Planning for Snacks Makes You Happy!

The first words I hear after school are "I'm hungry, what can I eat?"
Can you relate?

Sometimes it's a simple question to answer because I'll plan for it and have snacks ready, or at least have a suggestion about what they can grab.
Other times though, not so much.

To really feel that sense of pleasure when you know the answer, you need to plan for it, and that is something that is true for everyone- no matter what kind of snacking style you're working with.

Starting with an inventory of what you already own is a great idea. It saves you time and money in the grocery store. It helps fight food waste which benefits the environment. Check your fridge, freezer, and pantry. Is there something in there that can be transformed into a snack?

For example...

• Frozen fruit can be turned into shakes, the beginning of muffins or quick breads, or toppings on yogurt.
• Nuts, on their own, are a great snack. But they can also be added to quick breads or muffins, and if you want to hide the nuts you can always grind them and sub out some flour for the ground nuts! (That's the only way my youngest will eat walnuts)
• Celery can be sliced and eaten with thinly sliced cheese strips, dipped in peanut butter, or turned into "ants-on-a-log" (still my all-time favourite way to eat celery!)
• Cucumbers and grape tomatoes can be combined with cheese cubes on a skewer for a fun take on a vegetable and cheese plate- sometimes you have to serve foods in a different way to make it more interesting to picky eaters

I'm not saying my kids would eat all these snacks all the time, but taste buds change as we grow and I have no doubt that my picky second son will soon enjoy foods he currently turns his nose up at.

Preparing homemade snacks will, generally speaking, always be better for you then the processed snacks you can buy at the grocery store. If you can find a system that works for you, in the time you have, using your freezer to store snacks (such as muffins or cookies) or having a dedicated snack space in your fridge will go a long way to reducing or even eliminating the frustrations that come with having to prepare meals and snacks when you aren't ready to do so. 

You can take these sorts of steps for your other meals, too. Spend some time thinking about what you can do with what you have. It's kind of like a puzzle to me, figuring out how to use what we've got. Sometimes it's easier than others, and remember that everyone finds themselves in an uncreative spot from time to time.

Happiness grows in tandem with planning. As uncertainty decreases and stress decrease, happiness steps in to take its place.

​Happy planning!