Toddler Snacks

Leland is always hungry, I swear.  When he wakes up from his naps snacks have to be ready or he was be very crabby.  I am seriously starting to wonder how I will be able to feed this kid as a teenager, between him and Jeff I don't know how we can keep the food stocked with food.

Here are some ideas for snacks that we currently use:

Fruit- this kid loooooves fruit. Bananas, apples, grapes, oranges, strawberries, blueberries, pears

Veggie sticks- this sometimes calms him enough if dinner is soon.  He can't get much off but it will make him chill.

Toast with coconut oil or butter, or even homemade peanut butter (I have recently gotten into this).

Muffins

Homemade Larabars

Source: userealbutter.com via Megan on Pinterest

Cheese

Cheerios- I try to avoid these and use a last minute choice. 

Leland is a champion eater and I can easily give him items that are not recommended for kids his age, such as popcorn and grapes, but please note this is not the norm.  

This summer I am hoping to add in smoothies, yogurt pops, frozen banana bites and yogurt drops.

Source: joylicious.net via Megan on Pinterest

Do you have any good snack ideas?

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

My current late night snack for when I wake up to nurse and my stomach is begging for some food. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups rolled oats, quick cooking

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk chocolate chips dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat first 5 ingredients until well blended.
3. Combine oats, sugar & salt; add to peanut butter mixture and mix until sticky batter forms (about 1 minute).
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Press into a 13" x 9" pan coated with cooking spray. Use a piece of wax paper to help press it into an even layer in the pan.
6. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool completely and slice into bars.

Kettle Corn

I have a new obsession with popcorn.  I have made it three times in the past week.  Today I made some kettle corn to take over for football watching, GO CHIEFS!  And we preceded to eat all of it in about 30 minutes.  The great thing about popcorn is it is super easy!

So if you feel inclined, here is the recipes for this awesome popcorn.  It is taken from Joy the Baker.

Apple Oatmeal Whole Wheat Muffins

Lately I have been hungry, like all the time.  It is getting a little out of hand, so I am trying to find good, healthy snacks.  And hopefully they will help me keep full for a longer period of time.  Besides fresh fruit and veggies, I am trying to consume more nuts, my current fav. are pistachios.  But I found this recipe and it seemed pretty healthy so I made it and this muffins are so good.

 

Just look at them, they even look tasty. Anyway, here is the recipe.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

1	cup rolled oats
1	cup whole wheat flour
1	tablespoon baking powder
1/2	teaspoon salt
1	tablespoon cinnamon (or more, if you like)
1/3	cup sugar (dry) 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1/2	banana, mashed
1/3	cup applesauce (no sugar added!)
3/4	cup soy milk (plain or vanilla work well) unsweetened original almond milk
1	apple (make sure it's baking safe) I use Pink Lady
1/4	cup walnuts, chopped into chunks

Directions

•  Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Dice your apple so it's ready to be put in (I like 1/2" chunks).
• Thoroughly mix dry ingredients (oats through sugar) in a large bowl.
• Mix the mashed banana, applesauce, and soymilk (I do the banana and applesauce first, then kind of whip in the soymilk).
•  Mix the wet into the dry and toss in the nuts and apples (quickly!)
• The batter should be rising, very fluffy and wet. Scoop it into a greased muffin tray.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, but try to take out as soon as they look done (over cooking makes them a little bit harder, but still just as tasty).
• Cool If you let them cool before you eat one, they're much easier to get out of the pan.

Read more: http://caloriecount.about.com/apple-oatmeal-whole-wheat-muffin-recipe-r1324#ixzz0hMDBHWOj

I also added some ground flax meal to make it a little more healthier. 

Enjoy.