Snack Foods

Kyle and I recently attended a "party" for the conclusion of his music class. Snack were graciously provided by one of the other moms, and I realized that I had never given Kyle such foods before (Pepperidge Farms Goldfish Crackers, Nabisco Teddy Grahams, etc). Once I read the lists of ingredients however, I remembered why. They were packed with high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and other garbage - YUCK!

So, at Safeway today, I was very excited to find an alternative to these treats - Annie's Bunny Grahams and Annie's Cheddar Bunnies. (Additionally, they were on sale!) Each of these are available in a few different flavors and are proudly labeled with the following info:

Cookies:

• Made with Organic Wheat Flour (No GMO's)
• Made with Organic Cane Juice
• Excellent Source of Calcium (20% of Daily Value)
• NO Refined Sugars
• NO Hydrogenated Oils
• 0 grams Trans Fat
• 0 grams Saturated Fat

Crackers:

• Made with Real Cheese
  
• 0g Trans Fat
• No Artificial Flavors
• Made with Organic Wheat Flour
• Baked, not Fried!

These haven't yet been taste tasted by myself or Kyle, but if he enjoys it as much as he does Annie's Microwavable Macaroni & Cheese or the Annie's Organic Bernie O's, then I am sure that they will be a hit. It is great to be able to find an alternative to the junk foods that pass as kids snacks these days, and also another option to the Safeway O Organics for Toddler snacks (cookies and crackers) that I typically buy.

If you haven't already seen the Annie's brand in your local store, you can search for a store that carries their products here. Alternatively, you can also purchase their products through their website.

More on green veggies

When we went in for Kyle's 12-month check up, the topic of a well-rounded diet of course came up, and I mentioned that I really have trouble getting Kyle interested in veggies (this isn't a surprise to those who have read through earlier postings on the blog)

Because Kyle has loved the freeze dried mango, pineapple, and strawberries that we have been getting from Trader Joe's lately, I was thinking that maybe I should look for a similar product for veggies. After seeing a bag of Snapea Crisps while on vacation at the beginning of the month, I thought we should give it a try. They are GREAT! I opened the bag while Kyle was napping, and I am surprised that there were many left by the time that he woke up. He loved them too, and couldn't get enough, every time I gave him another one, he'd do a little happy dance for me. The only thing that I regret is that they are a little salty, so I am going to have to limit his intake of these. There are two flavors, Original and Caesar. I haven't tried the Caesar yet, as they have even more added ingredients. I've picked these up at both Trader Joe's and at Safeway (in the produce section), additionally, there is a list of retailers on the company's website.

Healthy snack food

I've seen these in the stores for a little while, but finally picked up a bag while I was at Target the other day. These are advertised as being baked snacks with wholesome goodness, and upon reading the package, I was shocked to learn that they are made by Frito-Lay! On top of being "good-for-you" they were actually very tasty, and even my husband who gets a little wary of "health food" agreed that they were very good. To date, I've only tried the Cheddar flavor, but will pick up a couple of more to try soon. The texture of the chip is even good for Kyle to be able to munch on and he enjoyed them.

Frito-Lay : FLAT EARTH Apple Cinnamon Grove Flavored Baked Fruit Crisps

Frito-Lay : FLAT EARTH Farmland Cheddar Flavored Baked Veggie Crisps

Frito-Lay : FLAT EARTH Garlic & Herb Field Flavored Baked Veggie Crisps

Frito-Lay : FLAT EARTH Peach Mango Paradise Flavored Baked Fruit Crisps

Frito-Lay : FLAT EARTH Tangy Tomato Ranch Flavored Baked Veggie Crisps

Frito-Lay : FLAT EARTH Wild Berry Patch Flavored Baked Fruit Crisps

Kyle's Favorite Finger Food Snacks

These are great finger foods to have on hand at home, or to pack a little container into the diaper bag to keep our little one entertained!

Gerber Finger Foods Fruit or Veggie Puffs (Banana, Sweet Corn or Sweet Potato)
Gerber Finger Foods Bitter Biscuits
Zwieback Toast (these unfortunately contain high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils, depending on the brand)
Gerber Graduates Crackers (Cheese or Lightly Seasoned)
Gerber Graduate Mini Fruits or Veggies (Apple or Sweet Corn)
Safeway O Organics Original Crackers

Diced Cheese (or just bring along a cheese stick and break it up)
Cheerios
Breadsticks

The Gerber Finger Foods Fruit or Veggie Puffs are great because they actually dissolve, unlike the Cheerios which actually require some serious chewing. I've had to break Cheerios in half for Kyle, and even then, I notice some worried looks from him as they get a little stuck. I also suggested breaking the toddler crackers in half as well. The Bitter Biscuits and Zwieback Toast can have some decent sized chunks break off, so just be very watchful. Also, these can get VERY messy, with mush all over hands/face/clothes, and usually mom too.