Every Saturday I stand in the market, looking at my shopping list, and I wonder: "Which comes first this week ~ nutrition, cost or environment?" I have yet to establish a good balance, but I'm working on that ...
In our family we like to choose organic as much as possible. It does tend to be more expensive, but there are ways of getting around that (see a future post for more ideas).
And while I'd like to say everything I serve to my family is from scratch, this is not always the case. Life has a way of interrupting the best laid nutritional plans.
So we do turn to convenience foods on occasion. O.K. a lot. Maybe too much. This choice can be costly in more ways than price, so I look for healthy, and if possible, earth-friendly and kid-friendly alternatives. But even if I do find something healthy (with kid appeal), this is not always the most cost-effective choice (o.k. it never is).
Part of the reason I started this food blog is to become more accountable for the ways in which I bring food to my family. My hope is that I will organize a better system for shopping wisely, eating healthy, and choosing organic whenever possible.
The following is a list of our family's favorite "convenience" foods. They don't all end up in my cart every week! But a few here and there help smooth out the cracks in our busy days.
In every case below, homemade would be healthier and less expensive. I hope to eventually post ideas for making such alternatives soon!
- Nutrigrain Whole Wheat Waffles ~ At the rate my boys go through a box of waffles, organic is usually too expensive for us; these are not organic, but a bit more substantial than the traditional Eggo.
- Envirokidz Gorilla Banana Waffles ~ A once in a while treat, these taste amazing with peanut butter and sliced bananas.
- Arrowhead Mills Buttermilk Pancake Mix ~ Every Saturday morning brings Father's Famous Flying Flapjacks; this mix is a breeze for dh to use with the kids.
- Annie's Macaroni and Cheese ~ An absolute staple in this household; the boys like the Arthur shaped variety best. Although it's bright orange (like that other national brand), the coloring comes from natural sources.
- Late July Organic Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ These are like Cheez-Its only better (and better for you).
- Cheetos Natural Puffs ~ Crunchy like the originals, but less jacked up on artificial flavorings and coloring.
- Envirokidz Organic Chocolate Krispy Bars ~ Great for busy mornings and I always carry a few in my bag.
- Stonyfield Farm Yogurt Squeezers and Smoothies ~ Also a rare but fun treat.
- Vruit Tropical Blend Juice or Knudson Organic Pear Juice ~ My boys are enchanted by other kids' "juice boxes", so we were happy to find our juice available in this kid-friendly style. Great as take-alongs.
- Newmans Own Microwave Popcorn ~ an excellent afternoon snack and a must for watching a movie!
- King Arthur Flour Baking Mixes ~ These are quite expensive, but I like to keep one in my cupboard for when unexpected company is on its way.
- Horizon Flavored Milk Single Serves ~ These are convenient when packing up for co-op or a field trip day.
- Stretch Island Fruit Leathers ~ A standard on our way out of Wild Oats (Little voices ringing out "Can I please get one for the ride home?")
- Earthbound Farm Organic Raisins ~ Somehow these little boxes help me sell raisins to my kids ...
- Bunny-Luv Organic Baby Carrots ~ It seems really silly to buy baby carrots when I could just chop up my own. It is really, but I seem to keep throwing them in the cart.
Well, now to get to work on tomorrow's list!
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