Stock Up!
Clean out your kitchen! Even if you do your best to keep healthy foods in your cabinets, those nasty junk foods still find a way to sneak in.
I periodically go through my kitchen and throw out all of the candies, cookies, sodas, and chips that we've collected through gifts or splurges.
Once cleaned out, re-stock your refrigerator and cabinets with healthy alternatives:
- Nuts & raisins – These little foods are full of iron and protein. Grab some small sandwich-sized Ziplocs and fill with combinations of nuts, raisins, and other dried fruits. Isn't that better than a bag of chips?
- Cheese & yogurt – Dairy is essential for your little one's growing bones. String cheese is fun to eat and yogurt cups make quick snacks. Pediatricians suggest that kids don't switch to non-fat dairy until about two years of age since they need fat and cholesterol to help grow a mature nervous system.
- Soymilk – Small boxes of chocolate soymilks aren't just yummy, they're also full of protein, calcium, iron, and B vitamins.
- Fruits & veggies – Of course fruits & veggies make great snacks! Make sure you have lots on hand.
Make 'em Quick!
If you've got some time, whip up these fast, healthy snacks for your family:
Homemade Potato Chips
What you'll need:
A mandolin or potato peeler
Potatoes
Oil spray
Salt & pepper
This recipe is surprisingly simple! Just pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and spray the bottom of a cookie sheet with oil. Slice your potatoes very thinly—a mandolin, like the one pictured above, is the best tool for the job.
Lay the potato slices in a single layer on the cookie sheet, spray with oil again, and top with salt and pepper.
Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. The longer you cook your chips, the crispier they'll be. We actually like our chips on the soft side, so experiment with the recipe.
Dessert Option: Instead of potatoes, try this recipe with apples! Just core the apple (you can leave the peel on if you like) and slice with the mandolin. Sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon and cook. Yum!
Peanut Butter & Banana Pockets
What you'll need:
Whole wheat pita bread
Peanut butter
Honey
Banana
Mash the banana and add a drop or two of honey. Slice the pita bread in half and place in the microwave for about 10 seconds; this makes the pita bread easier to open. Fill each pocket with peanut butter and mashed banana.
Peanut butter mixed with whole wheat is a great source of whole proteins!
Hummus & Veggies
What you'll need:
1 can chick peas, drained, juice reserved
3 Tbl olive oil
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cilantro
A dash of lime juice (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Assorted veggies
This recipe takes a little bit more work, but not much. Drain the chick peas but reserve the juice. Add the peas and about 1/3 cup of juice to your food processor or blender. Throw in the rest of the ingredients and pulse until smooth. Serve with chopped veggies for dipping.
Homemade Fruit Pops
What you'll need:
1 16-ounce can of fruit
1 8-ounce container of yogurt
Take an undrained 16-ounce can of fruit in heavy syrup and an 8-ounce container of fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt and blend until smooth in a food processor or a blender. Pour into paper cups or any fun mold you have around the house. Once partially frozen, insert sticks into each and freeze for eight hours.
Fresh Fruit Smoothies
What you'll need:
1 bag of mixed frozen fruit
1 8-oz container of yogurt (flavored or plain)
1.5 cup of milk
Add the yogurt and the milk to the blender first. This help you to know how much fruit to add. I'd throw in a handful or two until the blender is about 3/4 full. Then blend up the mixture until smooth. If it's too chunky and the blender is having a hard time mixing it just slowly add milk until it blends smoothly. When it's nice and creamy pour it into cups add straws and serve. Kids love this and it's a simple way to slip in your child's daily fruit in the disguise of a "milk shake".
I buy the big bags of mixed frozen fruits for this and keep the extras in the freezer for later...it saves money!