frugal snacks

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I have a pretty good handle on keeping meals cheap, the trouble seems like snacks are costing me too much lately. The kids like to have a little snack in the evenings. I need some ideas for cheap snacks!!!

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), October 06, 2001

Answers

Fruit is usually the main snacking item around here, it's not always cheap, but I usually don't pay over .99 cents a lb, you have to buy whats in season to do that. Store bought snacks are expensive and not really that healthy. Carrot sticks, peanut butter and crackers, homemade popcorn (the old fashioned way) not the microwave kind, is really cheap. Tea cakes, cheese tortillas, thats all I can think of right now, I'll probably come up with some more later.

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), October 06, 2001.

This is where my apples, bananas and grapes come in. I USED to throw away my fruit when it would begin to slightly shrivel or the bananas got a few brown spots on them. By throwing the grapes and apple chunks into the dehydrator, I was actually making something useful out of my "trash". With the bananas, I throw them into the freezer (peel and all), and make banana bread with them on the weekend. I make several banana breads and freeze them. Also, grind fresh carrots in a food processor (or grate them), add raisins and crushed pineapple (optional), add a little mayo and you have a healthy carrot- raisin salad. Since potatoes are fairly inexpensive and some may grow their own, why not do some potato skins and let everyone top their own? A bit of shredded cheese, a dolop of sour cream! Mmmmmm.......

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), October 06, 2001.

My PICKY kids love popcorn - we use a hot air popper, add a little salt, and they love it.

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), October 06, 2001.

Popcorn, fruit, homemade cookies and breads. The all-time favorite around here is the heel of fresh-baked bread with butter and jam. My oldest likes the peels of apples when I'm making pie or the peels of tomatoes when I'm making sauce!

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), October 07, 2001.

I forgot to mention that when we have desserts, we usually have it at bedtime rather than with the supper meal.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), October 07, 2001.


I make muffins-fun kinds of muffins like peanut butter/jelly ones, chocolet chip, pumpkin pie. I use less sugar than normal recipies and sneak in healthy goodies like wheat germ, this is a good "grab and Go" snack. Also good are those little cakes you can make in the crock pot-less sugar no frosting-these things are cheap and easy to make. I like to do bar type cookies-a little easier than drop cookies-much easier than cookie cutter ones. I make up cocoa mix too, and the kids can make thier own.

-- Kelly in Ky (ksaderholm@yahoo.com), October 07, 2001.

Kelly, I never heard of crockpot cakes! Could you post some recipes here? Thanks, In His Grace, Sissy

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (iblong2Him@ilovejesus.net), October 08, 2001.

Pop usual amount of pop corn...melt together 1/2 honey and 1/2 stick butter...pour over popped corn. You can always adjust amounts if necessary.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony@countrylife.net), October 08, 2001.

I try to push Cheerios and Triscuits at snack time as well as fruit and carrots sticks and cheese. Hubby got the kids hooked on pretzels and cheesies so they are part of every grocery order! I went grocery shopping last week and was dismayed at the amount of snack stuff in the cart when I was done. The kids are only 4 1/2 and almost 3 so snacky things like cheese and crackers or spoonfuls of peanut butter are often the main components of a midday meal. Oh well, they are pretty healthy for all that so I am hoping that this too shall pass and they will wake up one day and realise that the healthy stuff that mommy makes isn't "yucky" after all! At least they eat carrot sticks now! Wouldn't before this summer. :o) Popcorn is a big winner here too as a snack. I guess some things are pretty universal, eh?

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), October 09, 2001.

For a good snack here, I make dried apple slices. I had a whole bag of apples that we couldn't eat up quick enough, so I sliced them very thin and put them on the drying box. Mixed a little honey and cinimmon on some, some I left plain. Only one problem; they didn't last long enough. Time to make more.

We also enjoy popcorn, beef jerky, and fruit leathers.

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), October 09, 2001.



Crock pot cakes- Someyears ago, I bought a little slow-cooker cake pan-but you can use any can, cake pan, anything that will fit in your slow cooker. You want to cover it (the cake pan) loosly-perhaps some tin foil, or a plate set over the pan so it covers the cake, but lets steam out. You can use any recipe-a cake mix is perfect amount the pudding type mixes are really good or any cake recipe that has about two cups flour plus other ingrediants. Theres a ton of web sites on crookery cookery or, if you want specific recipes, I'll post on another thread.

-- Kelly in Ky (Ksaderholm@yahoo.com), October 09, 2001.

I have 3 kids and I have found having sugar too late gets them wound up. If your kids are younger, you might try making banana men use raisins for eyes. chocolate chips for noses or ears and cut up cherries for lips. or red licorice. or pear mice same concept.

-- melinda (speciallady@countrylife.net), October 09, 2001.

I like to cut an apple in half, remove the seeds from the center, smear a big dab of peanut butter mixed with sunflower seeds in the cavity and cut, put the apple back together and munch. What is challenging is keeping the peanut butter off your hands, but Yum Yum I like this very much. Keeps Cookie Monster off my doorstep for a while.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), October 10, 2001.

Another use for not picture perfect fruit--puree it with a little lemon juice and freeze as sorbet. If the fruits are dead ripe, they don't need any additional sweetener. A banana adds sweetness and smoothness to the concoctions. I have one of those frozen gel ice cream makers that does a small quantity-a pint of peaches, a very ripe banana and a tablespoon or 2 of lemon juice to keep the color and add a little kick is a favorite.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), October 12, 2001.

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