The little Badasses are home for summer, and you know what that means: Snack time!
They sure can eat a lot for being mini-sized, and that only gets worse when the toddlers become tots become pre-teens and teens.
I think I was meant to either have kids or be a camp counselor, given how much of a snack connoisseur I am. For now I am neither Mom nor counselor, but I am a Badass Army leader who loves me some snack foods!
I could easily eat my weight in Hint of Lime Tostitos or Fritos, but fortunately for my trunk I have found healthier versions that don't fill my jeans with too much junk. Kids are always watching, even if we think they aren't. And the foods we eat become a lesson to them. Better to start reinforcing healthy eating now than to let them gorge on junk food - a habit that can led to an adulthood of diabetes and weight struggles.
So as you stock the fridge, pack their lunches for camp or plan the summer vacation road trip snacks, consider adding these to your shopping list. And don't judge me for having the snack habits of a 5-year-old! ;)
1. Annie's Homegrown Cheddar Bunnies: Annie's is a wonderful line of organic snacks and other foods free of additives, preservatives and Frankenstein ingredients. The company has a great message about loving the earth and our own bodies while we're living on it. The Bunnies taste like Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, and are similarly low in fat, calories (140 calories, 0 sugar and 6 grams of fat for 50 Bunnies). But I love these because the first ingredient is wheat flour, and the remaining several ingredients are all recognizable: salt, aged cheddar, vegetable oil, yeast extract, paprika, etc. Go ahead, sneak a handful of the little guy's snack bowl!
2. Annie's Homegrown Bunny Grahams Friends: These are little graham cracker snacks, but unlike Teddy Grahams and others, these have 8 grams of whole grains per low fat 30-cookie serving and only 8 grahams of sugar and 130 calories. And that sugar comes from organic cane juice and honey, not high fructose corn syrup. The all-natural ingredients begin with whole grain whole wheat flour and end with chocolate chips. I also love the social message of the "Friends" for kids: honey, vanilla with chocolate chip, and chocolate cookies all living in harmony in the mixed box. If only our world were more like that!
3. Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks: The fruit here comes from organic white grape juice, not corn syrup and artificial flavors. Choose these over mainstream gummy fruit snacks if you can.
4. String cheese: When I was little, I would play with my string cheese, trying to pull apart one little string at a time. So it's a fun snack, approved for eating with your fingers, which we know kids love. But it's also low in fat and calories (about 100 calories and no more than 8 grams of fat per string cheese) and a great source of calcium and protein. So give Junior one, and then pair your own with an apple or nuts as an afternoon snack.
5. Crunchitos: I have a Cheetos Crunchy addiction, and these are my solution. If I ever have children, this will be in the pantry at all times! Fruit or low-cal popcorn might be a better choice, but sometimes you just need your crunchy cheese fix. These have real ingredients, and 6 grams of fat per cup compared to 9 grams in Cheetos, plus 140 calories versus 160.
6. Tofutti Cuties ice cream sandwiches: Little kid-sized ice cream treats, they're dairy free but taste like the real cow! And at 130 calories and 6 grams of fat per sandwich, mom and dad can join the ice cream par-tay sans guilt!
7. Edy's All Natural Fruit Bars: These weigh in at less than 100 calories, have zero fat and big chunks of real fruit. Better than a popsicle made w corn syrup and fruit "flavorings." And what beats a hot day like a cool popsicle?
8. Applesauce and peanut butter: Every pantry should have these staples, which are cheap, nutritious and versatile. Stick with unsweetened applesauce and add in raisins or cinnamon for flavor. Look for organic or no-sugar-added peanut butter, and if the kids will eat it, the best bet is the peanut butter you can grind fresh from peanuts in the grocery store. Peanut butter makes everything taste better, whether you're 5 or 45. So spread it on celery, bananas and sliced apples. Even better: Swirl a tablespoon into applesauce, and consider that sweet tooth satisfied!
Coming tomorrow: Badass Foodie returns, and she wants to Squash you and lean you out..!