Top 5 Friday – Snacks

This week’s top 5 Friday is all about snacks!  Criteria for an awesome snack idea:

• Easy to prepare: Some days it seems to take forever to pass through that threshold we call a doorway, so the last thing I want to do is add cooking or chopping to the list of preparations for our daily snacks.
• Easy on-the-go: Our snack times often take place in a shopping cart or car seat so it’s gotta be easy to eat and doesn’t require any bowls or utensils.
• Reasonably clean:  Let’s face it…is any food that is meant to reach a baby’s mouth gonna make at every attempt?  Nuh uh, but the best snacks don’t result in a sauce covered face or sticky hands
• Nutritious:  Alleviate mommy guilt by choosing healthy snacks that compliment balanced nutrition from the food guide.

Here are my top picks!

1) Raisins – These little nuggets are pure gold in my family.  The pre-packaged boxes are easy to grab and take up no room in my purse.  They occupy little fingers long enough to get through the checkout and the process of digging the raisins out of the box helps develop fine motor skills.  They are a great source of energy and are jam-packed with iron, potassium, fiber and antioxidants.  Meeting all of the “awesome snack criteria”, raisins are my #1 pick!

2) Goldfish – I don’t know a kid who doesn’t love goldfish crackers.  Sure some will end up crushed on the floor or perhaps a trail will be left through the grocery store, but on the plus side, your husband will have no trouble finding you when he comes back with the bananas he forgot from  produce aisle.  We always choose the multigrain variety keeping nutrition in mind.  I like to prepare a few portioned containers in advance to help with the grab-and-go, although you can find them sold in individual portions if the extra packaging doesn’t bother you.

3) Dry cereal – Once all the fruit is gone and we are close to needing groceries, we always have dry cereal in the cupboard.  This is a good resort option for snacks on the go.  Similar to goldfish, expect some to find their way into the car seat grooves but these can also be portioned in containers in advance.  Chase loves his, “memewhees” or mini wheats!  100% whole wheat makes me happy.  Nutrios are another favorite since they are iron fortified.  These are happily received in a snack trap that can be easily handled  by Chase anywhere we go.

4) Crackers – Premium plus, Ritz, rice crackers…any will do!  When we’re at home we enjoy crackers and peanut butter for some added protein

5) Fruit – Ok, so maybe you need to keep the baby wipes handy for this snack but fruit has made our list because it meets 3 of the 4 criteria plus it is the most nutritious option.  Our favorites are bananas and apples since they don’t break open and are contained in their own peel.

I would love to hear about your favorite snacks so I have some fresh ideas too!  Feel free to share in the comments.  I’ve also started pinning snack ideas on pinterest so check that out too!