Goldfish and Other Snacks

Jacob got grumpy yesterday afternoon while I was preparing dinner. Numerous attempts to distract him failed, so I suggested that Art offer him some Goldfish crackers. This worked: Jacob's eyes were glued to the container full of tasty crackers as Art pulled it out of the pantry. As soon as they were within reach, Jacob grabbed the largest handful he could manage and shoved the unfortunate school of fish into his mouth.

We eat a lot of snacks. When we are not eating snacks, we are eating a meal. Life is much less stressful if snacks are readily available. Jacob eats a lot of Goldfish (Art and I do as well). Processed cheese-flavored crackers for every snack, every day is not the most nutritious habit to develop.

Here's a list of the non-Goldfish snacks we regularly enjoy. I hope you will be inspired to regulate your family's blood sugar levels with some of these tasty options.

1. String Cheese. Jacob loves it. Art loves it. I love it. Processed, yes, but it's a pretty good option.

2. Sliced, Peeled Apple with Peanut Butter. This is a snack that is filling, nutritious, and balanced.

3. Simple Smoothie: Place whatever fruit you have on hand (apple, pear, grape, frozen berries, banana, etc.) in a blender with some plain yogurt and a drizzle of honey. Blend until smooth. Sometimes, I even throw in some pumpkin puree or fresh spinach- just try it. It's a lot better for everyone than snacks laden with hydrogenated oils.

4. Pancakes: Without syrup, pancakes make a great snack food. You can make a batch and freeze the leftovers (separated by plastic wrap) in a sandwich bag. Take one out and throw it in the toaster when you need a quick, portable snack. Try making pancakes from scratch. Doing so is surprisingly easy and you will probably have everything you need on hand. Substitute whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose flour to get some extra fiber (stuff that makes you feel full). I also add pumpkin puree to pancake batter- you can try mixing in sliced banana, chocolate chips, or cooked bacon bits. Seriously: cooked bacon bits make for great pancakes.

5. Fresh Veggies and Hummus. Jacob will eat the hummus on a piece of wheat bread. Fresh veggies are a choking hazard for small children, which I generally try to avoid. Bon Appetit has an easy recipe for hummus that I have made recently.

6. Cherry Orange Oatmeal Outdoors Bars: These bars are my favorite snack right now- my mouth is watering just thinking about them. One small bar will fill you up for hours.

I'm going to go find a snack...