Living Providently Today

Easy Snacks for Summer or School Lunches

Summer is upon us and is a great time to prepare for the next school year.

Work with your kids to make a list of favorite snacks and treats. During the summer experiment with new recipes. Near the end of summer, make batches of your favorites with your kids. Wrap them individually or bag them. Put them in storage bags or containers and into the freezer. You have just simplified your morning routine and hopefully made some memorable summer moments. Time in the kitchen with my kids is always memorable!! By making  the snacks ahead of time you can plan healthy and  money saving snacks for the lunches.

Ideas for snacks

Peanut butter in a cup with pretzels, apples or celery to dip

Make our own lunchables: crackers, cheese slices and ham or pepperoni

Dried fruit or fruit leather                             mini muffins

Homemade granola bars                                 breadsticks

Most anything made at home can be sent in a lunch. Some children thrive on taking the most unordinary to lunch with them. Involve the kids and let your imagination work for you. Keep it simple and keep it fun. While preparing, you might also find how easy it is to keep it healthy.

Recipes can be found from kid cookbooks or online. Here are a few to try. Enjoy your summer and when those dog days come, get ready for school in the kitchen.

Curveball Crunch – makes six servings

8 cups popped popcorn            

3 cups miniature pretzels

1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

2 tbsp  butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup

Have your kids measure popcorn, pretzels, and peanuts into large mixing bowl.

Make toffee syrup by melting butter in saucepan over low heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir in brown sugar. Stir continuously until mixture bubbles.

Remove from heat and add in maple syrup to form smooth toffee syrup.

Drizzle syrup over popcorn mixture slowly tossing ingredients as you go to coat evenly.

Cool mixture and place serving portions in plastic bags. Roll the mixture to form a ball.

Cream Puffs

1 cup boiling water

1 cup flour

4 eggs

½ cup butter

½ tsp salt

 Melt butter in boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once. Stir until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each one.  Drop batter by tablespoons on greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Make round as possible. Size can range from bite size to individual roll size.

Bake 15 minutes at 450*. Then lower heat to 300* baking for 25 minutes. When cool, cut and fill with pudding, salad, cream cheese mixture.

Very versatile. May freeze. Or store in airtight container unfilled.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 ½ cup flour

¼ tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup chocolate chips

½ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla

Mix  all wet ingredients, then add the dry. Spoon cookie dough onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10 -12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

No Bake Granola Bars

2 ½ cups Rice Krispies cereal

2 cups quick cook oats

½ cup raisins or craisins

½ cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup  light corn syrup

½ cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips

Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl. Bring brown sugar, syrup to a boil in small pan. Remove from heat add peanut butter, vanilla. Pour over cereal. Cool 10 minutes add chips. Press into 9x13 pan. Cool and cut into bars.