Can I just be honest with you? Back when we brainstormed this recipe idea, the calendar was starting to fill. I was feeling the pinch with spring activities, sports, and school events. Several times a week we were shoveling a quick dinner into our mouths before racing out the door to the next event, and I knew other moms were doing the same.
So we came up with the theme of “dinner on the go.” And now here I sit, writing up all my tips, knowing that nobody’s going anywhere for awhile.
These are strange times. They’re scary, they’re devastating, they’re uncertain.
They’re unprecedented.
But just because we’re all spending more time at home doesn’t make the need for a quick, filling, and nutrient-packed snack any less relevant. In fact, many of us will need even more healthy snack ideas since our kids are going to be home more than usual. They’ll need food to fuel their brains and their bodies, and moms will need a quick afternoon pick-me-up.
And so, we go on.
This post is sponsored by Hempler’s.
Here’s the thing. My kids love beef jerky and pepperoni. They’re all over any meat snacks you offer them. And as a mom, I love offering them protein-packed options that will satisfy their hunger that I still feel good about. And Hempler’s is seriously the best around. No strange ingredients, no ingredients you can’t pronounce. Their ingredient list is nothing compared to the other guys. Trust me – you can check. I’ll wait.
They even have uncured varieties!
Their protein snack products are so high-quality you’ll taste the disappointing difference once you try to go back to your old brand. And to take things to the next level, you can use their products to create a custom snack mix for a FANTASTIC afternoon pick-me-up.
The best snack mixes have a combination of flavors and textures. You can even have your kids get creative and use this for an at-home activity, including:
- counting: How many almonds are in your snack?
- percentage calculation: What percentage of your snack is pepperoni pieces?
- measuring: Have your kids follow a recipe to create their afternoon snack.
- culinary arts: Encourage your kids to experiment with different flavor combos.
Here are some ideas for custom trail mix ingredients:
- Hempler’s beef jerky
- Hempler’s pepperoni (diced)
- cubed cheese
- honey roasted peanuts
- raw almonds
- sweet or spicy cashews
- sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- chocolate, white chocolate, or peanut butter baking morsels
- pretzels
- popcorn
- coconut shavings
- dried fruit
- chunky granola (or your favorite granola bar broken into bite-sized pieces)
- add a teaspoon of cinnamon, cumin, cayenne, or chili powder for some added flavor
The possibilities are endless, and this could be a fun activity for the kids. And speaking of fun activities for the kids, there’s no prohibition on spending time in nature so why don’t you throw together a custom Hempler’s snack mix and socially distance yourself on a hike? Here are some great kid-friendly hike ideas!
Mom, you can do this. We all can. And with the help of easy snack and meal ideas from our partners like Hempler’s, we’ll still be able to get good food in their bellies at the end of a long day of parenting and homeschooling.
Maybe even have some of your older kids pick one of our easy dinner recipes and make it on their own! Teaching life skills has never been easier!
