On the Go Snacktime

Most everybody with small children seems to be on the go these days. Even The Ogre and I feel we live an on-the-go lifestyle and that is with us both only working part time. We definately take advantage of the freedom and time this intentionally non-work-focused life gives us and fill our schedules up with all sorts of enrichment activities with the kids.

So there are a couple of our interests/values: Equally Shared Parenting and playing hard/adventuring with the kids, but a third value is filling our kids' growing bellies with healthy, nutritious (and economical!) food. This can be hard when we are running here and there so we need quick snacks we can enjoy on the go.

When I was asked to review Easy Anywhere Reusable Food Pouches* I jumped on the offer. My kids had suffered** enough being served their snacks from mason jars while their friends held crinkly neon colored packs of corn syrupy delight***.

After ordering, a pack of four pouches was quickly delivered to my doorstep. I tucked them away until Easter when I filled them each with applesauce for a sweet yet healthy treat for my kids and their cousins. After the snack the cousins had something to take home and reuse.

I was worried that master of food container deconstruction Moo would bust hers open and create a big pile of sauce on the floor ("uh-oh"), covering her hands in goop ("yutkee"), and wreck her Easter outfit ("Wan new dess"), which would inevitably end in a complete self stripping and, as anybody who has a streak-loving two year old knows, it is much easier to get the clothes off then back on again.

Anyhow, that wasn't how it went at all. These heavy duty pouches are like a (heavy duty) ziploc bag with a tough straw sticking out the side. As long as you make sure the grooves are aligned and press them together there should be no issues. If your kid IS a Houdini, ze will likely only open the bag at the end, just to check if there is any deliciousness they missed inside. But there won't be. These pouches are easy to suck dry, my apologies to all those parents out there that exist on their children's leftovers.

As stated I put applesauce in mine, but I plan to mix it up over the summer with other purees and mixes. Whatever is in season and I can mush up myself. I did add cinnamon to the applesauce on time and noticed it was harder to wash clean as some of the cinnamon clung to the grooves of the "ziploc" part. Wasn't impossible, but given that I want something I can quickly rinse I will just stick to the straight purees from now on.

What are your favorite on-the-go snacks?

Here are 6 more of my faves:

 

1. Muffins 

Read this blog post to see how to make homemade muffins with less clean up

 

2. Fruit

The Ogre is used to me writing "Hand Fruit" on our grocery lists. What is hand fruit? It is my way of saying Fruit you can hold in your hand - making it super for on the go snacking.  

 

3. Homemade "Fishy Crackers" (Goldfish Grahams)

We made so many I think there are still a couple in the fridge!  

 

4. Yogurt

I put single servings in baby food jars to bring with, You can add berries/muesli/hemp seeds too  

 

 5. Breast Milk

 Come on, you didn't expect me to leave this one out did you? The best nutrition for little ones and oh so transportable for the Mommas of the family. Here Moo practices breastfeeding her "bebe dow." Don't laugh, it takes a few tries to perfect that latch ;)

 

6. Dehydrated       fill in the blank     

We use our dehydrator for whatever is on sale/free/fresh. Remember, just because you may not want to eat it doesn't mean your kids won't. We have preconceptions about things that blur our opinions. Like dried tomatoes, a perfectly good potato chip to a toddler.

*I was provided this product for free in exchange for a review

**I don't really think snacks is mason jars is cruelty

***For illustrative purposes only ;) My friends feed their kids more than corn syrup