|
|
My Story: Healthy Snacks
contributed by Melinda
Related Articles |
|
Snack Ideas
Don't Let Munchies Gobble Your Budget Inexpensive, Healthy Snacks for Kids |
Those of us living on a tight grocery budget know how quickly snack foods can eat away at our precious monthly food budget. Even a couple boxes of fruit snacks or granola bars can quickly wipe out money that needs to be used to buy good healthy foods for our families.
As my children grew older, I began to see my grocery bill grow higher and higher. I sat down one afternoon and pored over my grocery receipts for the previous three months. I was surprised at what I found. The only category that I seemed to be buying more of was snack foods! And I realized that most of the snacks my children were eating were not healthy. My children were active, yet they seemed to be gaining too much weight. I was very surprised since most of the snacks I was buying for my children were advertised to be "low in fat" and healthy for my kids. I started reading the nutritional information and ingredients on the snack foods I was feeding the kids. I was shocked! The main ingredient in most of the "low-fat" foods was sugar. The foods may have been low in fat, but they were by no means "healthy" foods. I decided right then and there to eliminate pre-packaged snack foods from my family's diet. In order to keep the kids (and husband!) from grumbling, I had to come up with some ideas and recipes for snack foods that were tasty and appealing to my family.
Fruits and Veggies as a Snack photo from Shutterstock
People snacked on foods for hundreds, if not thousands, of years before fruit chews came out on the market. What did families snack on generations before us when they couldn't buy pudding snack-packs? They snacked on pudding made at home and ate it out of bowls or cups. I could do the same thing! Next, I started thinking about the foods I snacked on when I was a child growing up during the 70s and 80s. My mom never would have spent money on snacks for convenience. In fact, my mom never made snacks for us! I can't think of any kid that I knew during that time that had a mom that made special snacks. Basically, if we were hungry, we pillaged through the fridge and cupboards until we found something to eat.
If nothing could be found, that was okay. We knew another hardy homemade meal was just an hour or two away. The foods that I remember snacking on as a child, and now the healthy snacks that my kids snack on include:
- cinnamon toast
- fruit
- a leftover piece of cornbread, biscuit, or homemade roll from a previous meal
- boiled eggs
- tuna or egg salad sandwiches
- PB&J
- popcorn (not microwavable!)
- homemade cookies
- pudding
- gelatin (usually with fruit added in)
- saltines with peanut butter
- a leftover piece of bacon, sausage, or ham that wasn't eaten at breakfast
- leftover pancake with peanut butter rolled in it
- homemade dessert
- muffins
- banana, pumpkin, apple or zucchini bread
- homemade caramel corn
- homemade granola
- homemade granola bars
- homemade or bulk plain yogurt with jam or granola added for flavor
- slice of homemade bread with butter
Because nutrition is very important to me, I'd like to add that all of the homemade healthy snack items I prepare for my family have some nutritional benefits to them. When I'm making banana bread, I will substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Then, in any "sweet" I prepare, whether it be cookies or chocolate cake, I always reduce the sugar by a third. My family never notices the difference. I will only prepare a snack food for my family if it has some nutritional value. For example, when I bake cookies, I never bake sugar cookies. There is nothing healthy in sugar cookies. Instead, I opt to make oatmeal or peanut butter cookies. Yes, they do have some sugar and fat, but they also contain wholesome ingredients like eggs, peanut butter, whole wheat flour and/or rolled oats.
Finally, I'd like to add that it's important to realize that you are the parent. You are serving your family healthy wholesome foods and don't let your kids make you feel guilty for not buying overly-processed "junk" snack foods. I started serving homemade snacks to my family because I needed to cut down on my grocery budget. Now, even if money wasn't an issue, I still would be serving the same kind of foods and snacks to my family because these snacks are so much healthier for them!
"My Story" is a regular feature of The Dollar Stretcher. If you have a story that could help save time or money, please send it by email to MyStory@Stretcher.com
Take the Next Step:
- If one of your goals for your family is to cook more healthful meals then you'll want to read Healthy Foods Ezine. Each week you'll find 'Nutrition 101', an introduction to a new food, plus a recipe.
Discuss "Healthy Snacks" in The Dollar Stretcher Community
Subscribe to TDS Newsletters
Join over 250,000 other subscribers!
To subscribe, check the newsletters you wish to receive, enter your email address and then click Subscribe.
View the TDS privacy policy.
|
Money problems? Struggling with credit card debt? What you need to know about bankruptcy? Trouble repaying student loans?
|
Get free parenting tips in your inbox each week!
Sign up for our free eNewsletter Dollar Stretcher for Parents.
Looking for an answer to a frugal living question? Click here to ask a
Dollar Stretcher Stretchpert!
Copyright 1996 - 2013 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." All rights reserved unless specifically noted.
Contact the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton FL 34280
941-761-7805
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.
| About Us | Privacy Policy | Writer's Guidelines | Sponsorship | Media | Contact Us |