‘Healthy Snacks’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Healthy Snacking on the Go

August 29, 2016 · Ad-Free, Narrative

Now that our Fall routines are underway, I’m getting back into the swing of keeping our refrigerator and pantry stocked with healthy snack items that we can grab on the go. Because between Maddie’s cheer and Girl Scouts, and Nick’s weekly volunteering obligations coupled with the fact that he’s starting high school next week (!!!), well, I want to make it as easy as possible to stay the course.

Healthy snacking is not a new topic on Sweetnicks, but the cast of characters is always evolving. When making my plans to stock our kitchen, I keep a focus on a variety of items. Some sweet, some savory. Some homemade, some pre-packaged. Just an all ’round good balance to satisfy the current need-right-now.

Granola bars are a given, and we all like different ones. Of course.

This is a tasty homemade granola bar recipe that I love.

Nuts by the handful. I buy big value-size containers, and portion them out into little snack bags, so they’re perfect to grab and go….

Eat: Balance Bar {Nutritious On-the-Go Snack}

August 14, 2016 · Ad-Free, Narrative

This is a sponsored post on behalf of my work with Mom It Forward.

A quick and easy on-the-go snack that’s both delicious AND nutritious? Yep, it’s possible!

Whether it’s the summer time or during the school year, I’m always on the look-out for nutritious snack items that I can have on hand. And now that we’re in the home stretch of the summer, I’ve got my eye on things that would go well in lunch boxes.

Because, let’s be real. Although I want to make every single thing that goes into Madeline’s lunch box, it’s not going to happening. Because sometimes life and the best intentions don’t always go hand in hand. So my more realistic goal is to have a mix of the two.

Some things I make and some things I buy.

Because, balance.

And speaking of balance … I recently got a shipment of Balance Nutrition Bars.

Truth be told, when it comes to nutritious protein bars, I usually go in with really low expectations. Because so many of the products currently available in the marketplace are just plain awful. I have a few favorites, and usually stick to those to avoid disappointment.

So when I opened up the box, I wasn’t expecting much.

I’m happy to report that I was wrong.

…

Review: Bitsy’s Brainfood {and Giving Back}

October 19, 2012 · Narrative

I am always on the look-out for new, wholesome snack items for the kids, particularly simple ones that I can stick into their lunch box. Because sometimes I need something of the grab-and-go variety, and can’t always make a fresh batch of granola bars or cookies.

So Bitsy’s Brainfood? It seemed like something right up our alley. With interesting flavor combinations, it’s definitely a bit of a walk on the wild side, but since they were packed with all natural fruits and vegetables, we were game.

Our first foray into Bitsy’s Brainfood was their Sweet Potato Oatmeal Raisin flavor. I put them in a bowl on the coffee table as Nick did his homework one afternoon and Madeline collapsed in a school-is-hard-when-you’re-four-years-old-you-have-no-idea heap on the couch.

The cookies are small and in the shape of letters. So education while snacking. You know, letter recognition. Spelling words. Playing word scramble. It’s all good.

I’m not really big into cookies myself (would much prefer a salty snack over a sweet one), but the Sweet Potato Oatmeal Raisin flavor was slightly addicting. Even Madeline said they tasted different, but that she couldn’t stop eating them. Thin and crispy, with a hint of deep molasses. Not overly sweet, which is pretty perfect. Although the cookies do contain a somewhat unusual flavor profile (chocolate orange beet anyone?), there is just enough sweetness to drive home a bit of kid appeal.

But better than the cookies and their wholesome goodness? Is the mission behind the cookies. They aim to teach children to eat smart and be smart through their Give a Bitsy Back program. Alexandra Buckley Voris and Maggie Jones Patton, founders of Bitsy’s Brainfood, met while working at Children for Children, a non profit, and saw firsthand the lack of access to healthy snacks in many communities and schools. Together they started Bitsy’s Brainfood, made with organic ingredients and packed with nutrients that support developing bodies and brains. Alongside this launch, they also developed the Give a Bitsy Back program to supply healthy snacks to worthy organizations.

…