Howdy all! Hope this find you well. It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood here today. Cooler, no humidity and sunny. We got some rain yesterday and it was lovely. Looks like there will be a high heat reprieve here for a week or so. YAY!
Hoping to get some yard work done in the next couple days!
I keep reading FB posts from folks that now have children home for the summer, and trying to stretch the food budget. It can be hard for some folks. When in school children get a lunch for their mid-day and at home, things can be tight when there are more mouths to feed at home.
Here are a few idea that may help those in need.
These ideas can also be used for anyone, including the elderly on limited budgets.
Watch your grocery stores for their clearance sections.
FRUIT - our grocery has a .99/bag section of markdown fruit. It is still perfectly good, and you tend to get several pieces of fruit for the price. Watch for those special sales and digital coupons that get you a good price.
If you can't get fresh fruit - try frozen or canned (with no sugars added).
So as not to waste fruit - cut it up in smaller pieces. Children often waste a good portion of a whole piece of fruit. Use leftover fruit in slushies or milk shakes. Make popsicles. Freeze bananas - they are like eating a popsicle (you can dip in chocolate first if you have it).
Melons are coming into season and can be cut up into bite size pieces. One melon can be several servings!
VEGGIES
Fresh veggies cut up and added to a little homemade dip is a tasty treat and healthy. Never forget the old time snack of celery with peanut butter or cheese. I had that a lot when a kiddo. Fresh carrot sticks or any fresh veggies from a garden can be added to some pasta and a little dressing and you have pasta salad, which can make a healthy snack.
Buy whole carrots and stalks of celery and cut up yourself - don't buy those bags of pre-cut or baby carrots (they have bad stuff on them). Pickles and olives can be added to the mix as well.
Keep a lot of cut of veggies in the frig for a quick grab!
Homemade simple treats.
Make some simple cookies or a cake if you have the ingredients or have some mixes on hand. Brownies, cookies, cake (doesn't even need icing), fudge, popsicles, pudding, Jello cups (homemade), etc. It doesn't need to be fancy.
IF you have cereal at home - even a bowl of cereal and milk can be a snack.
JUICE - is always good as well - whether fruit or veggie.
POPCORN - is very cheap and easy.
Instead of buying chips of all sorts, make popcorn yourself (not the microwave stuff). You can have popcorn with any type of seasonings. Jazz it up a bit. Make popcorn balls if you have the ingredients, or get creative and come up with your own type of popcorn snack. (balls, bars, indiv. sized)
PBJ sandwiches. Hummus (make your own) and veggies. Pudding or yogurt topped with leftover cereal crumbs.
Toasted bread or buns with a little butter and cinnamon/sugar.
Toasted bread with peanut butter and slices of apple or banana.
Homemade mini pancakes/waffles with some peanut or jelly added.
Easy homemade biscuits with topping of cinnamon/sugar or served with jelly.
Lunchmeat sandwiches. Tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad - whatever you can throw together to make a sandwich filling. Again - cut them up into smaller sections so that nothing is wasted!!!!
I still love a treat of apple slices and peanut butter!
Roast some garbanzo beans (chickpeas) for a tasty snack.
Nuts of any kind are filling.
There are so many options for easy and cheap snacks.
I remember having lots of popsicles as a child. Made from Kool-Ade or fruit juice. Sometimes if there was a little pudding left, mom would add some milk and freeze as a popsicle. You can also freeze in ice cube trays and a fun treat.
Mom always had a cookie jar with some kind of homemade cookies. Usually sugar cookies. My friends thought "my" cookie jar was the bomb (they only got store bought)! If you have fruit trees - there is a good treat. I loved picking apples or cherries or grapes when a child.
There are lots of cheaper options available - you just have to think a little and get creative.
Nothing is off limits for a snack - even leftovers.
Keep those young-ins and yourselves full. A hungry belly is miserable for anyone.
Always remember - if you need help, please ask for it.
Keep your snacks fun and simple.
Happy snacking!!!
List your ideas for tasty snacks. Looking for all ideas that help someone!!!
When my children were growing up I would tell them to eat real food for a snack and not junk that wasn't really filling. And by that I meant have a sandwich if you're really hungry not a half a bag of chips.
ReplyDeleteBut I also made sure I had homemade quick breads on hand for their midmorning snack (we homeschooled) everyday.
Oh, quick breads and muffins is a great idea. I generally had to eat real food as well - except mom's homemade cookies!
DeleteGreat tip.
Interesting that you should mention popsicles. Here I am, mid-60s, and I bought a mold for making popsicles when I was at IKEA a couple of weeks ago. I want to say, less than $2, and so many memories!
ReplyDeleteI really do like popsicles - they are so refreshing. I still like them too. I often make some just in an ice cube tray. $2 and can be used again and again - sure can't buy any popsicles that cheap.
DeleteENJOY
Yesterday was the last day of Grade one for my grandson, and my daughter is excited knowing she doesn't have to prepare snacks for him each morning for school. I'm sure she'll quickly realize that prepping snacks for at home is the same, except at a different time of day.
ReplyDeleteI so wish our grocery stores offered the same discounts on fruit and veg, as you mention. However, on the other hand, I know that most places send their older produce to the Food Bank. At least someone is getting use of it, rather than going in the bin.
I am surprised they had to provide treats for school. Yes, she will still be making them just for home now.
DeleteI ran to the store this morning and looked at the .99 bin. There were all kinds of fruits and veggies in it. I wish all stores did that. But like you said at east someone gets the use of it - and those are the most vulnerable.
It has been years since I had kids in school and the budget does get stretched in the summer months with everyone home. Wayne Township has a bus that parks at my local library, West Wayne, and passes out meals to children. I totally agree with Miss Margaret: eat real food, not junk. Since the Farmer and I have been doing keto, I seldom snack.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful day! Oh my goodness, such a contrast to the hot and humid days we had earlier this month. Can't believe it is almost the Fourth of July. Going out to weed which should be pretty easy with the ground softened. Enjoy your day! See you Sunday!
I know some areas around here provide lunches as well, once school is out. But you know those kids get hungry after dinner and stuff too.
DeleteIt is just gorgeous - I got the grass done. I need to do more tomorrow. Sure is lovely.
After walking the ice cream, popsicle, and snack aisles at the store recently -- yes, you do want to make your own. Pudding, jello, homemade Popsicles, ice cream sandwiches made from Graham crackers with cool whip topping or ice cream sandwiched in between.. if you are wise, you can make it at home for much less than fancy store snacks.
ReplyDeleteYep those treats are super expensive at the store. I saw recently a 4 pack of fruit juice popes for like 4.99. That was on sale! So much cheaper to make them. Homemade ice cream sandwiches are yummy - with graham crackers or even cookies!
DeleteWe often had cheese and saltines or graham crackers with peanut butter. Of course, we had popsicles and fruit. We picked pecans from our pecan trees and plums from our plum trees. We had our snacks growing wild. It was a big deal for us to pick things ourselves.
ReplyDeleteAs oldsters, we sometimes have popcorn--Orville Redenbacher's in the plastic bottle, microwaved with nothing on it, not even salt or butter.
I have at least three or four, often more fruits as snacks everyday.
Yes, had those treats as well. Nice to be able to go out and pick your own.
DeleteI like popcorn, but need something on it - not a fan of plain.
I love fresh fruit. So refreshing and it is filling.
My personal snack is usually fruit or whole wheat bread toasted with either pb or marmalade, sometimes a bowl of bran-flakes. But I have an unending desire for Lay's Potato Chips. I cut up potatoes and pan fry them as part of a meal. They're similar in flavor to potato chips. I love them, but... Dollar Store has little bags of chips, single serving. A couple times a month I'll stop by there for other stuff, and while there I'll buy a couple of chips. I think I'm a chipoholic. It's absolutely pathetic, the fool things show up even in my dreams. (rolling eyes)
ReplyDeleteMaryB
I keep pita chips and tortilla chips in the pantry. Pita chips dipped in hummus (I don't always have it), used to dip egg salad or tuna salad, laughing cow cheese spread over a few. Tortilla chips with melted cheese and/or salsa. I don't make any of these from scratch nor do I eat a lot of them so maybe $20 every 2 months on these.
ReplyDeleteApple/Peanut Butter, string cheese, Greek yogurt with almonds and/or blueberries (I always have these in the freezer).
I'm not much of a snacker but these work when I am hungry but not hungry enough for a meal.
Pita chips - good idea. I do tortilla chips with melted cheese sometimes as well. So good.
DeleteI forgot about string cheese - yum.
You have picked good snacks to have around. Healthy and filling.
I keep a jar of homemade peanut butter crackers handy. Buy both on sale and it is a filling snack or quick lunch.
ReplyDelete97 here yesterday dropped to 82 today with light rain. Blessed relief!
That is a great idea t keep a bunch already made up. Nice quick snack.
DeleteGlad you are cooling some and got a little rain. It was a blessing here.
We have Walmart and Save-a-Lot here, neither I particularly care for. Whenever I'm in the next county over I'll stop at Kroger's, it has the best deals. Sometimes I do drive over there just to go shopping cause we are very limited here. Our school does the summer food program where they get lunch and breakfast for the next morning, but I only go if I'm already out because it's not really worth the drive otherwise, so I try to plan any errands at that time. I usually have some sort of bread or muffins fixed for them, but I do also buy them some junk to indulge in.
ReplyDeleteI agree I think Kroger has better prices than WM. We lost our Sav-A-Lot many years back. I did like that place on some things. Nice that schools provide the lunches and the breakfast for the next day. Oatmeal or breakfast burritos or sandwiches would be good too. Good on planning errands all at once, saves gas too.
DeleteI like the breads and muffin idea a lot. I guess we all need a splurge or indulgence once in a while. Try and keep them healthy. Sounds like you have a handle on it.
One of the things I make when the grands are here are mini-muffins. I use the Wacky Cake recipe (can be found online) . It's diary free and egg free. Costs pennies to make. I reduce the sugar by a third. All that's needed is flour, sugar, oil, any kind of flavoring or unsweetened chocolate, and water. and baking soda. One recipe will make about two dozen mini muffins or 12 regular size muffins. Gluten free flour can be used in this recipe as well. Peanut butter can be used for so many things as most everyone has mentioned. My family loves the 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies. 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, one cup of sugar, one egg. Mix together and roll into one inch balls and flatten on a parchment lined or lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes two dozen. Sometimes I add a handful of chocolate chips. Actually this cookie is somewhat of a staple in our house. It's also gluten free. We make our own corn chips by cutting a tortilla into sixths, brushing lightly with oil and either baking in the oven or in the airfryer. Cookie
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat idea on the mini muffins. I will look up that recipe - it sounds like a keeper.
DeleteThe 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are really good and so easy.
Love the idea of the corn chips. I have made hard shell tacos that way - but never thought about corn chips. I usually have flour tortillas, but sometimes I get corn ones - that would be a good use for them. Thanks - great ideas.
My boys when much younger always bugged for the one bite brownies or cookies. So expensive to purchase, but so easy to make. I would also give them slices of cheese on crackers as a snack, or my own canned fruit.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Homemade brownies and cookies just taste better too, not to mention cheaper. The others are very good snacks and yummy too!
DeleteGreat ideas, and so timely when groceries are out of this world! I only had to feed one child during the summer, when it seems like they are hungry all the time. I can't imagine how tough it must be to feed more. Actually, I'm still feeding one. Haha!
ReplyDeleteI know, parents with a very strict budget and multiple children, must have a very difficult time. I hope the options for cheaper items helps them. Store bought snacks are just bad for us and oh so expensive. Thanks
DeleteEven though my kids are all grown, we all like to have a snack now and again…. mostly of the savoury sort. Usually when my youngest is around I’ll make a dinner plate size plate of olives, dip, crisps, cheese, cold meat for him to nibble on before dinner while he unpacks his truck and feeds his dog. Thanks for these suggestions though, I may try a few.
ReplyDeleteLinda makes a lovely treat of anchovy paste between small cubes of pumpernickel, dipped in egg and fried. Sounds gross but is delicious.
I have enjoyed all your recent posts and I’m glad your 60’s function last week was great. Take care, Louise
Hope you are feeling much better Louise!!!!
DeleteThat is a great idea of the munchy plate! I do that for dinner sometimes. If I am tired or it is too hot - that may be a meal for me.
I bet it is great - not sure what I think about anchovy - but I would give it a try.
Thank you!
Lots of great ideas for inexpensive snacks, Cheryl. You can do so much with just a few staples. And even high protein too with cottage cheese and yogurt, which seems to be the in thing these days.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yes, snacks don't have to cost and arm and a leg. They are lots of cheaper ways to eat. I will pass on cottage cheese, but my hubs used to love it as a snack or breakfast! I do like yogurt, and you can still get some cheaper ones at the store or make yourself.
Delete