Healthy Snacks for Your Home

I have fond memories of coming home from school and walking into a clean home where my mom was waiting with a smile and open arms. I also have fond memories of fresh baked oatmeal cookies and homemade popsicles made from grape juice. As I got older I realized that most children were not living the life that I was experiencing. I realized that they were eating store bought cookies and something called box macaroni and cheese. I realized that most moms were still at work when their children arrived home from school.

Now that I am the mom of four children I want them to experience the best of both worlds. I want them to experience the joy of being cared for and living in a home that is clean and cared for. I want them to experience knowing that their Mommy works but they are cared for and loved in every area.

Food is a major area that I focus on as a mom. I have tried the fast route. By this I mean that I have gone through seasons of feeding my family quick foods on a regular basis such as eating out on the run, lunch meat, frozen dinners, poptarts, breakfast bars, packages of crackers, bags of chips. I have discovered that eating this way leads to grumpy children, and a rushed lifestyle. I have found that feeding them correctly is a way to teach them to slow down and make healthy choices as well as a way to show them love and care.

Here are a few ideas for adding healthy snack foods to your families menu:

Yogurt: You can purchase a 16oz or 32oz size yogurt for your home. They come in strawberry, french vanilla, and other flavors kids love.

Bite sized carrots with your child's choice of dip: This is one of my seven year old daughter's favorite snacks. She enjoys picking out different dips.

Homemade cookies: One suggestion is to follow your standard cookie recipe with the exchange for organic sugar in place of inexpensive processed white sugar. (You can find organic sugar in the baking section of large grocery store chains) Another suggestion is to make a double batch of cookies each time you bake and freeze half the batter in container. Then you can pull the cookie dough out of the freezer and let it defrost for about two hours and make a quick batch of cookies whenever you need to. You can keep a batch of oatmeal cookie dough and a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough ready to bake for a late night special snack for family movie time. Your children will love the smell of fresh baked cookies filling your home.

Chunks of cheese cut up and placed in the fridge ready to pull out and snack on with pretzels or crackers. This will replace packaged cheese and crackers that often are overloaded with salt and excess calories.

Popcorn: Purchase a popcorn popping machine. With modern technology and the microwave you may not have a popper in the house. They really are inexpensive and a great way to create a healthy snack void of chemicals and additives. There is nothing like the smell of fresh popped popcorn filling the house. These machines are less than 20.00 and they will save you money on boxes of microwaveable popcorn. You can fill sandwich bags with cooled off popcorn for school snacks or quick after school snacks.

Nuts and berry mixes: These can already be purchased mixed or you can purchase peanuts, cashews, or walnuts and mix them with raisins and dried fruit. You will be surprised at what your children will enjoy eating when they are given healthy options.

Fresh Fruit: I have found that if I display fresh, washed fruit on the counter in a fruit basket my family will choose fruit first. By this I mean that they will choose an apple over cereal. They will choice grapes over chips. Pears, apples, grapes, oranges and bananas are great, easy to eat choices for children.

I hope that you find that these healthy changes help your household run smoother with more peace and less rushing. Eating healthy and offering healthy choices for your family is an important part of training your children to establish healthy eating patterns in their lives. Taking the time to explain ingredients and what is in certain products will help your children to learn the difference between packaged foods and homemade foods. Even a small child can learn to make healthy choices.