Snacks for multiple kids.

**Ashley01** · 07-22-2011, 02:05 PM

I need some healthy snacks that will fill up the kids and not send me to the poor house! Starting next week I will be up to 8 kids and feeding them all 2 snacks and lunch. Lunch isn't to bad but snacks is where I'm getting stuck. Right now I do things like crackers cheese berries melon apple banana raisins apple sauce yogurt cereal etc but is there any of idea that's are relatively cheaper but still tastey and healthy. I make more money staying home with kids then working but am starting to wonder if feeding them is gonna make me poor!! Lol

**Neeley** · 07-22-2011, 02:26 PM

Depending on their ages, popcorn.

Pickles

Freezer Pop Popsicles

Take the fruit that is about to go bad and make smoothies.

Also, not every single snack has to be completely healthy. It won't hurt to have a sweet snack once a week. Why not make a batch of brownies or cupcakes for the Friday afternoon snack? It can be a treat for everyone having a good week. Cupcakes, muffins, brownies or cookies are cheap and easy to make.

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-22-2011, 03:57 PM

Celery and peanut butter or cream cheese. Grapes. Make your own muffins or banana bread. Graham crackers.

**YankeeMom** · 07-22-2011, 04:16 PM

We go through a lot of fruit. Grapes, apples, bananas, watermelon, etc. They also like crackers, celery, carrots, popcorn, cinnamon toast, homemade muffins/sweet breads.

After dinner is when they have a sweet snack like ice cream, cake, brownies, or cookies.

**ladykemma2** · 07-22-2011, 04:18 PM

rice krispies treats, cherrios treats (same recipe) cut really small squares

air popped popcorn
pickles
oatmeal cookies
cinnamon toast

**lisa0069** · 07-22-2011, 05:02 PM

Make your own chex mix, then you can add whatever you want, ie raisins, yogurt covered raisins, dried fruit, chocolate chips, m & M's chees its, pretzels. whatever is a little left laying around.

**shoiji** · 07-22-2011, 05:27 PM

celery and carrot sticks with some dip. Dip can just be plain yogurt with dry soup mix.

You could make banana frozen popsicles. Dip in some chocolate before placing in freezer.

You can also make pudding or jello. I make pudding in my microwave. Pudding you could make with the kids early in the day and have as afternoon snack.

When yogurt is on sale just stick in the freezer. You now have frozen yogurt.

PB&J is also a good snack once in a while. Just cut up into small triangles.

Sliced apples, pears, grapes, etc., dipped in yogurt. You can also make a pizza, buy pre-baking some pizza dough. Cut into small squares, then the kids can put some yogurt on the bread and whatever fruit they want.

**eris** · 07-22-2011, 05:59 PM

finger jello

a half pb&j

a few apple slices with a dab of peanut butter to dip the slices in

**zakity** · 07-22-2011, 06:22 PM

Make homemade yogurt. It is so much cheaper and you can make it in your crockpot.

**monkeywrangler71** · 07-22-2011, 06:35 PM

You can do up a veggie platter for kids without breaking the bank - cut up carrot sticks, then whatever other vegs are a reasonable price that week. I used to do this for my kids all the time, just chopped up a bunch of stuff on the weekend after going to the grocery store and put it in a divided container in the fridge. Nothing to do at snack time except take the lid off, and no clean up afterwards as they don't need plates. Most kids will eat raw carrots, and they are quite filling - the other vegetables just add a little variety.

Originally Posted by zakity

Make homemade yogurt. It is so much cheaper and you can make it in your crockpot.

I found homemade yogurt more expensive than storebought. Yogurt gets marked down or goes on sale all the time here, but our milk is always expensive.

**Nishu** · 07-22-2011, 07:28 PM

I saw this on 5dollardinners.com. I haven't tried it yet but I bought the bags for it already. I'm hoping it turns out, because it seems a lot cheaper than microwave popcorn and doesn't require an investment in a popper.

All Natural Microwave Popcorn

**auntie2many** · 07-22-2011, 08:30 PM

Snickerdoodles and sugar cookies are some of the cheapest cookies to make. Bread or rice pudding too.

WalMart sells huge bags of animal crackers for about $2.50 that would last a couple of weeks for eight kids if it is one snack a day.

Sam's, Costco or Restaurant Supply Stores sell huge bags of tortilla chips. You can either buy a huge jar of salsa at one of these stores or look for a recipe online that uses dry beans for a bean dip.

If making cinnamon toast try the store brand of sandwich white bread or go to a bread outlet to stretch your dollars some and use margarine instead of butter to make it.

Lots of other great ideas already posted here.

**Rosebush3** · 07-23-2011, 08:22 AM

I don't know where you live, but at least here if you care for more than two unrelated children you need to be licensed. Being licensed allows access to state funding to help cover feeding costs for meals and snacks. I don't know if that sort of program is available to you where you are, would it be worth checking into? I do know that there are strict regulations regarding what foods you can offer if you do go this route and a few listed here wouldn't be reimbursable, but most would be fine. It might be worth looking into. I did in-home daycare for years and I do know how much feeding the children can eat your profits.

**sunshine** · 07-23-2011, 07:40 PM

Cinnamon toast

GORP

Oatmeal, peanut butter, honey balls

Hard boiled eggs

Frozen banana pops - rolled in nuts, coconut,or sprinkles, etc.

turkey pepperoni slices

half sandwich

**KimZ** · 07-23-2011, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Nishu

I saw this on 5dollardinners.com. I haven't tried it yet but I bought the bags for it already. I'm hoping it turns out, because it seems a lot cheaper than microwave popcorn and doesn't require an investment in a popper.

All Natural Microwave Popcorn

We do this ALL the time! Hint don't use the oil!!! It makes the bag Nasty... We pop dry and then when done and hot add butter and or flavors..... DD like Molly McButter /Parm Cheese/ or Cinn and Sugar