Homemade, kid-friendly trail mix

>> Tuesday, July 29, 2008

One of the tips that was given in The Dinner Diaries was to mix nutritionally-lacking foods with nutritionally-superior foods to make the good foods more appealing to children. The author would make a trail mix that mixed the "bad" foods that her kids craved with the "good" foods that she wanted them to have. A very simple concept, but not one I had really thought of before. I've hidden vegetables in cookies and that sort of thing, but I had never put the good stuff in plain view of my picky child before. I tried it recently with my son, and it worked!

Here's the trail mix that I made recently for Ben: a handful of Reduced Fat Cheez-Its (HFCS-free, of course), a handful of almonds, and a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds. He really enjoys this trail mix and asks very specifically for it as a snack. Best of all, it's packed full of good fats (including wonderful Omega-3 fatty acids), vitamins, and minerals thanks to the nuts and seeds! And, it's fluid. I can change the mix to suit his ever-changing mood, and since his food likes seem to change daily (and sometimes by the minute), that's important!

If you have any suggestions for a healthy but kid-appealing mix, let me know! Sometimes my mind gets stuck in a rut and overlooks great combos.

5 comments:

fatfighter July 30, 2008 at 6:18 AM  

So tell me about these vegetables you've hidden in cookies! ;)

The trail mix looks yummy. I always think about making my own but then never actually do, but really should - there are so many great combinations to try.

cathy July 30, 2008 at 8:45 AM  

I'm going to be a tease and tell you to keep coming back for the veggies in the cookies! I've got a recipe that is a hit with everyone that tries it, and a couple of more recipes that I've been meaning to try.

Anonymous July 30, 2008 at 12:54 PM  

I always add Craisins to our trail mix. They're sweeter than raisins so my boys will eat them. And lately the Honey Graham "Bees" have been a big hit.

cathy July 30, 2008 at 1:14 PM  

I wish Ben would eat Craisins! I might give them a try, but he typically shuns anything that has raisins (or anything that looks like a raisin). Emma has a thing for bees, so I'll have to look for the graham bees you talk about. They would both love that!

Anonymous July 31, 2008 at 8:06 AM  

Trail mix looks good!

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