It seems like those sweet or salty, crunchy or munchie foods are the first foods we want for a quick snack. Foods like candy and chips are fatty and filling food substitutes with little redeeming value. Let’s make these ‘sometimes foods’ and create alternative tasty treats with great nutritional value. Protein-packed snacks such as cheese cubes are a more beneficial pick-me-up and they continue their good work by staying with you longer and contributing to growing strong, healthy bodies.
Here are some snack ideas with lots of nutrition to keep those engines running:
Frozen bananas:
1 banana
2 Popsicle sticks
Optional: honey and toasted wheat germ or chopped nuts; peanut butter
Peel one firm, ripe banana. Cut in half, or thirds. Insert one stick lengthwise through the center of each section; Wrap in plastic and place in the freezer. When ready to eat, dip in honey, and roll in toasted wheat germ or chopped nuts.
Crunchola Mix
Mix:
4 cups crunchy cereal (Cheerios, Corn Chex, etc.)
1 cup peanuts or mixed nuts
1 cup pretzel sticks
1 cup croutons
Combine:
½ cup salad oil or 6 Tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
¼ tsp. garlic powder
In a large shallow pan, coat crunchy ingredients with the combined oil and seasonings. Heat in oven at 250 degrees for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on absorbent paper to cool.
Apple Ring Snacks
Peel an apple and remove the core. Slice in rings. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet or on clear plastic wrap laid out on a cookie sheet. Dry in an electric oven at low or warm temperature. Drying takes 6-9 hours, making this a good overnight project. The size of the apples slices and your oven temperature are the variables you will have to experiment with. The apples need not be dried to a crisp. Store in an airtight container. These should last several weeks at room temperature. They are great for traveling snacks! |
