Healthy Snacks (and road trippin')

This past weekend, we spent approximately 14 hours in our car driving to (and back from) the sunny state of Arizona to visit cousins. It was great to go back to "summer" for the weekend - playing outside, going swimming (even if it was so cold we only lasted a few minutes) and getting away from school and responsibilities.. We were able to relax - despite the fact that there were 8 kids under the age of 10 in the same house - and enjoy time with family. We are very lucky that one of The Princess's cousins also has a peanut allergy so when we visit them, we don't have the added stress of worrying about what she will eat.

Aren't road trips so fun? Well, we all know that when little kids are involved they might not be the best of times in the moment. But when the kiddos are good and you are driving through beautiful and scenic areas, they can be somewhat enjoyable. Of course, I forgot my camera so there aren't any pictures of the fall leaves and red rock we encountered on our drive. We got a few pictures of the cousins, but you know how it is when kids don't want to be in pictures (especially after 3 hours of church). If you look at them all collectively, you can catch a glimpse of everyone looking and smiling.

Part of road trips is, of course, the snacks. Generally, though, they aren't the most healthy. Here are a few snack ideas that are allergy safe, healthy and yummy! All of these snacks are kid friendly (and great for adults too) and are safe for those with peanut allergies. If you have other allergies, make sure to check labels. 

1. Stretch Island Fruit Leather is one of our favorites. They are 100% natural and have no food additives. They have no added sugar - all sugar comes naturally from the fruit. They are made with gluten and lactose - free ingredients. The only problem is... I have to limit The Princess or she would eat 10 in a sitting. I buy them at Costco for about $0.50 a fruit leather.

2. Go Go Squeez Applesauce is another crowd-pleaser. They contain no genetically modified ingredients, are gluten-free and vegan. They also include no added sugar! These can be found at any grocery store.

3. Kids always love crackers and Triscuits are our favorite. They contain only a few simple ingredients that are natural and not created in a lab. We love them paired with string cheese.

4. Popcorn is always a kid pleaser and this version of Homemade Kettle Corn is a hit at our house. This recipe is super, duper easy, can be made very quickly and is healthy!

5. Trail mix is a great choice for road trips because it adds some protein. Because most store bought trail mixes contain peanuts (or the other nuts 'may contain peanuts'), we always avoid them. They generally contain added salts and oils as well. We love to make our own Homemade Trail Mix using raw almonds, raw cashews, raw sunflower seeds, raw pumpkin seeds (when we have them) and some kind of dried fruit.  You can also roast any of the above for a different flavor. For a sweet tooth, try making your own honey roasted almonds or cashews.
*I buy most of my raw nuts separately at Costco because their nuts (walnuts, almonds and pecans) have not come in contact with peanuts. I buy my raw cashews at Good Earth (after checking to make sure their nuts come packaged separately and haven't contacted peanuts). Just avoid anything that makes you feel uncomfortable as everyone's allergies are different. 

6. Obviously whole fruits are always a good choice. The Princess loves grapes, apples and bananas. Other choices that are great are pears, oranges and clementines.

Jana