Snacks.

You love them, I love them, kids love them. I don’t know who doesn’t love snacks.

Tell me why we are still buying pre-made snacks? With the knowledge of what is actually going into food, and what isn’t, adding on to trying to save money right?

Now, you can continue that, or you have two other options.

First, is if you have the program available, it’s called Market Day. Schools, and organizations use this company to raise fundraising money for their school/organization. You buy food of different varieties and pick them up on a designated date to have. A portion of the money goes to the organization attached to the company. My kids have it at their schools, and at Wise One’s school, I can pick what after school activity my money goes to. It’s really convenient and pretty easy to use.

I use it when I can, sometimes I have the extra funds, and sometimes, I do option 2.

I make them myself.

You knew I was going there. LOL.

Now, my kids aren’t typical kids, and I know that. They snack on things most people can’t get their kids to eat. Like cream corn or pears. Don’t ask, because it’s healthy. I do get creative, especially if I land a side job where I’m gone when they are home. I try not to do that anymore, because it throws off the flow of everything.

Point is, I make things they can grab and go. Doesn’t matter what age kids are, if it takes longer than 10 minutes to make, they aren’t doing it.

One of my kids’ favorite go to snacks is hot pockets. Recently, some of the local stores have them on sale, and in a jam, I buy them. In most cases…..I make them. Real easy!

Grands biscuits
Spaghetti sauce
filling(you can pretty much use whatever you want to fill these pockets)

The key is the biscuits. You stretch out the biscuits to a mini pizza dough(hint to another snack). You want it big enough to hold the filling and fold over. Bake in a greased pan on 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. I let them cool, and store in the freezer. Your kids can grab them out the freezer and microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Boom, done.

You also have mini pizzas. Real easy too. Same process as the first, but gets different after stretching out the biscuits. You’ll top the biscuit like a pizza, and bake for 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. You can bag them in sandwich bags two at a time, putting a piece of wax paper in between he pizzas after cooling. Store in the freezer.

Boom done!

Now, you don’t want to bake? I got you on that. Best treat you can create in less than 10 minutes…..

Smoothies.

Now, if you remember way back into the beginning of this blog, my series of all day grocery shopping, where I start as soon as the kids leave for school, and I go to multiple stores. I also store things tetris style in my freezer?

This is why.

Why buy smoothies premade, when you can make your own? Like I stressed earlier, international stores have great deals on fruits and vegetables just like farmers market(if you live in an area that has them year round). This is a great way to introduce new fruits to kids, and made just right, can carry them over until dinner. You want to buy enough to at least get you through two weeks if not the month. We love strawberries here, and use them for just about anything sweet. I buy 4-6 pounds of them, cut them up, wash them off, and freeze them in a freezer Ziploc bag. I do the same with bananas, raspberries, blueberries, mangos, papayas, peaches, cranberries, and sometimes cherries.

When I need them, I go in the freezer, grab some, and reseal the bag. Easy.

We make strawberry banana, three berry(strawberry, raspberry, blueberry), mango peach, kiwi strawberry, and a recreation of my mom’s peanut butter moo smoothie.

I use milk, yogurt, or juice to mix with the smoothie, just depends on the mood. You really can do just about anything with the smoothie, and prep that before they get home or the night before. When your ready, turn on your blender serve.

All of these can be pre-made and served later. With the smoothie, you could make the mix, and store in a pitcher in the fridge. You many have to stir the contents if it settles, but it should last a coupe days or so.

With those three examples, tell me why you need to buy made up snacks. I mean you could even make your own trail mix or snack mix! It’s about time management, and budgeting. Remember, I was a working single mom, and I’m a stay at home mom. The difference is time management. Both are hard positions, but if you really want to save money, really look at everything, including the money you throw away at food.

Next episode of Kid Friendly: Lunch with mini you, how to make it yummy and fun!

~CSM~