After-School Snack of Champions
I struggled with my weight as a child. I struggle to this day, every day, to be a lower body weight. And to make matters even more complicated and challenging, my mom is a gourmet chef. I’m sure you can imagine the kinds of after-school snacks I had growing up!
It was not unusual to come home on a Monday afternoon with my mom experimenting with a swan shaped pastry filled with chocolate ganache and a caramelized sugar “nest” that the pastry swan sat upon. I’m not even kidding! There were healthy snacks too, mind you. My mom always tried to make veggies and fruits “fun’” for us. Julienned pineapple bundles, dates filled with peanut butter and banana slices along with an orange cut up into the shape of a flower was Tuesday’s after-school feast. Cucumber and carrot “salads” shaped into ribbons with a special kitchen appliance that my mom still uses to this day on Wednesdays. You get the idea though. After school snacks were no joke!
Now that I’m a Mom, I worry, as any mom would, about my children’s weight and about the food they eat. I know that I have a finite period of time where I can still make a difference and shape their eating habits before other factors come into play and they will be influenced by peers and our unsupportive culture. In fact it’s already happened. A direct quote from my 6 year old from last week: “Mommy, why does Suzy get gummy bears as her snack and I get baby carrots, it’s not fair!” You can see what I’m up against.
With the influence of HMR on one shoulder and a gourmet chef on the other, I try to make my kids after-school snacks that are fun, delicious AND healthy (oh and easy too…no exotic kitchen appliances needed!).
Here are some of my favorites. What are YOUR favorite healthy and delicious after-school/after-work snacks?
Chocolate/Peanut Butter covered Frozen Banana
Mix a 70 Plus Chocolate pudding along with some reconstituted PB2 powder with some water in a bowl. Spread mixture all over several bananas and then wrap in saran wrap and freeze for 1-2 hours. (You can also make this at room temperature and it is equally delicious.)
Five-Bean Dip with Salsa and Avocado
Blend an HMR 5-Bean Casserole Entree with sour cream, salsa, black beans and avocado. Use as a dip for multi-colored peppers, baby carrots, cauliflower or any raw veggie you and your kids like.
Smoothie Pops
Blend an HMR Vanilla 800 Shake with frozen strawberries. Pour mixture into pop molds or even a plastic cup if that is all you have – and add a Popsicle stick. Freeze for 1-2 hours.
About the Author
Jenny has been a health educator at HMR since 2002, helping patients build healthier lifestyles and lose weight. She has 3 little girls at home and uses all the skills she’s learned at HMR to be a role model to them while at the same time making living a healthy lifestyle lots of fun!
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2013 (50)
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