Back to school may look a little different this year but we could always use easy and nutritious snacks! Today on CBS Las Vegas NOW, I share delicious options.
A great back to school snack
Pecans can super-fy your snacks by making them more nutritious and delicious. In each 1oz serving of pecans, you get 3 g of plant-based protein, fiber, minerals and good fats, including 18 g unsaturated fat and only 2g of saturated fat. They’re also incredibly versatile and bring a naturally sweet, buttery flavor and crunch to any snack. I share chocolate dipped banana pops are made with only 3 ingredients and are a great way to kids in the kitchen with you to include in “snacktivities”. Start by adding banana halves to popsicle sticks. Dip each into melted chocolate followed by chopped pecans, which add nutrient-dense crunch. Place your pops on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 4 hours. Get the full recipe here.
A make-ahead breakfast option
Next we have a make-ahead breakfast option – overnight oats made with delicious and nutritious California Figs which are full of fiber and flavor. Just 3 to 5 dried or fresh figs meet nearly 20% of your total daily fiber needs, a nutrient that many Americans fall short on. California Fresh figs are available now through November so scoop them up when you can but you can also get your fig fix year-round with California Dried Figs in the produce or dried fruit aisle. In a large mixing bowl mix together 1/2 cup of rolled oats, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/3 cup of plain low fat yogurt, 1 tbsp of chia seeds, 2 teaspoons of maple syrup and 2 chopped up California figs. Transfer to a jar, place in the fridge overnight and you have a delicious breakfast waiting for you in the morning.
Build balanced lunchboxes
Next, my tip for building nutritious and balanced lunchboxes with staying power is to combine protein, protein, whole grains and fun. Cheese is a source of high quality satisfying protein and calcium which is important for growing kids. Popcorn or whole grain crackers can serve as your whole grain source. For a fun ingredient, I am adding chocolate covered chickpeas and chocolate cup. Finally add your veggies and fruit. The Crispy Fruit freeze-dried fruit snacks by Crispy Green are a fun way to help check that box made with only one ingredient – 100% pure fruit and no added sugar so they are naturally gluten-free and fat-free. They are light, crispy and come in 8 varieties including pineapple, mango and the new “all strawberry flavor” with 60 calories or less per bag. Plus these single-serve bags are easy to add to kids lunchboxes or grab and snack on throughout the day. You can find Crispy Green snacks at Whole Foods, on amazon or crispygreen.com where you can also enter to win their giveaway for a backpack filled with back to school goodies.
Our last lunchbox is an elevated take on your classic PB&J – pecan butter and fig sandwiches on whole grain bread. Next add your fruit and veggies. And for our fun addition, I am adding Prince of Peace Ginger chews. These are a fun sweet treat that kids love and can help round out the meal. They come in delicious flavors including original, lemon, mango, orange and lychee. Plus some research suggests that ginger can help with digestion and nausea. You can find them at GNC, Rite Aid, Vitamin Shoppe and on Amazon.
