Why a Snack Cart?

The idea for the snack cart came from wanting to give my girls a sense of independence when it comes to choosing their snacks. I wanted them to have easy access to a variety of options while also freeing up cabinet space in our kitchen. With the snack cart, everything is neatly organized and visible, making it easier for the girls to make their selections without any of us having to dig through cabinets.

Choosing the Snacks

When selecting snacks for the cart, I focused on items with lower sugar content, aiming for 6 grams or less per serving. This meant prioritizing fruit, such as apple sauce pouches, clementines, and peach fruit cups, as well as healthier alternatives like Teddy Grahams, snack bags of peanut butter-filled pretzels, and Annie’s Homegrown chewy granola bars. I also keep additional fruit, low-fat string cheese, and yogurts in the fridge for added variety.

This week, we stocked up with apple sauce pouches, strawberry apple sauce pouches, clementines, Sun-Maid yogurt covered raisins, mini yogurt raisins (we love them for church and the car) peach cups, Heavenly Hunks, peanut butter filled pretzels, granola bites, Teddy Grahams and Annie’s Homegrown chewy granola bars.

This will last us 2-3 weeks!

Establishing Rules

To encourage healthy choices, we established some guidelines for the snack cart. Fruit is mostly unlimited, while the other snacks are more controlled, with the girls allowed to choose one per day. This helps them learn about moderation while still enjoying a variety of treats.

Involving the Kids

One of the best parts of the snack cart is involving the girls in the selection process. We go shopping together, and I allow them to pick from a selection of pre-approved options. They love trying new things and are always excited to see what’s in the cart each week. It’s also a great opportunity for them to practice decision-making and explore different flavors and textures.

Benefits for the Family

The snack cart has had numerous benefits for our family. Not only does it give the girls a sense of independence and responsibility, but it also helps my husband and me focus on other tasks, knowing that the girls can easily grab a snack when they’re hungry. It’s especially helpful for us as we work from home, allowing us to stay productive without constant interruptions.

Overall, creating an after-school snack cart has been a game-changer for our family. Not only does it promote independence and healthy choices, but it also streamlines our snack routine and reduces stress for everyone involved. If you’re looking for a simple yet effective way to improve your snack game, I highly recommend giving it a try!

There’s nothing much to this – a few kinds of chex, some pretzels, pepitas and pecans all combine with butter, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice and a dash of salt. Bake it up for about 28 minutes and let them cool – drop in some candy corn and you’re done!

A fun little treat for your neighbors or the kiddos friends! We’re going to drop these off to a few friends for a socially-distanced porch visits over the next few days. Something to look forward to!

Print

Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix with Candy Corn

A fun Halloween treat to drop to friends and neighbors!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c rice chex
• 1 c cinnamon chex
• 1 c chocolate chex
• 1 c pretzels
• 1 c pecans
• 1/2 c pepitas
• 1 c candy corn

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment, set aside.
• Combine butter, pumpkin spice, salt, sugar and vanilla extract in a small pot and combine together until melted. Set aside.
• Add all dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl, except the candy corn.
• Pour butter mixture over chex mix and toss until well coated.
• Split between two baking sheets in one layer. Bake on middle/top racks for 28 minutes, tossing half way.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before adding candy corn.
• Store in an airtight container up to one week.