We are no strangers to the sweet tooth in our house. I’ve always had a sweet tooth. which is absolutely the reason I bake more than I cook… but I do try to limit the amount of sugar my kids inhale. And once the holiday season begins, the sweet stuff seems to be everywhere! But these Halloween treats have made apples irresistible and crackers are the new cool snack! Check out these {healthy} Halloween treats from around the web.

10 HALLOWEEN TREATS – THAT AREN’T CANDY!

How insanely adorable are these Silly Apple Monsters found on Fork and Beans?! Protein, fresh fruit and a little sweet treat make these the perfect snack!

These Cracker & Pretzel Spiders via La Jolla Mom are a HUGE hit with the whole family. They are quick, yummy and only 4 ingredients. Can’t beat that!

My kids devour olives like they are life-giving. This Olive Snake via Cute Food for Kids is one of their very favorites. They will even make olive snakes themselves before they eat the olives. These are super fun and delicious with salads.

Cute & Delicious! When I was pregnant with my oldest I craved fresh fruit and veggies. To this day, the kid will still choose broccoli over cookies most of the time. This Veggie Skeleton via Clairey Hewitt would completely make his day. How could you not love eating this?

While my boys aren’t ones that love vegging out on carrot sticks, these Witch Carrot Fingers via Mom on Time Out are just innocently morbid enough that my boys think it’s hilarious to hold the carrots at their knuckle joints and pretend they are eating their (or each other’s…) fingers off. Boys.

My boys struggled a little with these Pumpkin Deviled Eggs via Foodista, simply because they were a little too spicy for their delicate little palates. However, Mr. Napping thought they were just absolutely amazing. He may or may not have eaten half a dozen eggs in one sitting. Whole eggs. Better than a bag of potato chips, though, right?!

This Monster Eye Dip with Monster Apple Mouths via 30 Handmade Days is the ultimate after school snack for my kids. Between the monster eyes, the apple mouths and the fact that they are both delicious it is a no-brainer and a total winner at our house. Yum!

I’m not one that loves hot dogs, but it’s one of those things that is super easy to fix and I know my kids will eat it. Especially if it looks like a bug. This Hot Dog Centipede via Cute Food for Kids is always a favorite quick and easy lunch for my boys. It works wonders when they are going through a phase that makes getting them to eat anything so difficult.

These Clementine Pumpkins & Banana Ghosts via One Little Project are some of my favorite Halloween treats. I don’t love celery, but I don’t even mind it with a tasty clementine. And the chocolate with the banana… mmm, yum! Besides, these are super easy and quick to make and a great way to get my kids to eat a little more fruit.

(as mentioned on One Little Project, I couldn’t track down the original source for this idea.  Almost every pin or google image I looked at was the same photo – not this photo though – but they all linked to different sites.  So, I choose this tutorial since Debbie has such a great set of directions.)

HALLOWEEN CAN BE HEALTHY… OR AT LEAST HEALTHIER

While my kids love fruits and veggies, and it’s usually not a fight to get my boys to eat them, they still REALLY like candy too. Despite my best efforts, I’m sure they will still eat their weight in candy this month, and in cookies and goodies in the months to come. But, at least (maybe? hopefully?) I can get a few good Halloween treats in them too with these super cute Halloween treat ideas and a little less fight to satisfy their sweet teeth (sweet teeth?) …  The simplicity of most of these are winners in my book.

The post 10 Halloween Treats That Aren’t Candy appeared first on While He Was Napping.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS DURING PREGNANCY

I’m 8 months pregnant with my 3rd baby. I’m not a newbie to this pregnancy thing.

This wasn’t an unforeseen complication. It could have been prevented.

I know all the do’s and don’t’s. I know the importance of staying hydrated and fed.

But, last week I ended up spending about four hours in the hospital.

It was a busy morning getting Big J off to preschool and Little J had absconded with about half my breakfast… because, it’s always better off Mommy’s plate, or something. I was so busy I didn’t realize what I was depriving myself – and my baby – of. Food. Fuel.

PRIORITIES DON’T HAVE TO BE TIME CONSUMING

It can be so easy to get so busy that things just slip by us. Mom life is a busy life. It can happen to any of us. So, learn from my oversight, my busy mistake, my imperfect mom life.

And keep this list of healthy, low-prep snack ideas on hand for the next time you make out your grocery list or just need some ideas.

It’s the perfect solution when nothing really sounds good. Or maybe you’re so full of baby, you don’t feel hungry. Whatever the case, pregnancy can be hard enough – let’s make it a little easier.

After some research and brush up from all those health classes I took once upon a time, I came up with a list of snacks that are easy to make with little to no prep and are healthy.  I’ve divided them into categories: high in iron, high in calcium and high in protein. Some of them appear in more than one section.

Snack Ideas High in Protein

– Cottage Cheese and Fruit
– Jerky (choose a low-sodium, low-sugar brand or make your own)
– Mixed Nuts or Trail Mix
– Eggs
– Deli Meat (choose one low in sodium and preservatives.  Put it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to be safe, if you’re pregnant)
– Protein Shakes or Bars
– Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (here’s a Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie recipe, a Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookie recipe and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookie recipe – try them all! The cranberry almond is my favorite though. And hang on to these after baby is born. Oatmeal can give you a boost while you’re lactating too!)
– Hummus and Veggie Dippers
– Cheese and Crackers
– Chocolate Milk
– Greek Yogurt and Fruit
– Peanut Butter or other nut butter (low-fat and crunchy is best)
– Soy Nuts
– Roasted Edamame
– Tuna (eat sparingly while pregnant)
– Lentils (a yummy, pre-cooked bean salad, perhaps?)
– Oatmeal (pre-packaged flavored packets are super simple and quick!)

Snack Ideas High in Calcium

– Leafy Greens
– Low-fat Cheese
– Milk
– Yogurt or Greek Yogurt
– Broccoli
– Okra
– Green Beans
– Almonds
– Fortified Cereals
– Fortified Orange Juice
– Soybeans
– Enriched breads
– Oranges
– Oatmeal
– Milkshake
– Omelette
– Cream Cheese on Enriched Bagel

Snack Ideas High in Iron

* If you eat high vitamin C foods with these, your body will better absorb the iron.

– Raisins and Peanuts
– Whole Grain Cereal
– Jerky
– Protein Bars and Shakes
– Meat (Chicken, Beef, Fish – Add these to meals or salads)
– Dark Chocolate (at least 80%)
– Dried Apricots
– Potatoes
– Quinoa
– Beans (black, kidney – on Nachos made with whole grain chips and low-fat cheese or in a salad)
– Broccoli
– Enriched Pasta
– Rice
– Artichokes
– Dried Fruits

What’s your favorite, easy snack?  Give me your ideas in the comments!

Do you want a printable version of this list? CLICK HERE to Sign up to get it in your inbox!

The post 30+ Healthy & Low-Prep Snack Ideas for the Busy, Pregnant Mom appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Hey, there! I’m happy you’re here!

Let’s talk about snacking. It can be hard to make good snacking choices when life is busy, right?

You’re a busy go-getter, bouncing from running errands to play dates for the kids and then on to piano, dance, soccer and that meeting at the kids’ school.

Or maybe you’re chasing a toddler and balancing a newborn between keeping the household smoothly running.

What about work responsibilities? Maybe there’s a day job in there somewhere. Or you work from home. And being a stay-at-home mom is definitely work too!

Add in your other activities, meetings, and schedules for the whole family; things get crazy quick!

SNACKING FOR MORE ENERGY

You need energy to keep up with your kids, work, life! And snacking can be a great way to do that.

If you make good snack choices.

It can be really easy (and delicious) to reach for candy and other junk. But it won’t give you the energy you need. You need quick and easy, grab-and-go snack options!

You’re in luck! I’ve done the work of figuring out what to eat! I’m going to share ten better-for-you, take on-the-go snack options for you AND the kids!

BETTER-FOR-YOU, ON-THE-GO SNACK OPTIONS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

We like to pair our snacks with Capri Sun Organic juice drinks.

1. Apple slices and peanut butter

2. Cucumber spears and fat-free ranch dip

3. Fruit salad
4. Veggies and hummus

5. Tortilla roll-ups
6. Pita strips and hummus

7. Graham crackers with peanut butter and bananas

8. Whole-grain crackers with fat-free cream cheese and a veggie slice

9. Meat and cheese spears

10. Avocado deviled eggs

It’s important to me that my family eats a balanced diet, even when we’re really busy. Snacks I can take on-the-go are a must-have in our household. I love that all of those snacks can be made ahead of time, stored in the fridge or cupboard and eaten when hunger strikes.

My kids are impatient and want snacks NOW. By having better-for-you options ready to go, they are more likely to choose better snacks. And they still feel like they get to choose their snacks – not me. It’s much less of a fight when my kids make the choice to eat better snacks.

Capri Sun Organic offers a great drink option for better-for-you snacking. Capri Sun Organic is way to give your kids the taste they love with a simpler ingredient list. Sweetened with 66% fruit juice and no artificial flavors, preservatives or colors, Capri Sun Organic is a wholesome drink option you can feel good about. Each pouch has a full serving of fruit* and provides 100% recommended daily value Vitamin C. And there are four great flavors to choose from: Tropical Punch, Fruit Punch, Apple and Grape.

Capri Sun Organic fits into busy schedules perfectly. They are perfect for picnics, day trips, road trips, and on-the-go snacking. Kids love them; they taste great and are the perfect size for little hands to hang on to. Parents love them; the ingredients are simple and few. Let Capri Sun Organic help you on your way to better-for-you snacking!

*Each pouch provides 1/2 cup of fruit juice, which is one serving of fruit according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The post Better-for-You Snacking on-the-go appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here today!

Do you love a good snack mix? Me too! Today, we’re gonna mix up a fun and delicious snack mix that will satisfy everyone. Post’s Honey Bunches of Oats Crunch O’s cereal inspired me to put something together that would satisfy a variety of taste preferences.

There’s a little bit of everything you could want:

• Sweet
• Salty
• Crunchy
• Chewy
• Cereal
• Fruit
• Nuts
• Chocolate

It’s a perfect mix and it’s super easy to mix up. So you can make it to enjoy now or make it in advance. Take it out with you or enjoy it during your next Netflix session. It’s great for the kids too! Although, mine did pick through and eat out all the sweets first. Typical, right?!

CRUNCH O’S SNACK MIX

I used Post’s new Honey Bunches of Oats Crunch O’s and Berry Colossal Crunch cereal to inspire my mix and then added some of our favorite extras for a great flavor mix that will rock your taste buds. There’s also new Kung Fu Panda Po Power Crunch at Walmart that my boys were excited about; but, we settled on the Berry Colossal Crunch instead. I think it was the big bag and pretty colors that won them over.

We love cereal for breakfast, but my three boys are snackers. They are always rummaging through the cupboards and the fridge, looking for the next snack. Cereal is one of their favorites to munch on long after the breakfast dishes are done. It’s so easy to take on the go! Of course, they love the sugary sweet cereal; but, they reach for the wholegrain cereals just as often. There are definitely worse things they could be snacking on and I’m more than happy to let them nosh on cereal all day long.

Print This Recipe

Crunch O's Snack Mix

Prep time:  10 mins

Total time:  10 mins

Serves: 5 cups

A snack mix with a variety of flavors that will treat your taste buds to a little bit of everything!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Honey Bunches of Oats Crunch O's cereal - I used the Honey flavor
• 1 cup Berry Colossal Crunch cereal
• 1 cup mixed dried fruit and nuts
• 1 cup blueberry pecan granola
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, dump the Honey Bunches of Oats Crunch O's into the bowl.
2. 
3. Add the cup of Berry Colossal Crunch cereal.
4. 
5. Pour in the chocolate chips.
6. 
7. Add the dried fruit and nuts.
8. 
9. Pour in the granola.
10. 
11. Mix until evenly combined through out.
12. 
13. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

3.5.3208

I picked up all the ingredients at Walmart on my last shopping trip. It was a piece of cake to throw this all together and my boys gobbled it up. They loved it… even after the Berry Colossal Crunch cereal and the chocolate chips had all been picked out. Boys…

Definitely a winner and we will be making it again soon! It packs up great in the diaper bag! Check out the other great flavors of Post’s NEW Honey Bunches of Oats Crunch O’s!

The post Crunch O’s Snack Mix appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Hey! I can’t wait to share this super simple breakfast recipe with you! These granola bites will rock your taste buds and are a great addition to your breakfast menu or as an afternoon pick-me-up. But, first, let me tell you why these are so awesome.

5 reasons these Granola Bites will rock your world:

1. They are made with only 3 ingredients
2. On the run? These are a delicious grab-and-go snack
3. It’ll only take you about 20 minutes to make them
4. There are 8 different nuts and grains in each bite, which means energy for you!
5. They are a good source of fiber (yippee) that tastes great (YIPPEEE)!

Are your mornings CRAZY?! Rushed?

Ours are. The shuffle of getting kids to school, my husband to work, getting the little boys fed and playing, getting my morning chores and workload underway can make for a really hectic way to start the day. It’s not uncommon that I’m getting my little guys lunch before I realize I never ate breakfast.

Get the energy you want and the nutrition you need with these delicious granola bites!

Enter Blueberry Pecan Granola Bites.

The main ingredient in these bites is granola. I used Quaker Real Medleys SuperGrains Blueberry Pecan Granola, which has SEVEN kinds of nuts and grains – oats, wheat, sunflower seeds, flax, amaranth, barley, quinoa – toasted pecans and sweet blueberries for delicious flavor with the nutrition boost you’ll crave.

It’s a great source of fiber, ALA omega-3 and whole grains. Add a bit of almond butter and a touch of honey and you’ll have delicious grab-and-go granola bites in twenty minutes. Promise. It’s that easy. You’ll love them and so will your family. 

Granola is great for breakfast, snacking and baking without being over indulgent. There’s just the right amount of sweet mixed in with those grains and nuts. You will love how easy and enjoyable these Blueberry Pecan Granola Bites make it to get your grains, fiber, and Omega-3’s into your diet, no matter how crazy and busy your life may be.

Okay, now let’s get these put together!

Print This Recipe

Blueberry Pecan Granola Bites

Prep time:  20 mins

Total time:  20 mins

Serves: 21 one-inch balls

No-bake granola bites loaded with grains, nuts and delicious blueberries that are perfect for grab-and-go snacking and as part of a nutritious breakfast!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Quaker® Real Medleys SuperGrains Granola, Blueberry Pecan flavor
• ½ cup Almond Butter
• ¼ cup Honey
• 

Instructions

1. Measure 2 cups of Quaker® Real Medleys SuperGrains Blueberry Pecan Granola and pour into a medium sized mixing bowl.
2. Measure ¼ cup of honey and add it to the bowl.
3. Measure ½ cup of almond butter. Use a spatula to spoon the butter into the cup and back out into the bowl on top of the granola.
4. Mix until granola is evenly coated with the honey and almond butter.
5. Roll granola into 1-inch balls and lay out on waxed paper.
6. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until the almond butter stiffens.
7. Serve and Enjoy!

Notes

** DO NOT GIVE HONEY TO INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR!**

You can substitute the honey with 2 tbsp of maple syrup or with ¼ cup coconut nectar.

The almond butter I used had a small amount of coconut in it as well and was delicious with the pecans and blueberries.

You can substitute the almond butter for any nut butter.You may have to adjust the ratio a little, depending on the thickness of your nut butter.

3.5.3226

The post Blueberry Pecan Granola Bites appeared first on While He Was Napping.

With three growing boys and a 6-foot-3 husband, I am always looking for snacking options for our home. I like to offer my family variety in their snacking and, recently, we have been enjoying more dried fruit. I absolutely love the Sunsweet Philippine Tropicals Dried Fruit and they have recently come out with two delectable new flavors! It’s a quick grab-and-go snack that doesn’t need refrigeration and won’t mold, perfect for the diaper bag or a day running errands. My whole family loves it, it’s easy to take with us wherever we go and they are so full of delicious flavor.

SNACK ON SUNSWEET PHILIPPINE TROPICALS DRIED FRUIT

The new Sunsweet Philippine Green Mango fruits are picked early, before it’s completely ripe. The mango pieces are tangy, delivering a tart-sweet combo that will excite your taste buds. Mr. Napping loves that these aren’t as sweet as a lot of other dried fruit. I, on the other hand, am in love with the new Thai Coconut Chip; they are amazing. They are lightly toasted so there’s a great crunch to them, similar to a potato chip, but better. And the creamy vanilla notes will leave you wanting more. The coconut chips are definitely one of my favorite snacks to munch on and it’s so hard to stop after just a few.

But there’s even more deliciousness available! My kids love the Sunsweet Philippine Mango pieces; they are a delicious treat. These aren’t your average grocery store produce section mangoes! They are so full of flavor! On an island in the Philippines, Sunsweet found a microclimate producing Mangos even the locals rave about. Sunsweet Philippine Mangoes are Marabella Mangos from this area’s ideal conditions, which produce an unbeatable flavor. Sunsweet Philippine Mango pieces are thick and soft with a hint of sweet floral taste. It is America’s #1 Mango. And I can’t forget the Sunsweet Philippine Pineapple! It is so soft and full of flavor, almost like eating chunks of fresh pineapple. Because Sunsweet Philippine Tropicals are sourced from unique microclimates with ideal growing conditions, they have an amazing taste of the tropics that is succulent and sweet. A perfect tropical get-away for your taste buds!

GO TO PARADISE WITH SUNSWEET PHILIPPINE TROPICALS DRIED FRUIT

All this talk of the tropics makes me want to spend a week on a beach with the sunshine! You too? Well, right now, Sunsweet is sponsoring the Sunsweet Find Your Paradise Sweepstakes! The winner gets to pick their Tropical destination from Hawaii, a Caribbean Cruise or Florida. To enter, Sunsweet fans vote for their tropical vacation location for a chance to win. The winner will be selected randomly. There will also be additional opportunities for weekly winners to receive a gift basket containing the new Tropicals flavors and beach gear! You can find the full rules and enter to win at FindYourParadise.sunsweet.com or at Sunsweet.com and through Sunsweet’s various advertising channels on Facebook and Pandora.

I would have a very difficult tine choosing between Hawaii and a Caribbean Cruise! Which vacation destination would you choose? Leave a comment after you enter the sweepstakes and let me know!

The post Snacking Better with Sunsweet Philippine Tropicals appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Today was one of those days.  The kind where you have to peel yourself out of bed and the whole house is a solid twenty minutes of chaos as you shoo everyone out the door.  The kind where you finally get all the kids deposited where they need to be and you just want to climb back under your cozy blankets in your nice soft bed, but can’t.  But, it’s never to late to start the day off right.  Or at least to start the rest of the day off right.  It our rushed mornings, my kids don’t have time (and I don’t have patience) for them to sit down and eat a bowl of cereal.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But it can be stress-free and fun too!  I made up a batch of Corn Pops Bites and I couldn’t believe how quickly my family devoured them.  And Mr. Napping, who doesn’t eat cold cereal if he can help it, but will always stop for a bowl of Corn Pops, wasn’t here to help them disappear even faster.

KELLOGG’S CORN POPS BREAKFAST BITES

Start the day off right with these easy make-ahead, grab and go breakfast bites

Print This Recipe

Kellogg's Corn Pops Breakfast Bites

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  2 mins

Total time:  22 mins

Serves: 15 cereal bites

Serving size: 26 g

Calories: 103

Fat: 6g

Start the day off right with grab and go Corn Pops Breakfast Bites. They also make a great snack anytime. A super easy, make ahead in the microwave recipe that will ease the morning rush.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Kellogg's Corn Pops
• ½ cup instant oats
• ⅔ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup mini marshmallows
• ⅛ cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 

Instructions

1. Pour 1 cup of Corn Pops into a microwave safe bowl.
2. Combine the marshmallows and peanut butter in the bowl.
3. Microwave for 20-40 seconds, until the marshmallows and peanut butter are melted.
4. 
5. Stir until well combined.
6. Add the oats. I mix in the oats with my hands to help them get evenly distributed though out the mixture.
7. 
8. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and set on a cutting board or wax paper. Or you could shape them into bars if you preferred.
9. 
10. Repeat previous step until all of the cereal mixture is rolled into balls.
11. Place cutting board in refrigerator. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time until chocolate is all melted.
12. Get the cereal balls back out of the fridge and drizzle with chocolate. Return to fridge for 10-15 mins until chocolate is set.
13. 
14. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Refrigerate if your peanut butter requires it.

3.2.2925

I usually pair a couple of breakfast bites with some yogurt or a sting cheese and apple slices.  Things that are easy for my kiddos to eat on rushed mornings.  You don’t have to put the chocolate on top if you want something a little more healthy and sugary.  But I just couldn’t resist the peanut butter and chocolate combination.  I would also suggest using salted peanut butter (most of them already are, but you can get some that is unsalted) because the sweet and salty combination is pretty tasty too!

And check out how you could win up to $100 when you purchase Kellogg’s cereal and Pop Tarts!  Who doesn’t want $100?!

The post Start the Day Off Right with Kellogg’s Corn Pops Breakfast Bites appeared first on While He Was Napping.

SWEET & SALTY HALLOWEEN SNACK MIX

SWEET & SALTY HALLOWEEN SNACK MIX INGREDIENTS

Of course, you should adapt the ingredients to fit those eating your snack mix. These are ideas and the ingredients I used in our snack mix.

– Gummy worms

– Candy Corn

– Bugle Chips

– Mini Marshmallows

– Chocolate Covered Pretzels

– Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures

– Stick Pretzels

* I suggest checking the bulk section, if your grocery store has one.  You can get things in the quantity that you need and it’s usually cheaper than the pre-packaged items.  And that way you can leave out what you don’t like and put in what you do.

SWEET & SALTY HALLOWEEN SNACK MIX DIRECTIONS

– Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Divide into serving sizes, if desired. Serve.

Seriously. How easy was that?! What I love about this mix is that it’s a great combo of salty and sweet, as well as crunchy and soft. Yum. There’s something to make everyone happy.

• Chocolate? Check.
• Gummies? Check.
• Soft marshmallows? Check.
• Crunchy chips? Check.
• Peanut butter? Check.

Pick and choose your favorites. Make it the way you like it. If you’ve been around here much, you know I love being able to customize things so they fit our family.

Another great perk: this was a great project to do with my boys. What little kid doesn’t love a quick and easy project they get to eat afterward? Okay, admittedly, I like that too. Projects you can eat are the best kind of projects!

Package up this fun Halloween snack mix in little ziptop bags and put a Monster Mash Baggie topper on it for an extra festive spooky gift!

The post Sweet and Salty Halloween Snack Mix appeared first on While He Was Napping.