Kitchen Tips--Snacks

We are getting closer to the start of school!! Actually I have read of some kids going back already!! Last week, I gave a list of packable lunches so this week I want to give you some healthy (or not so healthy) packable snacks. The list below is all the different snacks that I rotate thru in my snack baskets. I keep a "snack basket" in my cupboard and I use veggie drawers in my fridge for those snacks that need to keep cool!

I plan my snacks for each day that way it is easier to keep track of what is being consumed and I know what types of things I need to replenish on my baking days. When I do up my homemade goodies, I take the time to individually wrap them so they are ready for an easy grab.

Chewy Granola Bars
3 cups oats
1 cup flour
1 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla
2/3 cup butter, softened
½ cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup mini chocolate chips or M&Ms
Optional: raisins, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, and baking soda. In another bowl, combine vanilla, butter, honey, and brown sugar; add to oat mixture and stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Lightly press mixture into the pan with the back of your spoon. Bake at 325 for 22 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.


Pudding

Cake (like Chocolate Chip Cake or Surprise Cupcakes or Jello Cake)

Popcorn

Toast with PB

Cinnamon Toast(toast a slice of bread, butter it, sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on it)

Homemade Trail Mix(usually sunflower seeds, cheerios, peanuts, M&Ms, goldfish, pretzels)

Mini Sandwiches(PB, tuna, cheese, chicken) sometimes I make dinner rolls or get some brown and serve rolls from the store and then slice them for them to grab to make a quick snack sandwich.

Homemade "Almost Nutri-Grain" Bars(in Miserly Meals)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup oil
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ cup apple juice
10 oz. jam (apricot, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, or apple butter)
1 T. water

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the oil, egg, vanilla, and apple juice, and mix with a spoon or a mixer. Press 2/3 of the mix evenly into a greased 8x12 pan. Mix the jam with the water, and spread evenly over the mix. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top, and bake at 325° for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Before cutting, cool completely.

Bananas

Popsicles

Peanuts

Yogurt

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Cheese and Crackers(use a variety of snack crackers and cheese)

Graham crackers (variety of flavors)

Homemade Donuts

Cheese Crackers(like goldfish or cheez its)

Crackers with PB(either using Ritz or Saltines)

Cookies(PB, Oatmeal, Monster, Snickerdoodles, Sugar, Chocolate Crinkles, Chocolate chip, Oatmeal Scotchies, M&M)

Brownie Bites(done in mini muffin pan)

Coffee cakes (Jewish Coffee Cake)

Cinnamon rolls

Pizza Sticks(homemade pizza cut into strips)

Muffins (banana, pumpkin, pumpkin-oat, cinnamon, chocolate, zucchini, apple cider, orange juice, choc. chip, bran, blueberry, strawberry) instead of always doing loaves of quick bread I take my quick bread recipe and put it into muffins sometimes regular muffins, or sometimes mini muffins

Cheese sticks(I usually slice a chunk of cheese into approx. 1/2"-3/4" thick slices and then cut into strips)

Carrot sticks with ranch dressing

Nilla Wafers (plain, or with frosting for homemade sandwich cookies)

Fruit snacks

Meat/cheese rolls(deli sliced meat with a cheese stick rolled inside)

"In Season" fruit (like apples, pears, grapes, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, watermelon, raspberries) sometimes I take a combination of fruit and make a fruit salad

Banana pops

**These last three are a little difficult to do as "packable" snacks but they are very enjoyable at home!!

Ice cream

Homemade Icecream Shake

Berry smoothies




For more kitchen goodness(tips, & recipes, etc.), head over to Tammy's Recipes and check out what others have linked!!