Lately, I hear this questions about 20 times a day! Apparently, both kids are going through growth spurts at the same time because their bellies are little bottomless pits these days. Someone is always asking me for food. And if one kid asks, the other comes running in to make sure they don't miss out.
Because of their huge appetites, I've had to expand what I have on hand for them to snack on. Therefore, I've loosened up a little on what I'm willing to buy to add a little variety in our lives. I've had to do a lot of digging & reading in the grocery store to find snacks with ingredient lists I approve of. I try not to buy anything with these ingredients:
* BHT
* MSG
* High Fructose Corn Syrup
* Artificial Dyes
What I have been buying for them:
* Popcorn ~ This is my favorite snack. It's good for you & the kids love it. I buy kernels & pop them myself. Just add a little melted butter & salt & it tastes delicious!
* Kettle chips ~ Everyone in the family loves these and no one can be trusted alone with an open bag.
* Organic apples ~ Sydney absolutely loves apples. But only if they are peeled, but not cut up. She's my picky child.
* Organic yogurt ~ Garrett loves yogurt. Sydney won't even try it. I wasn't kidding when I said she was picky.
* Organic granola bars ~ The kids like Cascadian Farms chocolate chip & peanut butter.
* Mini bagels ~ These are great! Sydney loves hers toasted with Nutella on top. Garrett & I like ours with cream cheese. They also make great mini sandwiches or pizza bites. They have become our new staple. They work great for breakfast, lunch or snack.
* Fresh bread drizzled with honey ~ The kids love my bread fresh out of the oven. It's tradition that we all eat a slice drizzled with honey or topped with Nutella right when it comes out of the oven.
* Fruit ~ Garrett loves apples, bananas, blueberries & strawberries. Sydney will only eat apples.
* Organic crackers ~ I buy Late July brand. I love mine topped with my new addiction...Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedges.
* Annie's Cheddar Bunnies ~ The kids like them & Sydney finally quit asking me to buy Cheez-Its...after a year.
* Animal Crackers ~ Not too shabby.
* Cheese roll up ~ Melt cheese in a tortilla and roll it up. I used to eat these as a kid.
* Coco Roos ~ Here's where I've budged a little. These are the generic brand coco puffs. The kids are excited to get some "crap" food. I had to meet them in the middle a little. These double as breakfast or snack.
* Jello Pudding Cups ~ Again, not the greatest, but they are a good treat for the kids.
I also try to make homemade snacks pretty often. I usually make muffins, breads or cookies.
Sydney requested popsicles for summer. I spent 10 minutes in the grocery store looking at every box of popsicles. Let me tell ya folks, they're packed with all the horrible dyes. Red # 2, Blue # 2, Yellow #5...you get the idea. I refuse to buy them. I bought Blue Bell all natural strawberry fruit bars, but guess who doesn't like them? Yep, the picky kid who specifically requested popsicles. So I'm on a mission to find something we both agree on.
Life would be much easier not caring about the ingredients in their food. But I do care. So, I spend 10 minutes in the frozen food isle, freezing while carefully inspecting the popsicles. One day they will thank me. Right? Please tell me one day they will thank me! :)
2 comments:
Okay so you already buy the fruit anyway so here is another alternative that I have actually done in the not so distant past. I juice (you can blend too) fruit and make your own popsicles. Right now at Target they have the popsicle containers and I also saw some at pottery barn kids. That way you know exactly what is in them and you don't have to get too cold in the frozen foods section:)
Great idea! Thanks.
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