Snack Ideas for Kids

Got kids? We have five in our house, and they all love to eat. With Christmas break just around the corner, the last thing you need is the worry of spending all of your time in the kitchen preparing food for the kids, especially that which may be costly. Therefore, why not try some of these affordable and easy-to-make snack ideas instead. These have been a big success in our home; in fact, most of them have been handpicked by the kids themselves. Each recipe offers various options to meet the needs of their individual preferences. For instance, our children will often come up with additional ideas for toppings or fillings so feel free to experiment and take advice from your children as well.

For an easy and scrumptious morning or afternoon snack, try some Monkey Muffins. This is basically a smaller version of Monkey Bread accomplished in less time and is both fixed and served individually to each child’s liking. All you need is a 12-count muffin pan, 2 cans of 10-count biscuits, Ã?½ cup of sugar, Ã?½ cup of brown sugar, Ã?½ stick of butter, 2 tbsp. of both water and cinnamon. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl or Ziploc bag; set aside. Cut each biscuit into quarter pieces and roll or shake them in the sugar/cinnamon mixture until well coated. Place 6 pieces into each lightly greased muffin (leftover pieces can be tossed out or reused for additional muffins). Heat the butter on the stove or in microwave until melted; add water and brown sugar. Stir until blended (approximately 1 minute). Pour evenly over biscuits discarding any excess. Optionally, you can sprinkle in some nuts or other toppings (my kids like Cheerios). Bake in preheated 350Ã?º oven for about 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve while warm or reheat later.

Another favorite in our house includes Fruit-filled Pastry Rollups. Dependent on which fruits your children prefer, you can choose from apples, cherries, or peaches. Additionally, all three can be used for those with different tastes. Generally, you will need about 1-2 cans of pie filling consisting of your chosen fruit, 1 package of Puff Pastry (will only use �½ sheet), 1 egg, and 1 tbsp. water. Thaw pastry according to package. Combine water with egg and whisk thoroughly. Once pastry has been thawed, unfold onto lightly floured surface and roll into approximately 10x 10-inch rectangle. Brush some of the egg mixture onto pastry and cut into 12 sections. Place equal spoonfuls of fruit filling onto each section and roll them up. Brush on some more of the egg mixture and bake 12-14 minutes on 400�º. This can also be done in the form of wraps by using both pastry sheets. Once the fruit filling has been added, lightly brush second pastry sheet with egg mixture and cover fruit. Cut into 12 sections, separate, and seal edges with fingers. Baking time is the same.

Make lunchtime fun time with these simple recipes. As an alternative to sandwiches, make some Sandwich-Style Crescents. Since we have five kids, I generally use 2 cans of crescent rolls for this, 1 package of sandwich-sliced cheddar or mozzarella cheese, and some lunchmeat (ham, turkey, or chicken). One package of lunchmeat is sufficient unless using more than one kind. Fold cheese slices into �½ triangles and lay them on the individual crescent rolls. Take your choice of meat and roll up; place meat on top of cheese at the widest part and roll the crescent as stated on package. Bake at 400�º for 10-12 minutes. You can also add vegetables such as carrots or broccoli.

What kid doesn’t love eating pizza? Mini Pizza Burgers are not only easy to make but affordable as well, especially when you’re feeding more than a few. Grab a can of regular pizza sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese (shredded), 1 pack 8-count hamburger buns, 1 package pepperoni slices, and your choice of additional toppings. Cover each bun half with pizza sauce; add pepperoni, cheese, and desirable toppings (mushrooms, sausage, etc.) Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400Ã?º for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. You can also give this snack an additional twist by turning it into a Taco-Style Pizza Burger. Simply brown 1 pound of ground beef; discard grease. Add 1 package of taco seasoning mix and pizza sauce. Allow to simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside until cool (room temperature). Once the sauce has cooled, place on buns and add cheese. Bake 10 minutes at 400Ã?º or when cheese has melted; add toppings such as tomatoes, black olives, lettuce, etc.

Of course, you don’t need to limit yourself to Christmas break; all of these tasty snacks can be enjoyed at anytime of the year. Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of time or money in order to provide your children with delicious treats for lunch or snack. With a little creativity and a child’s imagination, this undertaking can easily be accomplished.