This is a guest post from Susanne Myers, the Hillybilly Housewife.
It’s 3pm and the kids are home from school and ready for a snack. One of my first go-to items is homemade jelly or jam. Yes, there’s the obvious PB&J Sandwich, but it doesn’t stop there. Let me share some of my favorite quick and easy snack ideas with you.
Jelly And Toast
One of my daughter’s favorites is simple toast topped with jelly or jam. It’s quick, simple and very frugal. Just toast a few slices of bread and let the kids pick their favorite jam, jelly or even fruit butter. This is one of my favorite breakfasts or afternoon snacks with a nice cup of tea. Serve it with juice or milk for the kids and they’ll be ready for homework in no time.
Muffins Topped With Jam
Homemade muffins are another great afternoon snack choice. I make up large batches of plain or oatmeal muffins and serve them with homemade jam. Add a glass of milk and you have another great snack option.
Homemade Fruit Yogurt
Yogurt has a lot of health benefits but many of the store-bought ones are full of sugars and preservatives. This is particularly true for brands marketed to children. Grab some plain yogurt instead or even better, make your own. Stir in a spoon full of your favorite jelly or jam and you have a delicious homemade treat.
You can make this snack a little more filling by topping the yogurt with a little granola.
Sweet As Can Be Smoothies
We love smoothies at our house, but during the colder months, it’s hard to find fruit to use. While frozen berries are always a great option, try this for a change of pace. Make a smoothie with yogurt, ice and a spoon full of jam. Homemade jam also makes a great sweetener for any type of smoothie. It blends in better and adds a lot more flavor than using plain sugar.
Cottage Cheese Made Yummy
Have you ever tried to make your child eat cottage cheese? Didn’t go to well, did it? It’s not a very kid-friendly food, unless you let them stir in some of their favorite jelly or jam. All of a sudden cottage cheese becomes a yummy treat. I’ve served this for after school snacks and even desserts on weekend nights.
While you can make any of these snacks with store-bought jam, I’d like to invite you to give home-made a try. It’s a lot easier than you think. Take a look at my new Amazon Kindle book “Homemade Jelly and Jam Recipes” and put together some easy freezer jam this weekend.
Family Foodies recommends the Magic Bullet Blender for making smoothies like the one above.
