Thank you to Mott’s® for sponsoring this article. Grab goodness on-the-go with Mott’s®.
I already miss the ease of summer mornings where it’s not a race against the clock to get the kids ready for school. How many months left until I get to enjoy that again? Oh right, eight! Lol.
Do you all prepare your kids’ lunches the night before? I think I need to start doing that. But if it’s a sandwich, doesn’t the bread get too hard? #firstworldproblems.
One thing I continually look for is quick snack ideas. Because, honestly, I’ve got the “main” part of their lunches nailed. Sandwiches, wraps, waffles, pasta, left-overs from dinner the night before. Easy. But snacks, not so much. While I have nothing against a rice krispie treat or cookie, I do want them to have something healthy, too.
In August, as we were finishing up swimming lessons, the kids’ teacher (and now my dear friend), Ms. Judy, had us try one of these date balls.
Trevor pretty much went psycho over them and Haley asked if I would make them for their lunches. Done!
They are naturally sweetened with dates and full of delicious nuts; packed full of nutrients, protein, and fiber to give them fuel for the day. And they’re not just for the kids – I usually eat one or two before running.
I also always include some type of fruit in their lunch; usually grapes, blueberries, or an apple. But here’s the problem with apples – if you cut them, they get brown and then Haley won’t eat them. If I leave them whole, then they take way too long to eat and she spends all recess sitting and chewing.
Solution? Mott’s® Snack & Go applesauce pouches. Quite possibly the best invention since sliced bread. Applesauce in a convenient little pouch with a twist off top, so you can even seal it back up and finish it later. No spoon needed. They are delicious and nutritious, provide an excellent source of Vitamin C, with no added sugar in the Natural and Strawberry flavors. They can easily fit in a lunchbox or even a jacket pocket. I love love love these.
Mott’s also has Mott’s® Apple Juice, which come in a 6.75 fl. oz. box or an 8 fl. oz. bottle for little ones. They’re 100% juice, so you get the equivalent of at least a half cup of fruit in every drink. Once again, easy, portable, and convenient.
Talk about grab-and-go! Between the Mott’s® Snack & Go applesauce pouches, the Mott’s® Apple Juice drink boxes, and the date balls, mornings just got a little easier!
Thank you to Mott’s® and Technorati for sponsoring this article. All opinions expressed here are my own. Grab goodness on-the-go with Mott’s®.
Date and Nut Butter Balls
Makes 22
Prep time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup cashew butter
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) chopped dates
• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• a dash of sea salt
Directions
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the almond butter and cashew butter; microwave for about 10-20 seconds until melted.
In a food processor, grind the dates, almonds, and walnuts until there are no more large chunks. Add the nut butters and process until smooth. Add in the vanilla and pulse a few more times to combine.
Scoop out mixture using a tablespoon sized cookie scoop; knead them a few times with your hands until it sticks together, then roll into balls. Sprinkle the tops with sea salt.
Place on a baking sheet and refrigerator for about 15 minutes to harden (optional), then transfer them to a lidded container.
I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks, and these sound delish! My autocorrect just changed that to “relish”. No, relish they are not.
Oh god, autocorrect is the bane of my existence. More importantly, these are only 107 calories per ball. Woot!
I’m always looking for snacks like this that I can covertly eat in lab (since we’re not technically supposed to have food in there….oops). These would be so easy to pop in my mouth while no one is looking!
These would be great for snack day at school! Thanks for sharing. :)
They are! One batch usually gets me through a week, but I have two kids…and I eat a few of them. Ok, a lot of them.
Dates are on of my favorite healthy baking weapons! I don’t have kids, but my husband and I are still in the market for healthy snack ideas, so these suggestions are perfect.
You don’t need kids! I also make these for me as a quick bite before I run…and, um, afterward too :D
My boyfriend loves date and nuts! I’m going to have to make these for him. Thanks for sharing!