a water bottle seems to do the trick for keeping their mouths happy.  I think kids think they need snacks because they get used to getting them.  When my 4 yr old is home all day with me, she will usually get a snack between breakfast and lunch and one between lunch and dinner.  Lately, she has been skipping the earlier snack.  I do not use things like animal crackers, graham crackers or fruit snacks for snacks because they have no nutritional value and if we have them, they are used as desserts. Diabetics are always worrying about snacks, so HERE is a good list of snacks that might give you a fresh idea on snacks for kids.  Not all the snacks listed have protein or a fruit or vegetable, but if you aren't ready for that rule, at least you have some new ideas.

~Here's to Healthy Eating