Healthy snack ideas needed

[mrs.beast]

My kids are not on the Feingold, but we only eat all natural foods. their website has lists of brands that are all natural (no artificial colors, sugars, preservatives, or flavors as well as other things -nitrates etc) we also love trader joes and whole foods. everything at whole foods is all natural. also there are websites that sell everything you can think of as all natural (we have found cotton candy, lollipops, gum, you name it) I cannot link the sites i know of, but PM me if you are interested.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I just took a class on brain-based foods and healthier diets in relation to kids in school and in our own personal life. The presenter also gave us a list of some things that we should not waste our money on buying organic. I am not at home, but when I get back, I will find the list and post it.

Here is a website the presenter gave us. The links to Chef Ann are good.

www.angrymoms.org

Here is a web site I found. I haven't had a chance to really go over it, but it seems to have some good info:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T040400.asp

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

My kids are not on the Feingold, but we only eat all natural foods. their website has lists of brands that are all natural (no artificial colors, sugars, preservatives, or flavors as well as other things -nitrates etc) we also love trader joes and whole foods. everything at whole foods is all natural. also there are websites that sell everything you can think of as all natural (we have found cotton candy, lollipops, gum, you name it) I cannot link the sites i know of, but PM me if you are interested.

I wish we had a Whole foods and Trader Joes closer but the only ones I saw were in Mass by my brothers school. And now that he has graduated I won't be there anymore.
We had the coolest place called Harry's in GA, it was a lot like whole foods. I miss that place soooo much. Fresh veggies and fruit, great meat, excellent wines. etc....

I just took a class on brain-based foods and healthier diets in relation to kids in school and in our own personal life. The presenter also gave us a list of some things that we should not waste our money on buying organic. I am not at home, but when I get back, I will find the list and post it.

Here is a website the presenter gave us. The links to Chef Ann are good.

www.angrymoms.org

Here is a web site I found. I haven't had a chance to really go over it, but it seems to have some good info:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T040400.asp

I don't really do a lot of organic foods. I think as long as you know where the food is coming from and what's in it you'll be ok.
We are trying to get a garden in but the dingbat grandson of the guy who is supposed to be tilling is just stupid. He is doing a 20 x 20 space with a hand tiller. He broke the tiller the first day he was here. Tomorrow I call the grandpa again. This time he'd better get over here with the tractor and do it himself!
Sorry, venting here.

I am also doing those prepared meal things where the store buys all the food and you put it together there and take it home and freeze it. It was really good!! The lady that owns the one we go to, Quick Cuisine's in Clinton CT, buys organic when she can and only from local farmers and butchers. The price was pretty good too, $118 for 6 meals with 6 servings each. It works out to be about $3-4 per serving and all I have to do is throw it in the oven and make a few sides.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I just took a class on brain-based foods and healthier diets in relation to kids in school and in our own personal life. The presenter also gave us a list of some things that we should not waste our money on buying organic. I am not at home, but when I get back, I will find the list and post it.

Here is a website the presenter gave us. The links to Chef Ann are good.

www.angrymoms.org

Here is a web site I found. I haven't had a chance to really go over it, but it seems to have some good info:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T040400.asp

Zipped through the links quickly, I have to say for the angry moms one, our school has one of the best lunch programs in the state. We are on a contract with the state to serve only healthy foods, no vending machines, candy, etc... Kids can bring it into the school but the school can not serve it. We (PTO) are also not allowed to sell food i.e. baked goods, food in fundraisers etc unless the parents pick it up. We are also the only school in our area that offers 3 choices everyday. My only beef is that pizza is on the menu everyday but it is whole grain dough low fat cheese and sauce. I just don't let the kids pick it every day. We sit down every 2 weeks and go over the menu, I write on the slip what # they pick and the cafeteria guy sets it up in the morning so the staff only makes what is on the slip or what the other kids pick that morning.

As for the DR Sears, I'm happy to report that we eat most of the good stuff on the list! YAY for me!
We do not drink fruit juices other than OJ because DS6 is allergic to fruit juice, he can have the fruit just not the juice. Weird I know. Try explaining that to the school every year. Parties are the worst! All the moms bring in Hawaiian Punch. So I send him with Stop and Shop flavored water. He loves it! And there are no calories, sugar, or sodium! And I buy milk from a local dairy farm and they do not use growth hormones. And to boot it's delivered, yep I have a milk man! LOL

WHEW good to know I am already on the right track. There are a few things I need to tweak but over all we are in good shape!

 

[aprilvaca04]

My kids are not on the Feingold, but we only eat all natural foods. their website has lists of brands that are all natural (no artificial colors, sugars, preservatives, or flavors as well as other things -nitrates etc) we also love trader joes and whole foods. everything at whole foods is all natural. also there are websites that sell everything you can think of as all natural (we have found cotton candy, lollipops, gum, you name it) I cannot link the sites i know of, but PM me if you are interested.

I wish we had a Trader Joes up here in Maine. The closet is Massachusetts so when my husband goes down for business we ask him to stop by and grab a few of our favorites. Same thing for when we visit family in NY.

 

[Database]

I've made these peanutbutter cookies b/c DH has celiac disease.

Recipe:
2 cup organic peanut butter
2 cup organic sugar
1 egg (I get the omega-3 eggs)(sometimes I add an extra egg white to increase moisture.

They're absolutely addicting! I haven't made them in several months b/c we packed on a couple pounds! We try freezing them in individual serving snack baggies. But still found we had no self control.

I used to think that the organic/pure stuff was a bunch of hooey. But we noticed a change in flavor with a few products?

The omega-3 eggs have increased level of lutein which is good for macular health. An initial study (sorry no link) seemed to indicate that having one omega-3 egg/ day didn't increase the level of cholesterol.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I've made these peanutbutter cookies b/c DH has celiac disease.

Recipe:
2 cup organic peanut butter
2 cup organic sugar
1 egg (I get the omega-3 eggs)(sometimes I add an extra egg white to increase moisture.

They're absolutely addicting! I haven't made them in several months b/c we packed on a couple pounds! We try freezing them in individual serving snack baggies. But still found we had no self control.

I used to think that the organic/pure stuff was a bunch of hooey. But we noticed a change in flavor with a few products?

The omega-3 eggs have increased level of lutein which is good for macular health. An initial study (sorry no link) seemed to indicate that having one omega-3 egg/ day didn't increase the level of cholesterol.

we have a egg farm in town so we get really good, fresh eggs, and my friend has free range chickens at her house so we get eggs from them too.

DH worked for a couple who are strict vegan and they don't eat eggs, milk, butter, etc. So I made cranberry oatmeal cookies using applesauce, it was surprising good. Not as good as the ones I usually make but pretty close.

SO far so good, the boys ask for McDonalds and I tell them no and they don't whine about it. I did however have to go get another round of grapes and bananas yesterday. And they have not complained about lunch and stuff. They didn't like the hummus i bought though so we are going to try more flavors. I didn't realize how many different types of hummus there is!

 

[piratesmate]

DD's favorite hummus is called 40 Spice. (I forget what brand) It's not nearly as spicy as it sounds. I liked that one a lot too until we discovered roasted red pepper. Now that's one DD doesn't like (she doesn't like bell peppers) but it's on the sweet side. There was another that we all really liked that had "lemon" in the name of the flavor.

When we stayed at AKL in 2001 I'd asked them for their recipe for the sun-dried tomato hummus they served. It was probably the best we'd ever had & even DD liked it although she won't eat tomatoes...ketchup & spaghetti sauce yes...go figure. Anyway, they couldn't give it to me because they were buying it! What's weird is we can't get that flavor around here.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

california pizza kitchen has good hummus but the closest one is at the casino so we don't go much. I'l have to check out the lemon and the 40 spice. I saw those at the store. Thanks for the info!!

 

[TPCShauna]

Ha ha, Deb! You beat me to it! I was popping on to say that I love the 40 spice and the red pepper but you got here first.

I think the 40 spice is something or other "Thieves" brand?

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I just bought the original, not realizing before hand that there were so many choices but the 40 sounds more our speed. DS10 said the original was bland.

 

[piratesmate]

Well, since we tend to eat whatever is "on sale" it's kind of tough to remember which brand has which flavors. I was thinking it was something like "Tribe". DD just said that the lemon one is "Athenos" or "Athena" Greek-style.

And yeah - the original flavor tends to be bland. We usually eat it on pita that we rip apart, but DS always grabs the bag of Scoops & uses those. He's built like a stick so he's not worried yet about the fat & salt in those.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Yep the one I got was tribe. It was ok, I just added fresh diced tomatoes and warm pita. The good thing is DD likes it too so I know she'll eat it with me.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Some shredded Asiago is really good mixed with the plain hummas. Then put it in a pita with sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots & black or green olives. Mmm, gotta go grocery shopping again.

 

[New England Eeyore]

Personally I don't like Tribe. Too bland. My brand preference is Joseph's. My favorite is the Garlic Lover's.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Personally I don't like Tribe. Too bland. My brand preference is Joseph's. My favorite is the Garlic Lover's.

hmm do they carry Josephs at Stop and Shop?

 

[New England Eeyore]

Yup. In MA anyway.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

cool, I think I will go look when DH gets home on Sunday.

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

ok, I need help too. I need to lose some weight, my dd needs to also, and my ds is becoming a carb junkie b/c of his really picky eating habits. I need to get more veggies in them...esp my ds!! He's SO picky, and has a bunch of sensory/texture/etc issues. Help!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

will they do veggies and ranch? My neighbor puts it out for the kids to snack on while she is getting dinner ready.

I also stopped buying fruit snacks, crackers, etc. I did buy lots of fruits and for the oranges I cut them up in wedges and threw them in a ziploc bag. They pull them out piece at a time. The boys complained a bit at first but now they don't even miss it. If it's not in the house they can't eat it right.

As for the losing weight part, I need help too. The DR put me on steroids for the past 4 weeks for poison ivy and I gained about 15 lbs. I need to lose about 80 lbs now. YUCK!!! My best advice would be smaller more frequent meals, don't eat after 6 -7 p.m.. Tough, I know. And don't cut out sweets all together, if you do you are more likely to binge on junk.

And the fruits and veggies, the darker the better. Darker fruits and veggies have better nutritional value.