I'm in a Snack Rut. Any Suggestions on Healthy Snacks for 1 Yr Old and 5 Yr Old

We love pita chips (sometimes with Hummus...plus there are various flavors, including a cinnamon flavor when you want something sweet - but not too sweet), peanut butter crackers, sugar snap peas, edammame (sp?) - which may take some getting used to...
My older daughter (age 16) loves to snack on Frosted Mini Wheats. She doesn't searve a huge bowl. At best, she grabs a handful when she wants something 'sweet'. I like that better than cookies or candy.
Hope this helps...

From reading through your meal plan, it looks like you're a bit heavy on the carbs (breads, crackers, pasta) I'd add in some more protein - like Hummus! My kids love dipping their veggies in that - so much more healthy than fattening (and preservative laden) ranch dressing.

Canned beans like kidney beans or garbanzo beans are fun. Make an antipasto tray with beans, olives, ham, cheese cubes, red peppers. All yummy and healthy.

We do lots of fruit as well - like a banana boat! (Banana sliced in half, filled with peanut butter and dotted with raisins and a FEW marshmallows.

Hope this helps - feel free to contact me for further ideas! As a mom of 4 - food is ALWAYS flowing in our home! :)

S.
http://www.healthyhome4family.com

You can visit www.melissajackson.mywildtree.com for recipes using all-natural, easy to prepare, delicious products. Wildtree has everything from breakfast to dessert!

Another alt to regular hummus is soybean (edammame) hummus. You can buy them in the frozen section of some grocers (shelled or not). Similar recipe to hummus (just google it), milder flavor, it's green (fun for kids) and full of goodness.

What about waffles, peanut butter and crackers, "ants on a log", boiled eggs, tiny quesadillas, smoothies (you can put anything in a smoothie, but the kids will still think they are special), rice cakes, bagels with a spread, frozen blueberries......fig newtons, vanilla wafers. Have you taken a look at your local store's "hippie" aisle? Usually they have some snacky kids items. Those all natural, sugar free granola bars are good. I can't remember what they are called.
One thing my kids LOVE! Puffy oven pancakes. Basically, 3 eggs, half cup of milk, half cup of flour, salt and butter for the pan. When it's done you can put jelly on it, or fresh fruit. I'm sure there is a recipe online.
What about biscuits? Homemade are easier than you think. And mini muffins?

Apples & peanut butter (alone, or wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla), peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread. Apple jack quesadillas (quesadillas with thin slices of apples) on whole wheat tortilla. Oatmeal with fruit. There is a great cook book by Rachel Ray it's got ideas for all sorts of kid friendly healthy snacks & meals, it's called yum-o

Rice cakes alone, or with cottage cheese or peanut butter(we use soy butter instead of peanut butter)
Apples dipped in peanut butter and then cheerios or grape nuts
Soy nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Quick breads: banana, carrot, pumpkin (you can make them healthier with less sugar/oil etc.)
Pretzels (whole grain, home made?)
Hummus is great for dipping
Quesadillas
Homemade fruit leather

Cut some boneless skinless chicken breasts into strips and bake it.(I spray the tops of them lightly with pam before I bake so they don't dry out) then store them in the freezer(doublewrapped) and microwave them quickly when needed. Protien helps keeps bellies saistfied, grains, newtons and crackers can tend to trigger more hunger because they increase blood sugar.
Spread some refried beans(protien) on a tortilla and roll it up ,cut it into pieces. These can also be made ahead and stored uncut, again double wrapping, (wrap once in tight saran, then put them in a ziploc, Filling the bag so there is not alot of air space but not too tightly.)

Cut a bunch of washed (but unpeeled- keep those vitamins) carrots into sticks and put them into a cup of water and put them in the fridge (I don't buy pre cut carrots because of the processing chemicals on them, the chemicals in the bag they are in, and mini carrots I've read are really big carrots, peeled and pared down to take off rot and blemishes and resold.)
put out ranch dip.
sugar beans and peas also can be eaten raw and some kids love them.

These are not as healthy but it's an idea: spray a muffin tin with pam. Put a half of a refrigerator biscuit in each, pressing in to form a well and sides. fill with goodies, like scrambled eggs and cheese, sanusage, etc (makes a mini quiche.) These are good to make ahead also.
I do my make ahead on Sunday and use them within the week or two. If they stay in the freezer a long time they can get nasty from freezerburn.

My girls 4 and almost 2 love "roll ups" we just roll sliced turkey or ham with sliced cheese. I would just have a variety of fruits and veggies and cycle them throughout the week. We also make fruit kabobs. Makes the fruit more exciting. You may be bored with the "rut" and the kids may not even know it is a rut!

How about baby carrots with ranch dip. Kids LOVE dipping. Also celery with peanut butter. Graham crackers with milk. Quesadillas with chicken (or ground beef) with cheese and the usual toppings. Baked salmon or fish sticks...

I "second" the hummus thing! My 3 year old loves carrots and huumus. We also do peanut butter and banana sandwiches for breakfast and turkey wrapped in lettuce for lunch sometimes. The organic yogurts are a good way to go too!