One of the most frequent email requests I receive is how and what to feed children as snacks.
One thing is for sure, the selection of snacks that pass muster even at the healthfood store is slim! Rancid vegetable oils like canola or soy along with other unhealthy additives such as vital wheat gluten are frequently used even if most of the ingredients are organic.
I re-read the ingredients on a bag of “natural” ginger snaps at the store recently that I had purchased in the past only to discover with dismay that the ingredients had changed and now contained soy flour!
“Another one bites the dust!” I thought to myself. Yet another snack added to my no-buy list!
In this video, I show you some of the favorite snacks I make in my own home. Limiting grains to a moderate level as practiced by Traditional Cultures is a good goal to strive for when making snacks – overeating of grains even if homemade and carefully prepared to eliminate anti-nutrients can bring on weight issues in a hurry and encourage lack of variety in your family’s diet.
Never heard of “properly preparing” grains before? Click here to find out how.
This video was filmed for the Weston A. Price Foundation as part of the 12-part Beginner Series to Traditional Cooking I’ve been working on over the past few months. I still have 3 more to post, so stay tuned for more to come!
For a full transcript of this video in any language, click here.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com
|
|
{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }
Video: Healthy Snacks! — The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/Jud07mwN
Awesome can’t wait to try some of these snacks! How long do you dry out the nuts in the oven for?
Another question off topic, my lips are extremely dry, cracking and now bleeding! I’ve tried soooo many lip chaps and they make it worse. I though I ate lots of healthy fat but maybe I need more? I eat about half a can of full fat coconut milk in a shake, a whole avocado, 1 tsp FCLO and some kind of meat about 2 -3 times a day and also EVOO. I can’t have butter for now but I will be trying ghee soon. Should I eat more? I read that too much vitamin A can cause dryness but my skin isn’t dry. What do you suggest? Thanks in advance.
I just wanted to comment about your dry lips, Raquel. I find that my lips are extremely dry and cracked when I am not consuming enough bone broth. I find that when I go back to a strict GAPS diet and consume a lot of bone broth then my dry lips are healed.
Hi Raquel, you simply dry the nuts until they are dry. This takes about 18-24 hours. Quicker if you take out the pan and turn the nuts frequently. make sure the oven is no hotter than 150F
Do you take fermented cod liver oil? I find my skin splits less easily when I take this.
Also, too much sugar in the diet in the form of either grains or sweets can cause the skin to split easily.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
Yes I do take fermented cod liver oil. My skin isn’t dry its just my lips. I have cut down on my grains and don’t eat very much sugar. I also drink lots of water.
Do you lick your lips a lot? I find my kids get chapped lips in a hurry when they do this absentmindedly.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
http://www.blossomsbarn.com makes a totally natural lip balm. Check it out! Works great for those winter chaps and especially for kids who get those red clown lips from licking them in the cold weather. Yummy flavors, too. There are no artificial ingredients and great oils to boot.
My husband had chronic extremely chapped lips (exfoliative cheilitis) for over 10+ years. We tried everything and nothing worked. They would crack, become crusty and peel every few days. After tons of research we finally realized he was suffering from candida. (Growing up his dad was a doctor who would give him antibiotics for every little thing, even the common cold, so it’s no wonder he had candida). He had many other signs of candida. So he went on the GAPS diet for about eight months including biokult probiotics and codliver oil and took some anti-candida supplements such as grape seed extract and oil of oregano. His lips are 100% completely healed now. We couldn’t be happier!
Some folks may have missed Tuesday’s important post (if, like mine, it came in the email underneath Wednesday’s post). It has a short, poignant video message from Michael Schmidt, the Ontario dairy farmer who is in the third week of a hunger strike on behalf of real milk and food freedom.
Be sure to see it and act now to urge Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to meet with him, thereby ending the hunger strike.
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/10/activist-michael-schmidts-video-message-to-supporters/
Sarah,
In your trail mix video why do you recommend carob chips over chocolate chips and is there a particluar brand you prefer? Thanks again for your great tips. Your website has been incredibly helpful for me in preparing nourishing traditions style food with ease!
Hi Tracey, I do prefer carob chips to chocolate chips as carob has no caffeine in it which I do not recommend for children except on the very rare occasion.
We use Sunspire Carob Chips and they have no added sugar unlike chocolate chips and contain palm oil as the fat which is great. They do contain whey powder which I do not like but it is small amounts.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
I wanted to suggest the Enjoy Life brand of chips. I like their mini chips which taste very good and have only 3 ingredients!! They do have evaporated cane juice in them, though. They are gluten and dairy free.
Magda\’s last post: Bad, then better
Just wondering about kombuha. Do you use a caffeine free tea for your family?
No you must caffeinated tea to make proper kombucha. The caffeine as well as nearly all the sugar is used up during fermentation.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
Thanks! I just use black tea and I’m glad to know the caffeine is used up in fermentation.
Hi Sarah, thanks for the wonderful ideas! One question about the popcorn, even you seek out organtic kernels, is there any way to ensure they are not from GMO corn? I have read that with the high farming of this type of corn, and cross pollination, pretty much all corn is GMO nowadays.
No, I don’t think all corn is GMO yet. But this could be the case in the future. We still eat organic corn for now
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
Organic is supposed to mean GMO-free. So that is your best bet. I don’t think there is a way to avoid cross pollination altogether…
Magda\’s last post: Bad, then better
GMO organic corn is meant for the seed it is started with, not the end result. It would be impossible to stop cross pollination unless you grew the corn in a hot house (like those yummy tomotatoes you see in the store (yes, dripping with sarcasm)) which would be a scary thought.
You mentioned vital wheat gluten as a bad thing. I use wheat gluten in my bread recipe. Is all wheat gluten bad, and why?
Wheat gluten is a plant protein which is extremely difficult to digest .. when you prepare breads traditionally, gluten is broken down to ease digestion and absorption so adding it back in defeats the purpose of the whole exercise.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
I’m wondering about vital wheat gluten too…it’s the only thing I’ve found that makes my sprouted wheat bread turn out.
Sprouting the grain to make your bread breaks the gluten down but then adding it back in cancels out much of the benefit of sprouting to begin with.
Try sourdough bread instead as sprouted bread is indeed difficult to get to turn out.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
Sarah – is the sourdough bread that you purchase made with soaked or sprouted grain, does it need to be?
Sourdough bread doesn’t need to be made with sprouted flour although it’s fine if it is. The sour leavening process breaks down the gluten and other anti-nutrients.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
This is off topic but you look awesome, Sarah!
Thanks Ranjani. I actually wear makeup for these shoots which I don’t normally wear.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
Don’t sell yourself short Sarah! You do look fantastic, and it’s not the makeup, it is a testament to your healthy traditional lifestyle!!
You are very kind. I appreciate the compliment.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
Even so… I can still tell that your skin and hair look great. Kudos to your lifestyle and wise choices! Some of us still working on it
I am curious about the carob too.
Amanda @ Traditional Foods\’s last post: Poppy Seeds
…or for those of us whose computers no longer output sound, thanks to a too smart toddler : lol thanks!
You have the best videos, Ms Healthy Home Economist.
Thanks Paul. Would you believe it takes about 20 hours to pull off one of these?
That doesn’t include editing time.
My problem is that I can’t “see” them. I have a goofy little icon that won’t let me click on it.
I just want to attest to the deliciousness of the homemade raw butter fudge you mentioned in this video! It is awesome. My son has a friend who asks for it every time he comes over! Thanks for the other great ideas
Melissa\’s last post: Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Wonderful! My kids get so excited whenever I make the raw butter fudge too! It is the best snack after school as they are usually so ravenous and it stabilizes their blood sugar very fast and then they don’t get grumpy.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
This was extremely helpful, as the most common question in my house is, “Is it snack time yet?” Thanks!
The brochure from Weston A. Price Foundation you talk about in the video is out of stock until January.
Boo, I hope I remember to order one in January.
1. Do you use unsweetened cranberries?
2. What is “brown” ginger. I can’t find that description anywhere.
Thanks,
Mary
Yes, unsweetened cranberries. I say ground ginger not brown ginger.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Video: Healthy Snacks!
Where do you find unsweetened cranberries? Are they only dehydrated wtihout anything else in them? Even in the health food grocery here, they are sweetened with sugar but organic. I love them sooo much but would love a non sweetened cranberry.
I get them at the healthfood store. They have a little sunflower oil added but that’s all.
awersome post i love you for this post
This video is GREAT Sarah! I’m loving your series and referring many people to them.
However HELP!!! My 6 year old is in a grade 1 class with SAD kids. And a TON of violent food allergies. She is naturally a WAPF baby and never sick, allergic to nothing. However- I can’t send her to school with ANY nuts, diary or eggs!!! I bring her home for lunches as often as possible for real food… but are there any suggestions out there for REAL FOOD that will be filling and sustaining so she can actually learn something? She is getting bored of hummus, pepitas, coconut oil and carob drops, sourdough and chicken sandwiches (with NO BUTTER- even I think thats gross) etc etc.. I am looking in particular for protein and FAT ideas. I am giving her usually eggs with BUTTAH and kefir cream smoothies in the mornings… my small child has a very healthy appetite and she is home at 3pm just starving after having fruit, veg and hummus for lunch. Not to mention, bored silly after 2 months.
Oh and we live in Canada where most fun things are either not available or hard to find.
Any ideas out there… other then let the majority eat real food and send the minority with allergies home. Apparently, that is a politically incorrect idea. SOY was the teachers suggestion as a solution on the note sent home to us parents. You can imagine my thoughts about that. Poor kids. Poor teacher!
Homemade mayo made with coconut oil or ghee is a good sub for butter if necessary. Sunflower butter or tahini is a good one too as a sub for nutbutters … my child couldn’t bring any nutbutter to school either.
Very difficult situation for you no doubt!!!
These are wonderful ideas, thank you. Could you provide more nutritional information?
- Claire
thrift savings plan
Sarah,
Thank you for these wonderful videos.
I was wondering about nuts. I’d always heard, from an Ayurvedic background, that eating nuts with the skins on is toxic! I’d been taught to soak the nuts for a few hours, and peel them, (Yes, it’s arduous!) or to just by blanched. (The soaked & skinned nuts do taste “wet” as I was also careful not to toast them, causing them to go rancid.) Can you comment on this? Does your preparation method nullify the toxicity, too? Why do you leave your skins on? Thank you!
I am having a hard time understanding what are the next 2 ingredients after you add the soften butter to the cookies. Thank you.
{ 1 trackback }