Snacks

Here are our snacks for the week. Watermelon, bananas (freeze), oranges, strawberries, apples, pineapples, celery, peppers, and carrots (all organic).  I've been cutting up fruits and veggies on Mondays. It takes about 30-45 minutes to cut it all. The apples (and pears) are dipped in lemon juice (thanks for the tip Krista) to keep them from browning.  Now if we want a snack, just go in the fridge and grab a handful. Or if we are in the mood for a smoothie, just grab some bananas and strawberries (and yogurt and milk) and you've got a quick smoothie.  We've been eating the veggies with hummus or salsa.  For the first time in a long time, I am no longer throwing away fruits and veggies at the end of the week. They are gone before they have a chance to go bad! There is no "do we have anything to eat?" or "I can't find a snack!" If you are single or just have too much to get through in a week, freeze half of it. Make sure you freeze it as soon as you get it home, washed and diced to keep as many nutrients as possible. Another way to cut down on your meal prep time during the week is to go ahead and chop some onions, peppers, etc. while you have your knife and cutting board out. Either freeze them or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Other fruits we have done are blueberries, kiwis, pears, mangoes, and raspberries.  The containers you see here are ziploc brand containers. I LOVE them because they all stack into each other and the lids fit both sizes. The lids also stack nicely. I've thrown out all other tupperware.  Now that your snacks are taken care of (and can be used as part of your meals), you can concentrate on your meals.

May 6-12 snacks: pears, apples, strawberries, pineapple, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, kiwi. Plus I cut up a two lb bag of sweet peppers to freeze for dinners. Took about 45 minutes and I'm ready for the week! I also have hummus and greek yogurts in the fridge ready to be used as dips for these snacks. I'm not typically an organized person, so this feels good to have at least this done to make my life less crazy!