Banana Fritters from Leftover Pancake BatterUse up leftover pancake batter by dipping banana chunks into it to make banana fritters. Fry them up in a deep fryer until golden brown. Then roll in cinnamon and sugar.
Homemade Fruit Juice PopsiclesHomemade popsicles made from fruit juice are much more economical and healthier than pops bought from the store. And if you are just a little bit creative, you can make layers, and combinations that are fun for your kids.
Flour Tortilla Roll-UpsNeed a quick breakfast or afternoon snack for the tikes? Spread some peanut butter on a flour tortilla, roll it up, microwave it for about 12-15 seconds, serve with milk. They get protein, grains and calcium in less than a minute!
Tasty Prunes in the MorningDo you like prunes for breakfast? Before retiring for bed, boil a cup of water and place 2 teabags (any flavor will do) along with 8 prunes in a cup. Cover the cup with a plate until morning. Then remove the plate and serve 4 prunes with some of the "tea juice" for 2 people.
Ice Cream Stand at HomeStopping at the ice cream stand getting too expensive? Buy a 1/2 gallon of your favorite ice cream and put out in small dishes: chocolate sprinkles, multi-sprinkles, banana slices, chocolate sauce (or your favorite sauce).
Fried Biscuits Instead of DonutsMy family likes donuts for breakfast sometimes. Because it is rather expensive for a family of 5, I fry biscuits. I buy the store brands for about $1.09 for 4 cans. I fry 2 cans, roll in powder sugar and enjoy.
Make Your Own Trail MixDo you love the trail mix that you can purchase but don't love the price you have to pay? I make my own mixing walnut pieces, almonds, raw cashews, currants, raisins, small pieces of dried pineapple and sunflower seeds.
Alternative To Kettle CornTo make a simple sweet popcorn snack, just sprinkle your freshly popped unbuttered popcorn with salt and sugar to taste. Kids love this and it is much easier to make than kettle corn or caramel corn.
A Bowl of Fruit for Healthy SnacksKeep a bowl of fruit on your table within easy reach for the children. Fruit is so much better for them to snack on that sugary candies, cakes, and cookies.
For A Healthy Snack, Buy Granola-type Cereal Bars In BulkBuying a box of 48 Quaker Chewy Granola Bars at the discount warehouse stores, is much cheaper than smaller packages at the grocery store. They can last a long time on the shelf. Keep several in your car for a quick snack when you may be running late.
Interesting Trail MixI keep a big glass jar in my kitchen cabinet and whenever I have a handful of cereal left in the bottom of a box, a few pretzels left in the bag, or raisins, chips, marshmallows, peanuts, whatever, I toss them in the jar.
Fruits and Vegetables as SnacksThe following come in response to Frugal's post . . .
Don't Buy Candy From Vending MachinesStop buying candy out of the vending machines. Stock up on your favorite candy bars at the store when they go on sale for 3 for $1 or 4 for $1 - much cheaper than $.75 a piece in the vending machine.
Carrying Snacks And Water With YouI always carry snacks and bottled water - for the just in case!
Avoiding Fast Food Drive ThroughsI carry a thermos (picnic kind) of kool-aid or Iced Tea with me when running errands or picking up kids and I pack cheap snacks from the dollar store. I have saved a lot of money not going to drive-throughs anymore.
Add Cartoon Characters To Children's ProductsDo your children beg for products emblazoned with their favorite characters? I know my children do, and it makes me crazy! The same yogurt can cost up to two dollars more because it has some kind of cartoon character on it.
Quick and Easy Chocolate IcingThis is a quick and easy chocolate that also doubles as chocolate icing. In a microwave safe bowl, place equal quantities cream cheese and chocolate bits (both can be generic).
Delicious Dessert JelloMake Strawberry Flavor Jello according to package directions. Chill and then add a can of drained Mandarin Oranges when partially jelled...
Freezing GrapesI happen to like red flame grapes frozen. I wash the grapes, let them drain, and pat with paper towels to remove most of the water. I don't separate the grapes, I just put them in ziplock freezer bags and pop them in the freezer.
Refried Beans and SalsaFor a change from basic salsa, mix it with an equal amount of refried beans and top with cheese. Heat in the microwave and serve hot.
Snack Cup Of PotatoesI wanted to do something similar to the twice baked potatoes. I found some seasonal paper drinking cups ($0.25 on clearance) for containers. These cups are the stiff paper ones, not waxy. They are from a party supply store.
Chili Bean And Pretzel AppetizerTake some pretzel sticks and stick them into the heated chili beans. Stand them upright onto a plate and serve The pretzel stick acts like an edible toothpick.
Saving Money on SnacksShare your tips for saving money on snacks below.Here are some ideas on how to save money on snack food from the ThriftyFun community. Share your own snack tips.
Fiber SnacksIf you're like me, nightly nibbles are hard to resist when watching evening TV. To eliminate the negative feelings I was having about all the fat in most snack foods, I have started snacking on whole grain cereals.
Metal Binder Clips for Closing BagsIf you have any of the metal binder clips, use those. They will not pop off, they will grip tighter than any plastic device ever will, and if you fold the corners of your bags over before you roll the top down for closure, it gives a nearly air tight "seal".
Try Nutella On CeleryHave you tried the Nutella Hazelnut spread? Nutella is mixed with skim milk and cocoa and it is great when spread on celery stalks. The celery softens and lightens the taste of the Nutella and you can make snack size chunks for party platters. It is less fattening than Nutella on toast and easier to eat.
Egg Salad Snack CrackerTry this idea instead of chips. Mix chopped, hard boiled eggs with a little mayonnaise to make a simple egg salad, then spread a little on top of an ordinary saltine cracker. Simple, delicious, less expensive, and more nutritious than a bag of chips.
Bring Snacks When You TravelEvery summer we make a 1000 mile (one way) drive back home to visit family. I always end up doing last minute shopping and spending too much money to buy snacks for travel, until this year!
Brown Bag Microwave PopcornInstead of purchase of expensive microwave popcorn, I place about 3 Tablespoons of un-popped corn in a brown lunch bag, fold the top over, and microwave for approximately 2 minutes.
Baked Potato PeelsWhen peeling potatoes for mashed potatoes, save the peelings. Put the peelings in a bowl; season with seasoned salt, pepper, and a little Italian dressing; and toss.
Make Pita Chips at HomeToday I found a recipe for homemade pita chips that were awesome! Who knew it was so easy?
Snack Cup Pudding PopsTo make pudding pops from a snack size pudding cup, make a small cut in the top and put the Popsicle stick in it, then freeze. Pull off the foil when ready to eat.
Banana DogsLike most people, I was raised on peanut butter sandwiches. I was hungry and in a hurry and in need of a quick jolt of energy so I took a hotdog bun, spread it with peanut butter and stuffed a whole banana in it.
Easy Homemade PopsiclesThese are made from juice you've already paid for, and fairly healthy popsicles. I freeze the juice from canned fruit in popsicle molds. I also use the liquid that forms in a bowl of cut watermelon.
Buy Snacks in BulkBuying sodas, water and snacks at the office quickly adds up. Buy those items in bulk, bag 'em, and bring to work. You'll save about $2.00 a day or $520 annually. Who couldn't use extra money!
Cones As Edible Snack ContainersPour snacks such as trailmix, Goldfish crackers, animal crackers, popcorn, fresh fruit, mini marshmallows, and pretzels into a waffle cone or sugar cone. You can also add pudding or yogurt.
Freeze Yogurt and Pudding For PopsiclesI never could leave well enough alone. I took an easy pudding pop recipe (ala Toys in the Dryer blog) and gave it a little twist. I added some guilt-reducing health benefits by mixing in cherry yogurt, the Jamie Lee Curtis kind.
Clothespins for Keeping Snacks FreshAfter I enjoy a bowl of cereal or munch a chip, I fold the bag by bringing the top corners of the bag in to meet each other then fold the flap down. I then clip a clothespin on the flap and return to box or shelf.
Free Chip Clips From HangersWhen shopping, I often get to take the hanger that the clothing items are on. They are white plastic and have two clamps on each end of the hanger. My husband saws the two clips off and we have free clips.
Snack Bowl from BagPierce the middle of the packet of crisps and tear a nice large round hole, making your crisp/chip bag into a ready-made bowl. Leave out your bags like this and you save using crockery that needs washing up.
Cutting Watermelon SticksThis is an easy way to prepare a watermelon and is a kid friendly way to serve it.
Rid Your Bag of Popcorn SeedsAfter you're done popping your popcorn in the microwave, and before you open the bag, put it over the garbage can and shake the bag really hard. Make sure the opening of the bag is down. All your unpopped seeds will go into the garbage, no more seeds.
Healthy Microwave PopcornAll you need for some perfect fresh popcorn is some popcorn kernels, a microwaveable bowl, a microwaveable plate that fits on top of it, and, if you so desire, a pat of butter or coconut oil.
Use a Splatter Screen For PopcornHere is a tip to release the aroma of popcorn but protect it from anything entering. Simply use a splatter screen cover. Great for home, picnics, or parties!
A Simple Trick For Better PopcornI learned something a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share with you. I bought a bag of popcorn at Dollar Tree. It was the stovetop type. Back home, I popped a pot full. Except for a couple kernels, every one popped. I thought, 'Gosh, this is nice'! And unusual, too.
