Snack Attack

I was not allowed to have a lot of snacks as a kid. My parents were pretty strict (and thrifty) when it came to food. Being a mom myself now, I feel like I depend on snacks sometimes—as bribes, as a tool to head off difficulties that I can foresee way before my kids can, to soothe my anxious mom self and make me feel like I am giving my kids enough calories, and probably to fulfill my snack-deprived child self. I usually bring some kind of snack(s) with me when I take my kids somewhere…just in case. We also often have picnic lunches outside. As I began to pack more lunches for our outings and also for daycare/preschool, I looked for more packing options so as not to use plastic bags and also not to buy snack-sized, individually-wrapped, smaller portions of, let’s say crackers or cookies or trail mix. I do have some reusable containers, bento boxes, and other things like that, which I do use often, but sometimes I want something more like a bag. When all is done and eaten, bags are also easier to make compact for transport.

These are some bags I like to use for sandwiches, trail mix, carrot sticks, cookies, fruit, etc., and not just for my kids but for me too. They come in different sizes and are easy to wash. It is true that they are not airtight like plastic so things can become a bit stale or dry out faster, but I have rarely kept food in them long enough for this to even matter. I think I prefer the lunchskins ones because they are easier to clean and the brand has a lot of great products which are also pretty cute. So one more easy way to reduce waste.

Squeeze Please

In continued acknowledgement, honor, and support of Black Lives Matter, HERE is a little something to read about the intersection of climate and racism. The article indicates that “The rich have a bigger carbon footprint than the poor, but it is the poor who are more likely to be people of color in this country and who are often most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.” Yet another important perspective to consider.

*Awkward transition*

I think like most kids, my kids love squeeze pouches. And I assume like most parents, I find them to be extremely convenient, especially while on-the-go. But let’s face it, they are a money suck and super wasteful. Enter the reusable squeeze pouch. There are many, many, MANY different kinds in different shapes and sizes that exist out there. The ones you can see here in the pics are the ones that have worked well for me, for no particular reason. Here are some of the pros and cons I have realized:
PROS
less wasteful, less expensive, complete control over the ingredients so…ideally healthier
CONS
a bit annoying to open when washing, need to be prepped

As far as what to put in them, I usually just blend some combo of whatever I have that seems tasty and healthy. I usually mix some fruits and veggies and sometimes I add flax seeds, chia seeds, plain yogurt, oils…again, whatever I have that seems to make sense. And you can use fresh or frozen ingredients or some combination. My kids love them. I normally keep them in the freezer and then pop one in their lunch box or whatever bag of food and snacks I prepare for an outing. It also then serves as a kind of ice pack but then defrosts by lunch time. We are all a big fan of these.

*And if you happen to have a dehydrator, if you make a large amount, you can use the same puree to make fruit leathers…another yummy snack.