50 ways to feed the kids you love

While I’m glad that summer break is over, it just means the start of packing school lunches, gymnastics, practices, homework and reading.

With three kids we have a pretty hectic schedule. Some nights we are lucky to get these kids fed.

In preparation for these busy mornings and evenings, I made a quick reference 50 Back to School Snacks Guide to refer to when making lunches and after school snacks. Hopefully this list will help you get some healthy easy snacks to your kids. I know if I have an easy list to refer to it helps me enormously. Anything to help my week go a little more smoothly, hopefully we can help yours too!

PRODUCE

Apples and peanut butter; banana and peanut butter: Make it a sandwich; celery and peanut butter: Add some raisins for “ants on a log;” carrots with hummus or homemade ranch; grapes; pineapple with cottage cheese; strawberries with yogurt honey dip; fruit: Berries, oranges, cherries, peaches, nectarine, plums, kiwi, mangoes, pineapple, papaya, melon etc…; fruit with yogurt honey dip; peaches with ricotta, honey and cinnamon; avocado with pico de gallo; figs with goat cheese; frozen watermelon: Blend it for a watermelon slushy; edamame.

Raw sugar snap peas (with hummus); cooked broccoli; mashed sweet potato with butter and cinnamon; raw sliced bell peppers with hummus or homemade ranch; cucumber slices with homemade ranch; jicama — crispy like an apple, perfect with a little salt or ranch dressing; cherry tomatoes with homemade ranch; frozen peas; raw cauliflower; raw broccoli with homemade ranch; applesauce; fruit leathers; freeze dried fruit (like mango, banana, blueberries or strawberries); dried fruit; canned fruit like Mandarin oranges.

Whole-Grains

Olives or Kalamata – good with cottage cheese; whole grain crackers (like Triscuits, Multi-Seed, Whole-Wheat Matzos, Brown Rice Crackers/Snaps, topped with cheese, peanut butter, or a cream cheese and jelly combo); air popped popcorn (s’mores, cheese, plain); oatmeal (served warm in a Thermos if sending to school); whole wheat pretzels; whole grain toast; whole grain noodles with parmesan and little butter; fig bars — Natures Bakery; Whole Wheat Fig bars made here in Carson; whole-wheat banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread; mini whole-wheat bagels with light cream cheese, cinnamon, jam or fresh fruit; homemade granola bars.

Nuts

Nuts/ seeds: peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and pistachios.

Trail mix: Make your own, dark chocolate chips, unsweetened coconut slices, dried fruit, almonds and walnuts.

Proteins/Dairy

Hard-boiled eggs; roasted garbanzos with salt or garlic or a little soy sauce and ginger for Asian flare; cheese; plain yogurt flavored with a little honey or maple syrup and vanilla extract; yogurt and homemade granola or dried or fresh fruit; homemade granola with milk; smoothies; beef jerky, or sliced deli meat.

For more information visit www.chivecooking.com.

Amanda Long is owner of Chive Cooking. She is passionate about cooking and posts her favorite recipes at www.chivecooking.com.