OHbaby! Forums : Snack Foods

Snack Foods : Thanks Meow, I never thought of...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:03:50 +0000

Author: Maya
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 9:03pm

Thanks Meow, I never thought of buying dried fruit in bulk and the gremlins go thru dried apricots like nothing on earth!

Maya's school lunchbox always has a sandwich or roll with ham, cheese or marmite, 2 pieces of fruit or one piece of fruit plus a Fruit Squirts thing or some dried apricots, a pack of rice wheels or mini rice crackers, a couple of mini muffins from the freezer or 2-3 biscuits. They have a "brain snack" at 9.30am when they have to choose something healthy from their box which I think is great, encourages them to make healthy choices. And they can order sushi once a week on a Thurs for lunch so she does that most weeks.

Snack Foods : PS - we usually have some chips...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:00:44 +0000

Author: Nikki
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 9:00pm

PS - we usually have some chips and rashuns/cheezels too, but they're for me and DH and we're trying to cut back on them at the mo ...!

Snack Foods : We have quite a bit but more for...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:57:48 +0000

Author: Nikki
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 8:57pm

We have quite a bit but more for me and DH than Jake!
Daycare provides Jakes food (sammies/toast and fruit for morning and afternoon tea and a cooked meat/veg lunch), so he isn't having snack foods everyday but most days will have some sort of crackers and is big on raisins at the mo.

In our pantry:

Rice rounds - BBQ and Cheese and Bacon (I work for Healtheries, and I eat about 95% of these myself - Jake just has a couple out of my packs).
Rice crackers
Crackers - plain snax and cheesy ones
Raisins
Fruit tubs (that he didn't like)
Gingernuts
Tiny teddies (that he doesn't like either)
Those rice bubbles bars - 2 flavours (mainly for DH)
Organic bikkies and wheelies (from work)
Popcorn packs (for me)
Cheese slices (in fridge)

I think I'd better stop there!
He mainly snacks on fruit, yoghurt, raisins, crackers and the odd biscuit or cheese slice.

Edited by Nikki

Snack Foods : I had to think about this one. We...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:52:05 +0000

Author: Mazzy
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 8:52pm

I had to think about this one.

We have:

Rice crackers in the big packet (this changes each shopping week, I like to buy a different type of cracker so DD doesn't get bored, but they are generally pretty plain and not individually packaged)
Raisins in the little boxes
Dried apricot pieces in little bags (a one off and never again - the bags are way too fiddly for little hands and she doesn't eat them anyway)
Sometimes we have arrowroot biscuits

Otherwise it's fresh fruit, cheese, sandwiches and home made stuff, including the yoghurt we make ourselves. I put the yoghurt into the little tupperware containers I bought recently and they are awesome.

Meow, I hadn't thought of cold cooked pasta, DD1 would love it! Thanks!

Edited by Mazzy

Snack Foods : We have lots of fruit - and the...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:58:29 +0000

Author: mum2paris
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 7:58pm

We have lots of fruit - and the girls get 1 thing once a day that would classed and "treat-ish", that said we do have a range so that they can choose.

Pre-packed stuff that we have in our pantry for them:

Rice-wheels (paris takes half a pack to school with her in a container) sour cream and chives and barbque ( i buy in bulk when they are cheap)
Raisins (small boxes - we used to get a big box and put in containers but got lazy)
Mother earth baked fruit sticks in strawberry and also apple
Sun real dried fruit snack packs, some have apricots and sultanas and raisins, others have dried apples, pears and raisins.
Snacker bite apricot bars
And bickies - the girls can choose from super wine, gingernut, or the crazy-face bickies.

Typical snack for morning tea usually consists of a piece of fruit - either half an apple or banana or mandarin, then a bickie, and usually some raisins/dried fruit - or in place of a bickie they get a fruit bar. Sometimes i add pieces of cheese - or cheese and crackers in place of the biscuit. and of course water

Afternoon tea is kinda the same but smaller - usually a milo and a biscuit to dunk (the girls are big on "dunkers")and some raisins.

Paris's school lunches usually have 2 sammies, 2 pieces of fruit (at the mo mandarins cos she can peel them herself and they are cheap and readily available) a container with 2 superwines, container with half a pack of rice wheels,and a pack of raisins, or sometimes i send a small container of fruti yogurt for morning tea in place of a piece of fruit.
So far when she's done her "practise runs" at daycare it has been just the right amount for her.

We do have other prepacked stuff though - like the jellies from the supermarket - in place of actually making up a large jelly i tend to buy a few of those for impromptu puddings as we never can guarantee that they'll actually eat well enough to 'qualify' for pudding lol so no use making up large ones. We buy the small pottles of fruit salad or peaches that the girls have on their brekkies if they don't have banana or with puddings if they have pudding - again we used to get bigger packs and put in container in the fridge but had alot of waste. That and pizza pockets we always have before swimming on a tuesday as we pick them up come home get changed have a snack then off to swimming at 5.15 so Paris needs something to keep up her stamina and ayja needs something to stop her turning feral from hunger.

We used to have alot more things, alot more different things - but tend not to now cos otherwise i get tempted and there alot more things you can do from scratch - ie: le snacks - much easier and better to do cheese and crackers.

Edited by mum2paris

Snack Foods : we don't have a lot. more...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:39:12 +0000

Author: lizzle
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 7:39pm

we don't have a lot. more about budget than anything. i make the kids popcorn and they have it in ziplock bags, lots of fruit - mandarins are the fav,. raisins, apricots or something dried. a honey or jam sandwich. we generally don't have chips. they are our "movie night" food (once a fortnight or so), yoghurt....I get lots of good ideas from healthy food guide and sometimes...I even make them!!

Snack Foods : AuntieSarah wrote:I am always...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:08:11 +0000

Author: meow
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 7:08pm

AuntieSarah wrote:

I am always amazed at things like individually packaged prunes - they must be expensive and it can't be that hard to buy a big pack and put them in a bit of gladwrap or a container surely?! Mind you I don't have kids yet so I may well change my tune when I do lol.

It's not hard at all!
I have lots of containers of various sizes, and cut up things like apple, kiwifruit, pear, carrot etc. In the summer she takes berries and things too.
Cold cooked pasta is another thing you can put in containers for lunch.
I wouldn't eat it, but DD loves it!
Cheese and pineapple on sticks - don't do it much unless I have plans for the rest of the pineapple, but it's a treat for her.

Things from the bulk bins like dried apricots, yoghurt raisins, pretzels etc are good too, and cheaper than buying a packet.

I do lots of baking too, but have had to slow down lately.

On the occasion I have bought some of the snack type prepackaged things, DD turns her nose up at them

Snack Foods : mummy_becks wrote:I remember...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:02:34 +0000

Author: caliandjack
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 7:02pm

mummy_becks wrote:

I remember when I was at school, it was one day chippies the next day a muslei bar, I thought we were hard done by as other kids had both everyday., But we were actually the lucky ones as we had heaps of homebaking.

I was at High school when Flemings Museli bars came out, and we never had chippies at home, everything was home made and in primary school tuck shop only sold Big Ben pies, sausage rolls and chocolate dairy food and ice creams and ice blocks. Mum only let us buy from there maybe once a month if we were lucky.

Snack Foods : gypsynita wrote:sorry to hijack...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:57:52 +0000

Author: jaz
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 6:57pm

gypsynita wrote:

sorry to hijack your thread caraMel - but I was wondering of those of you who included "baking" in the list, what sorts of things do you usually bake?

I always have muffins in the freezer and often a slice, scones or leftover cake. Our current favourite is a muesli slice.

Snack Foods : When my boys go to daycare they...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:11:14 +0000

Author: mummy_becks
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 5:11pm

When my boys go to daycare they have to take lunch. I always make sure there is a yoghurt or sandwich in there, a piece (or 2) of fruit, crackers (in a container that comes home), homemade mini muffins (usually a couple), either a muslei bar or chippies, rasins or dried apricots (more fruit intake), and some buscuits. Once at daycare the teachers go through and take out the "lunch" item, on Andrew's side they get to do that with the teachers, and then the rest is left for them to have at morning and afternoon tea and at lunch as well.

Snack Foods : OOOh, I have a recipe for healthy...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:10:21 +0000

Author: lizzle
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 5:10pm

OOOh, I have a recipe for healthy fruit roll-ups from the healthy food guide. am trying tonight so if they are any good, will let you know.

Snack Foods : Roll ups must be so bad for teeth...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:42:37 +0000

Author: AuntieSarah
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 4:42pm

Roll ups must be so bad for teeth are they? I know we had them when we were kids...have tried one once as an adult and it got stuck in the hole in my tooth owwww lol. They're so sticky!

Definitely are lots of convenience things which are healthy - I think much more these days than there used to be? Used to just be chippies and stuff when we were young and now there's all the rice crackers and fruit things and stuff. Although maybe they were around but my mum just bought us rubbish lol.

Snack Foods : I'm a convenience person...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:11:01 +0000

Author: Maya
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 4:11pm

I'm a convenience person too, atm we have

Rice Wheels
Rice crackers
Mini rice crackers in snack packs
Those Watties Fruit Squirt things
Heaps of plain biscuits - wine, arrowroot, krispie etc.
Mother Earth Fruit sticks
Little boxes of raisins
Dried apricots
Cheese Shapes crackers
Those little pottles of fruit in juice
Yoghurt in squeezy tubes
Processed cheese slices
Le Snaks

Mind you, a lot of that is for Maya's school lunchbox. I know a lot of it is processed, but we have a healthy eating guide for Under 5s from the ministry of health which lists the healthiest options for prepackaged foods and try to buy from that list. I don't buy chippies, roll ups etc.

Snack Foods : I'm all about convenience...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:04:39 +0000

Author: AuntieSarah
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 4:04pm

I'm all about convenience (for myself!) at the moment - too tired and nauseas most of the time to bother making myself food! Little packets of chippies, pasta snacks, biccies...bad bad bad.

Anyway, I remember being shocked at some of the lunch boxes that used to come to childcare, some of them were solely made up of little packets of things - chippies, pack of biscuite, le snacks, bars etc. I am always amazed at things like individually packaged prunes - they must be expensive and it can't be that hard to buy a big pack and put them in a bit of gladwrap or a container surely?! Mind you I don't have kids yet so I may well change my tune when I do lol.

Snack Foods : Thanks for the replies so far,...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:34:52 +0000

Author: caraMel
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 3:34pm

Thanks for the replies so far, I'm not feeling like such a terrible mother now!

fleury wrote:

biscuits, slices and muffins things that don't take long to make, or eat lol!
Last sunday I made fudgy chocolate chip cookies packed 1 in mine and DHs lunch each day, better than brought stuff.

I also make a lovely weetbix slice, with golden syrup and coconut yum, weetbix are healthy right

That's what I was thinking r.e. baking eh? On the one hand, you know exactly what goes into it and you know there's no crazy-inducing colourings or carcinogenic chemicals etc, but its generally not that healthy eh? Or economical these days, with the prices of butter and milk the way they are!
Muffins are a good option, and I hide carrot in chocolate chip ones!

Edited by caraMel

Snack Foods : biscuits, slices and muffins things...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:58:30 +0000

Author: caliandjack
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 2:58pm

biscuits, slices and muffins things that don't take long to make, or eat lol!
Last sunday I made fudgy chocolate chip cookies packed 1 in mine and DHs lunch each day, better than brought stuff.

I also make a lovely weetbix slice, with golden syrup and coconut yum, weetbix are healthy right

Edited by fleury

Snack Foods : sorry to hijack your thread caraMel...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:55:29 +0000

Author: gypsynita
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 2:55pm

sorry to hijack your thread caraMel - but I was wondering of those of you who included "baking" in the list, what sorts of things do you usually bake?

Snack Foods : We have raisins, muesli bars and...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:49:13 +0000

Author: caliandjack
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 12:49pm

We have raisins, muesli bars and le snax, and snak pak size fruits. These are for me and DH, and my nieces.

Usually have either cheese or humus in the fridge for going on bread or crackers.

I usually have a packet of plain biscuits for baking, which i do on Sunday and have for m/tea for the first half of the week.

Snack Foods : Raisins and mixed dried fruit Muesli...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:40:07 +0000

Author: CuriousG
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 11:40am

Raisins and mixed dried fruit
Muesli Bars (several types)
Le Snax
Crackers (lots of different ones)
Little bags of Chippies and Popcorn
Biscuits
Fruit in little pottles

I have been trying to be a bit more healthy with her lunches, like sending her to day care with cooked carrot sticks etc. But she loves the things we have above and will have at least one of them every day.

Snack Foods : Rasins in the little boxesMuslei...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:22:23 +0000

Author: mummy_becks
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 11:22am

Rasins in the little boxes
Muslei Bars
Dried Apricots
Crackers
Little bags of Chippies
Biscuits

Yeah I have a lot.

Snack Foods : We are pretty shocking... At the...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:10:17 +0000

Author: Daizy
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 11:10am

We are pretty shocking...
At the moment in the pantry we have:
Rasins
Nice and Natural Fruit Bars
Nic and Natural Zeds
Mini Snakers Bars
and usually 1 packet of choc chipbuiscuits a week.

We mainly use the bars if we are out and i need something quick and easy to throw in my bag, the rest of the time its fruit and maybe if we are lucky its home baking. And occasionally crackers and cheese.

Snack Foods : I use rice crackers, round wines...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:32:35 +0000

Author: Lulu
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 10:32am

I use rice crackers, round wines and occasionally the mother earth baked fruit bars.
Other than that I find dried apricots and prunes are great snack foods, along with fruit, cheese, etc.

Snack Foods : Signature range Casava crisps...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:05:56 +0000

Author: cuppatea
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 10:05am

Signature range Casava crisps and rice crackers.
Heinz english version rusks (dairy and egg free)
Organic outback crackers (again dairy and egg free).

That's it, unless you count bread as processed.

Mostly for going out snacks, I take rice crackers, mandarins, sultanas, sandwiches/toast fingers and rusks.

I try not to buy anything with any preservative, artificial colour, flavours etc

Snack Foods : We eat very little processed food....

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:42:41 +0000

Author: jaz
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 9:42am

We eat very little processed food. I buy crackers and have just started buying plain biscuits for Caleb's snacks but only really for going out so we have something in reserve.

Caleb's snacks are mostly fruit but sometimes raisens, little slices of cheese, or mini home made muffins. Brooke takes a roll/sandwhich, fruit, yogurt and a piece of baking for her school lunch. I eat yogurt and fruit for snacks and DP will raid the baking.

Our Friday night treat is a bag of potato chips and bottle of fizzy. Sometimes we'll treat ourselves a tub of ice cream or bar of chocolate to share in the evenings. We function a lot better if we eat really healthy 90% of the time and have a treat rather than processed food on a daily basis.

Snack Foods : Just out of interest, how much...

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:30:13 +0000

Author: caraMel
Subject: 19727
Posted: 02�August�2008 at 9:30am

Just out of interest, how much prepackaged 'snack' types of foods do your kids have?
'Someone' commented a little while ago on the amount of snack foods that our kids have and gave me a very genuinely shocked and disapproving spiel about how her children never had anything like that in their lunchboxes.
I was thinking about when I was unpacking the groceries yesterday and wondered how our 'snack' food ratio compares with other families?

In our cupboards right now:

Nice n' Natural lunchbox logs/Mother Earth fruit sticks
Little raisin boxes
Fruit squirts
Le snacks
Snax crackers
Corn thins
Poppa Jacks

Until I got the spiel I thought we didn't do too badly in the instant foods department, but now I wonder whether I was deluding myself and maybe we need to overhaul and cut some out? I should add, they don't eat all of these things everyday.

What's in your cupboards, please?

Edited by caraMel