Healthy School Snacks, Toasted Pasta with Veggies, and Bubbles!!!

If your child is back in school you probably have the responsibility of sending him or her there with a packed lunch. To make it even harder unhealthy snacks dominate the shelves in mainstream grocery stores, which means parents have to make a real effort to find any healthy options. With that in mind I've put together a few suggestions for healthy kids snacks that have a short, comprehendible list of ingredients, taste good, and pack well.

1) Mango Macadamia + Calcium Kind Bar

2) Mrs. May's Pumpkin Crunch

3) Pure Organic Cherry Cashew Bar

4) Good Health Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels

Also, think about investing in some reusable snack/sandwich bags and fill them up with these healthy snack recipes and treats:

mini organic carrots
chopped apples
grapes
cherry tomatoes
cubed cheese
peanut butter on crackers "sandwiches"
apple slices with almond butter "sandwiches"
bagel with veggie schmear (i.e. cream cheese blended with cooked veggies)
homemade granola
pecan raisin granola bars

Recipe:

Toasted Pasta with Veggies

Eating Well has a ton of healthy recipes, including many vegetarian ones. This is an adapted version of their Stovetop Fideos. It's a quick and yummy way to mix it up with pasta after eating too many standard pasta meals.

Ingredients
3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
8 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta or spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups green bean, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 cups veggie broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely shredded Cotija, Asiago, or Parmesan cheese, if desired

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pasta pieces and cook, stirring, until toasted and browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add green beans, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the beans are beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, corn and oregano and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are just beginning to break down, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in broth, salt and the toasted pasta; bring to a boil over high heat.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is tender and most of the broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Serve with cheese, if using

Project:

Make Your Own Bubbles

After your kids have gone through the bottle of bubbles you got them, rather than tossing the empty container only to have to go out and buy another one, try filling it up again with your own homemade solution.

What You Will Need:

Water (distilled if you have it)
Dish Soap
Corn syrup

Add 1/2 cup water to 1 Tbs. dish soap, and 1/2 Tbs. corn syrup. Shake or stir to blend. Get your bubble wand or make one with a pipe cleaner and start blowing bubbles.


"The greatest wealth is health." -Virgil