Recently while in Whole Foods, my three year old exclaimed “Ola!” and my five year old wheeled the cart over to where they could select their favorite, Ola! Vanilla Almond, granola. There are so many awful snack foods out there; this isn’t one of them.  Actually it’s more of a cereal but it hardly ever makes it home to meet the milk.   Ola! is one of those snacks I prefer to give the kids.  It’s made with real stuff— oats, maple syrup, vanilla, almonds or pecans, cranberries, sea salt.  Simple, tasty, good for you.  I also love it because it’s not too sweet (I’ve found so many cereals and snacks are sickly sweet). A friend makes it and it’s found in the Northeast in places like Whole Foods and Stew Leonard’s.  You can also buy it online here.  When it does make it home it’s perfect with yogurt!

We’ve been packing their lunch/snack bags for camp but they can’t have nuts.  So, what other snacks to give them that aren’t too bad for them?  Lately I’ve really been trying to get away from the package processed snacks.  Especially those conveniently packaged ones that just helppollute the environment.  My youngest loves the fresh sugar snap peas that come in our CSA bin.  He eats them as though they were candy. 

Some other snacks I give my kids:

organic baby carrots

celery sticks

chunks of fresh watermelon

slices of bell peppers (cut up several different colors for a great vibrant plate)

apple slices (soaked in lemon juice and water if they’re eating them later)

Stonyfield yogurt tubes (frozen) or smoothies

Lundberg brown rice cakes with nori and wasabi

hummus with pita chips

slices of cheddar cheese with crackers

sliced pears

nectarines

a whole banana

organic grapes

organic strawberries

seaweed salad (most grocery sushi bars sell it)

One that needs to be eaten right away- fresh bread with smashed avocado, salt and pepper.  Yum!

And their favorite snack at home— smoothies.  Any combination of frozen organic blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, mangos, cherries, and/or blackberries.  (Trader Joe’s has a great selection at great prices)  In a blender mix about 1/2 pound frozen fruit with 2 ripe bananas, 1/2 cup juice of choice, 1/2-3/4 cup yogurt, spoonful of local honey.  Blend until smooth.  If it’s too thick add more juice as needed.   

I don’t believe kids need to snack continuously, especially if they’re eating enough at mealtimes, but a small healthy snack to tide them over should be fine. 

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