Delicious and Healthy Snacks

Snacks..we're always looking for creative ways to keep them new and fun for our kids... and healthy!  I have found that keeping a big bowl of fresh fruit on my counter is a great way to invite them to something healthy at any time throughout the day!  I love cuties.  Have you tried these yet?  They are delicious and sweet - easy to peel and just the perfect size!  Try them before you buy them, though - open up the container and try one because they can be sour - so check first.  That might be illegal - I'm not sure - but I'm a rule breaker by nature, so I'll continue to do it until someone tells me otherwise :).

Avocados... my boys LOVE guacamole -and avocados are rich in good fats and calories, so I LOVE this food for them.  I mash one up and add a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, hot sauce and fresh lime juice - and they eat it all up!

And who doesn't love apples?  Whole or sliced with some peanut butter - they make a great snack - and there are so many kinds to choose from!

Trader Joe's is near my house and I've enjoyed experimenting with some items there.  Actually, for the longest time, I could not even THINK about Trader Joe's without feeling sick to my stomach.  It all stemmed from my Trader Joe's excursion when I was newly pregnant with Brooke.  I had no nausea when I was pregnant with my boys, but Brooke was a different story.  I walked into the store and picked up one of everything, it felt like, and in the middle of my shopping, I started feeling sick.  I checked out, drove home and figured that I was nauseous because I was hungry.  So, I ate a lot of the food I had just bought and then got really sick.  And that's all it took - it was over a year before I could even step foot into a Trader Joe's.  Now I love it again!  I recently picked up this bag of chips... Quinoa and Black Bean - and they are amazing!  They are crunchy with a great and very different flavor - but still maintain a pretty simple taste. 

I was also looking at all of the different hummus when a gentleman convinced me to buy this Tomato and Basil Hummus Dip.  Now, I'm a pretty plain Jane.  I like hummus to taste like its main ingredient - chickpeas.  But this man went on and on about how great this hummus was, so I bought one - and it did not disappoint!  It's tangy and delicious with pita chips.  I highly recommend it!  This is a snack that my kids love to eat, too - hummus and pita chips. 

But their preferred hummus is Sabra, Supremely Spicy.  It's pretty darn good!  And spicy!

Pistachios are something I like to have out on the counter, too.  They are fun to crack open - very tasty and a great source of protein.  My parents know how much my boys love them so they bought them each a 3 pound bag from Costco.

I'm so excited that fruit is about to be REALLY good and in season.  Nothing like some freshly cut COLD watermelon.  Yum...