With two small children, snack bags seem to be where most of my time, energy and brain cells go. We can’t seem to leave the house without one and admittedly, even when I’m heading out on my own I’m partial to one. Now, I’m not talking junk or treats here (although healthy treats have on occasion made their way in there), but more healthy snacks to tide us over between meals. Even with unfortunate trips to the children’s hospital A & E, I’ve been known to throw together a mighty selection of eats. Here’s a list of the kind of things I like to select from…

• Crackers, oat cakes, rice or corn cakes and the holy grail to kids….bread sticks.
• Raisins, dried mango, dried apricots and a firm favourite in our house, dried apple rings.
• Cooked chicken pieces, prawns.
• Cubes of cheddar cheese or balls of mini mozzarella.
• Chickpeas, beans and cooked peas.
• Cherry tomatoes or crudities like cucumber sticks (especially welcome to teething babies when cold), carrot sticks, blanched asparagus, baby corns, broccoli, green beans or sugar snaps, and an all time favourite in our house, mini corn on the cob.
• Watermelon wedges, grapes, small apples, oranges or bananas, pots of chopped fruit like melon or mango, a kiwi half for scooping out. The leftover stone of a mango has been known to cause serious silence, bar the sucking and slurping.
• Houmous plain or blended with roasted red pepper or with pureed sweetcorn stirred through (using breadsticks or crudities to serve).
• Homemade fruit jelly set in small pots or made firm enough to cut into cubes. I like to make my own from fresh raspberries or with a refined sugar free juice like a good quality pressed apple juice.
• Homemade flapjacks or granola bars (like my refined sugar free Gutsy Granola bars here, or my cheesey flapjacks here), sweet or savoury american style pancakes, or crepes that have been filled with fruit puree, cream cheese or nut butter and rolled before being cut into small rounds.
• Homemade fruit yoghurt pots. I like to layer natural yoghurt with fresh fruit puree and oats or my ‘monkey mix’ cereal here.
• Of course you cant go wrong with a traditional sandwich either! Although, I like to go all afternoon tea on mine and make finger sandwiches like these or with cream cheese and edible flower petals when in season.

Whether for kids or for yourself, I hope this has helped inspire you. Let me know over on my social media platforms of anything you like to include that I don’t have on here. All new ideas always welcome!