My older boys play sports and lately my youngest daughter is having dinner really late. Which I think contributes to her going to bed so late (that's another issue) :0) Grandma feeds the older boys but Li' Anna gets out of school at 5:30 and games or practices start at 6/630 So to feed her dinner in 15 is crazy.
I know I need to feed the kids healthier snacks without being to expensive. I go to Fresh & Easy when I have a coupon but
not all the time... its too expensive for my budget.
Any suggestion for healthy, good tasting ,inexpensive snacks
Lil Anna needs to get out of school earlier. Far too stimulating for so late in the day. Then she can have a healthy relaxing dinner. It is the relaxing part that is causing her problems. Veges and good fats like cheese is best and better than processed snacks and sugar carbs.
I think I'm lucky. I know not all kids like all things.Here are some of the things that I try to keep around, let's see...
~ I buy walnuts, almonds and Craisins (dried cranberries) at Costco and the 3 bags last a loooong time. Such a healthy snack that my kids love.
~ Sometimes I'll make a heap of bean, rice and corn burritos to have on hand. I use canned corn and leave about half of the liquid in the rice/beans/corn mixture. It sweetens and moistens them up a bit and makes them really good. Rice from Trader Joes, frozen section and canned beans.
~ Costco yogurt is great! Much less sweet than Trader Joes.
~ Costco has really inexpensive rotisserie chickens and they are REALLY delicious.
If I think up any more I'll alter my answer later. Hope this helps! :)
Have her take with her to school small snacks for after school, like flour totillas shredded cheese and turkey it doesn't have to be heated, also fresh veggies with salad dressing, etc, she could keep these in a container in the fridge at school. My oldest daughter is hypoglycemic and I do this all the time to make sure she is eating a healthy snack. This should help her not be so hungry if she has snacks to carry along with her in the evening. Hope this helps some.
Fruit. Granola bars. Cheese and crackers. Yogurt. Celery. Does the whole family have to go to the practices? Why can't the boys eat dinner on their own after they are done? What school gets out at 5:30? Do you mean daycare? Because if you do, they can feed her a snack before she leaves.
Make sure you bring snacks for the boys because they'll be hungry after practice, too, even though they already had dinner.
Do you pick up the boys at your house (or grandma's) and then go get your daughter? If so, can you ask grandma to pack up some leftovers in a tupperware for her so she can eat dinner in the car or when you get to the practice field instead of just giving her a snack? If that won't work... here are some healthier snack ideas... individual cups of applesauce, peaches, mixed fruit, etc....bananas....oranges... apples....your own trail mix made of cashews, raisins, yogurt raisins, dried fruits, etc.... dry cereal- you can buy a couple of different kinds and mix them together, like Cherios, Kix, etc....granola bars....carrot sticks/celery sticks and little cup of peanut butter for dipping..... crackers that you smear with peanut butter....cheese sticks or wedges
We make our own trail mixes with raw almonds, pretzels, raisins, etc. You can mix popcorn in there, too, or really anything. Apple slices w/ peanut butter or make up some peanut butter/banana/honey on whole wheat sandwiches, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Why not pack a healthy dinner to have during practice? I know when dinner comes to mind we think chicken, stuffing and potatoes but you could easily pack dinner in the morning to take to practice. A sandwhich would be great but you could get more creative and make a bean and cheese burrito (my boys love them cold) you could heat up soup before you leave grandmas and keep in a thermos. Some turkey, cheese and crackers would suffice as well. Just bring along some fruit and a veggie and your set. A healthy meal and she will be eating at a decent hour too.
It will take a little planning but it sound like you already know she is worth it :o)
Go to the farmers' market and buy fresh produce. Carrots, celery, apples all make great snacks. Some farmers' markets have dried fruit, too. You can get organic peanut butter for $3.50, spread it on the celery. Carrots can be eaten whole or cut into sticks. Apple slices are great, and she can dip those in peanut butter too. Or almond butter if you prefer that.
My daughter also likes raisins, dried cranberries, and pretzels.
Apples and peanut butter! Great snack and has alot of nutrition, personal favorite. = ) I also buy lunch meat at Henry's and roll up ham or turkey and cut up cubes of cheese for my dd. She love that, especially if I give her a cracker or two.
The busy family! It happens. You have to plan for it.
Send her to school with more food. Have her eat smaller meals throughout the day to keep it consistent.
Great healthy ideas are:
Cold pasta salad,
tortilla wraps,
banana bread with jam,
cheese and crackers
nuts & granola
of course, fruits and veggies
protein bars, http://liveitdontdiet.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanbars.dhtml
protein shake http://liveitdontdiet.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanshake_new...
Whole grain rice with veggies (my kids love salsa on rice)
It is SUPER important to plan for your day. STAY AWAY FROM PACKAGED snacks. They are full of C.R.A.P. (caffeine, refined sugar, additives and preservatives)... You are in charge of the nourishment of the body. Take that job very seriously and it will be to your children's benefit for their entire life.
J., I have an ebook at www.HeyYouGetReal.com called FOOD RULES! Get it for your family, it will help.
And one quick other note...take a look at what you are doing to/with your kids with all these late activities. What is the benefit? What are the consequences? Weigh your choices carefully.
B.
Family Success Coach
my kids like granola bars, cheese sticks, bananas, cuties (clementines), apples, grapes, cheese and crakers, cereal, applesauce, yougurt tubes or drinks (we call them milkshakes) and even just some lunch meat. You can grab peanut butter tubes to pair w/ the fruit too. Also if you do a crock pot meal she will have the whole time to eat and you wont have to cook. It is not bad to pack sandwiches either on nights that are going to be crazy.
I have a similar problem with my twin girls on a swim team. We eat dinner very early because they practice from 5:45-7:30 pm, but after a swim workout they are HUNGRY. High protein snacks seem to be the most satisfying for my little athletes, so I always have a supply of boiled eggs in the fridge (cheap and great protein) string cheese, yogurt (the cheap grocery store brand usually, not the fancy kid cups or tubes) occaisionally I'll make them a smoothie:frozen yogurt, a banana, some oj and frozen berries in a blender. (for the price of a couple cups of "Jamba juice", I can make smoothies at home for almost a week!) Fruit is always good, and what about a bowl of vitamin fortified breakfast cereal with milk?
good luck
apples. they travel really well!
bananas and carrots, squeezy yougart, string cheese, goldfish
I like natural fruit leathers and Disney also has dried fruit in packages that my son loves also. I also give him a small container of sunbutter (you can use peanut but we have a nut allergy) and things to dip like apple slices, animal crackers and dried fruits. He thinks it cool because he can dip and none of it has to be kept hot or cold.
