Frugal snack ideas.

[miss_thenorth]

On reading the grocery bill thread, combined with my strive to reduce my grocery bill, combined with trying to make everything from scratch, I would like some frugal homemade snack ideas.

I have a prepubescent male child who's appetite has doubled basically overnight, and for snacks this kid likes crackers. A box of crackers 180g, cost on sale about $2.00. The way he is going now, he can go through a box a day. Half after school, and half before bed. I have told him to eat more at dinner, take it easy, etc

I want to get rid of the crackers too for the other reasons stated too.

I have made cookies,--too sweet, muffins, good, but they get a muffin in their lunch for school, have veggies and dip ready in the fridge for the taking, but, it seems he craves the carbs for a snack, not to mention that my kids eat alot of fruits and veggies anyways.

Anyone have a fail proof easy recipe for granola (bars), or something similar that would be a carb based snack he might like?

I would really like to stop buying crackers, except saltines, as they are good in soup.

All ideas appreciated!!!

 

[me&thegals]

Popcorn! You can air or pan pop it, add as much or as little salt as you'd like and it's very cheap! Lots of carbs and fiber, too.

 

[enjoy the ride]

To me nuts are the best for curbing hunger- although ravenous eating is usually a sign of impending growth spurt so it may end naturally. Like almonds or mixed nuts, or a trail mix,etc. Having nuts in a shell, making it so that time is needed to crack and eat will also allow his brain to tell him he's had enough sooner that things that are just packed in.
Also bread toasted with a garlic or something spread- a baguette cut into slices and broiled with a light mix of garlic and/cheese.

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, popcorn! You can flavor it if he prefers.

Also you could try him on bread, in the form of small crusty rolls or flatbreads, if you wouldn't mind making that (using a bread machine for the dough, then just tearing off blops of it and putting on a sheet in the oven, is pretty cheap). You can put sunflower seeds and stuff in (up to a point -- too many makes the dough not rise) if he wants something fancier.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[punkin]

If he likes trail mix you could make your own. We use M&M's, nuts, pretzels and raisins. If you buy store brands it's alot cheaper. Mix it all up and put into a large ziploc baggie.

If you dehydrate your own fruits, you can throw them in as well.

 

[FarmerChick]

miss thenorth

I bet he wants to eat you out of house and home..HA HA HA--growing boy, whew, I am sure the grocery bill takes a hit..LOL

I am not a carb eater....hmm....the crackers are a good snack. easy to pick up and eat and taste great with the different flavors.

Can you make some cheese crackers yourself?? I don't have a clue how....but I know people can make their own nacho chips and such.

Maybe google some recipes on how to make the crackers with some garlic flavor, cheese flavor, nacho type flavor or whatever type he likes. It would be interesting to see if you make this type of snack???
just a thought for ya!

hold onto your wallet at the grocery..HA HA

 

[krjwaj]

Would he go for a packaged energy bar? CLif and Clif Z kids are good.
I will try to find my energy bar recipe I have @ home and post it.

Whole wheat instead of white should fill him up a little more.

Peanut butter on celery (w/wo raisins on top) is crunchy and filling, too.

 

[PotterWatch]

I've made my own cheese balls and things like that before. Baked ones kind of like cheetos, not like fresh cheese that you eat with crackers.

 

[enjoy the ride]

You can make your own crackers but it's really a pain in the rear- you make sheets of them on cookie sheets- run a wheel to make the seperations and bake in the oven- and then break apart. which means you have to have at least a couple sheets going at the same time. And they do not stay as crispy long because they don't have all those chemical ingredients in them.
I love them but bread straws are so much easier- like bread sticks only thin. I wonder if you could express bread dough through a pasta machine and bake that. I have never tried anything like that - I wonder if it would go through.

That thread on home cooking that going on right now did raise another thought- my Mom used to make pie crust strips- she's just make pie dough, cut them into strips, flavor with cinnamon and sugar. I wonder what some garlic butter spread on them or cheese would taste like. Just because pie doe is so easy to make, it might be an easy thing to do.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have tried making home made crackers before, but they were alot of work, and not too good.

As it is, i will pop a batch of popocorn for after school today, and next time I go to the bulk food store, I will get ingredients for trail mix. I am dehydrating apples and pears right now. Anyone know if peaches- previously frozen-dehydrate well?

next time I pull out the bread makes, I will try bread sticks. And yes, we only eat whole wheat, and "brown" stuff--rice and pasta etc.

Thanks, keep em coming!!