The Healthy Snacks Influencers are Eating

Lisa Valinsky just put together a great list of The Healthy Snacks that 24 Influencers are Eating Right Now and it includes a snack from yours truly that's BIG in our house - in fact I think it currently makes up at least 25% of our toddler's diet (oops).  

So if you're looking for some great healthy snack ideas - definitely check it out!  You're sure to recognize some great bloggers on there too :)  

Credit:  Lisa Valinsky

Bangers + Mash for St. Patrick's Day

St. Patricks's Day is coming up and you need a to have a good Irish meal to celebrate - everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day afterall!  "Bangers and Mash" (sausage and mashed potatoes) is one of my favorite Irish-inspired meals to make because it's easy and quicker than making corned beef and cabbage.  And really - you just can't go wrong with sausage and potatoes!  

Bangers + Mash

Total time 50 mins  |  Serves the whole clan!  

Ingredients

• sausages, at least 2 per person  (I believe it's traditionally supposed to be a sage-y sausage, but our local grocery store doesn't carry those - so I went with Sweet Italian)
• potatoes for mashing, my rule of thumb is at least 1.5 potatoes per person when figuring out how many to buy 
• sweet onion
• butter
• milk
• head of cabbage
• sage
• salt + pepper to taste

Directions

1. Wash, peel, and chop potatoes.  Set them aside in a pot of salted water to boil.  
2. Pan fry sausages and onion until cooked through.  Season with salt, pepper, and sage to taste towards the end of it's cooking.  
3. Chop some fresh cabbage and gently boil until wilted (just a few minutes).  
4. Once the potatoes are soft, drain them and mash with butter and milk until it's to your liking (feel free to also season with salt and pepper to taste).  
5. Serve!  We like the sausages and onions on top of our mashed potatoes and the cabbage on the side.  

Happy St. Patrick's Day - Sláinte!

A Heathy Toddler Lunch with Nûby (plus lots of great no-cook meal ideas!)

Lunchtime is often kind of hectic around here.  Mornings tend to be when we do errands, groceries, story time, swim lessons, etc. and we always seem to be rolling back into the house right at lunchtime.  This means I often only have a few minutes to get lunch on the table before a hunger-induced meltdown occurs.  Having a no-prep, no-cook lunch is key to keeping everyone happy.  | This post contains affiliate links and an honest review of a Nûby product |

This little lunch isn't anything fancy but that's what's so great about it.  It's essentially a collection of healthy snacks that, when put together, make a great toddler-friendly meal.  This meal hits all the main food groups (dairy, protein, grains, fruit, and veggies) and best of all our little one loves it.  

Our little one's meal includes a Stonyfield Yogurt drink, hummus on whole grain toast, blueberries, broccoli florets, and some cheese all served on this cute Nûby Flower Child Toddler Plate.  

We love this fun plate from Nûby.  It's BPA-free and has a great no-skid bottom which is really helpful when your little one is eating.  Our daughter especially loves the fun shape, easy grip handles, and the pictures (lady bugs and daisies) printed on the bottom of the plate.  This adorable plate has quickly become her favorite for mealtimes.  

Toddler Meal Ideas

If you're looking for more meal ideas, mix and match these other great no-cook or quick-cook foods to make your own healthy toddler meal:  

• smoothies
• puree pouches
• fruit cups (make sure to get ones packed in juice, not syrup.  It's also still a good idea to drain and rinse the fruit to reduce the sugar content a bit)
• any fresh fruit (cut to appropriate-sized pieces if needed)
• any fresh or previously cooked vegetables (cut to appropriate-sized pieces if needed)
• yogurt
• cottage cheese
• cheese
• toast with mashed avocado spread on it
• hummus with crackers
• hummus with unsalted pretzels
• crackers with peanut, almond, or sun butter spread thinly on it (only use nut butters if your child does not have nut allergies)
• instant oatmeal
• cereal with milk
• cereal bar

Always use use your best judgement when it comes to safe foods and safe serving sizes to give to your little one, and always supervise them while eating.  

- I received this item for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -   

Nûby's Flower Child Toddler Plate can be found at various retailers including Amazon.