Thanks to Fisher for sponsoring today's snack hacks. Friends, be sure to check out the giveaway at the end of this post. One reader will score an assortment of NUT EXACTLY® Snack Bites and a $50 Visa Gift Card!
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You've got after-school pick-up at 3:35, then 20 minutes to get all the way across town for dance class drop-off, and a mere 15 minutes to get kiddo #2 to soccer practice. Of course, my hungry little monsters ask for a snack the minute they plop into the backseat with their backpacks. And rightfully so! They know we won't be heading home for dinner until 6 p.m.
It happens... Despite our best efforts to keep our family's schedule balanced, it always seems like my daughters' activities end up scheduled on the same day. There are seven days in the week, but wouldn't ya know? Swimming and skiing both happen to fall on Thursday nights. Whatever your the combination, whatever the reason... these hectic, on-the-go practice nights can drive a parent crazy.
Coordinating it all feels impossible—like you're constantly searching through the dirty laundry for the top of a uniform, or looking for that missing glove or set of cleats, or a clean (and dry!) swimsuit, or the tights that match the dance leotard and don't have a run in them (yet!)... all as you're trying to hurry out the door. And to top off the chaos, you've got to remember to pack a snack, too. I swear, it's often this last little detail that puts me over the edge when we're in a rush.
Over the years, our family has finally come up with a snack organization system to take the stress out of on-the-go practice nights.
Snack Hacks: 3 Tips for Simplifying On-the-Go Practice Nights
1. CREATE GRAB-&-GO SNACK BINS
Your life is as chaotic as mine! Stop digging through your kitchen pantry hunting for snacks the kids can eat in the car. Create a designated area in your pantry dedicated solely to snacks for on-the-go. Upcycle or buy containers and fill them with mom-approved grab-and-go snacks for practice nights.
In our family pantry, we have a dedicated shelf that holds three of these handled containers with chalkboards on them. One is filled with shareable family snacks (below), and then each of my two daughters has her own dedicated snack container with her name proudly written on the front in her own handwriting. I love seeing my daughters' chicken-scratch writing on the snack containers. Makes me smile every time.
You'll also want to designate a drawer or storage bin in your fridge with quick-grabs like string cheese, carrots, yogurt, and such.
The point is... when you're running around trying to ensure you've got everything for practice, you don't want to have to think about packing a snack. Having a go-to bin will make it simple for you (and the kids) to quickly find what they need—and get out the door!
2. STOCK QUICK & EASY SNACK STAPLES
When you grocery-shop, ensure you're keeping your storage containers full of easy snacks for on-the-go practice nights. One of our favorite snack defaults? Apples. There are 101 varieties, and they're a perfect compliment to cheese or peanut butter. If you've got a little one with no front teeth yet or a tween with braces who can't bite into an uncut apple, use this handy rubberband trick to keep your pre-sliced apples from browning. So simple.
This week, the girls were excited to add Fisher NUT EXACTLY® Snack Bites to our snack container. These little snack bites are a combination of roasted nuts and whole grain popcorn, all rolled into a bite-sized snack that’s dipped in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut butter, or salted caramel. Ummm... yum.
What I like about the NUT EXACTLY® Snack Bites is that they're fairly high in protein and pretty healthy. Yet, because they taste so good, the girls consider them a "special treat" or dessert. Win-win. The fact that they don't have artificial colors, flavors, or high-fructose corn syrup makes me happy, too.
The new flavors available include: Almond Popcorn Dipped in Dark or Milk Chocolate, Pecan Popcorn Dipped in Salted Caramel, and Peanut Popcorn Dipped in Peanut Butter. Check out the availability in your local grocery store...
Store Locator: Find NUT EXACTLY® Snack Bites in Your Neighborhood
Quick Tip: Your kids are more likely to eat healthy snacks if you get them involved. Each morning our girls grab a snack from their pantry storage container, and when I go to pick them up from school before practice, I try to add something fresh to the mix (like a pre-sliced apple, as shown above).
3. USE STRONG & RELIABLE COMPARTMENT CONTAINERS
Buy a set of stainless steel compartment containers. They're awesome for housing on-the-go snacks. Grab a few carrots, a couple of pieces of broccoli, a handful of NUT EXACTLY® Snack Bites, pop the lid on and roll. The kids will love the variety, and you'll love that the containers won't bend or break.
Plus, they're dishwasher-friendly. This is HUGE for on-the-go parents like us. Sometimes tiny plastic snack containers accidentally get left in backpacks or sports bags and can turn into little science experiments. But good-sized stainless steel compartment containers are big enough to spot and remember to bring inside—simply sanitize in the dishwasher and re-use the next day!
Here's hoping these on-the-go snack hacks make your next practice night (at least a little) less hectic.
And now... THE GIVEAWAY
A big thanks to Fisher for hosting a reader giveaway here on Let's Lasso the Moon. One lucky person will score an assortment of NUT EXACTLY® Snack Bites and a $50 Visa Gift Card. These little snacks offer a sweet yet savory taste and have unlimited popablitity—a perfect crunchy combination of sweet and salty. Get all the details below for a chance to win (and try all the flavors).
PARENTS: At 15 to 16 calories per snack bite and no artificial preservatives, it's a snack you can feel good about munching on, too. So save some for your shared Family snack bin!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wishing you luck on the giveaway—and with your chaotic on-the-go practice nights! If you have additional snack hacks or tips, I'd love to hear about them in the comments.
P.S. Between transportation to and from the activity, the practice itself, fitting in homework, and everything else... dinner on these on-the-go nights feels daunting. Your evening is packed. You’re exhausted. Everyone is starving. Give yourself a break and re-define "home-cooked meal." Pop over and read 30 Days of Soccer Night Meals: Feeding Your Family When You Don't Have Time to Breathe. I promise, you're going to love the suggestions.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
