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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

August 21, 2012

$1,000 Visa Gift Card Giveaway from Kraft!

I’ll never forget the first time I tried to sneak extra vegetables into my son’s food.

We were at that stage where the only veggies he would willingly eat were carrots and tomatoes.
I was watching his skin closely to look for signs that he might be turning an orangey-red hue.
So in my desperate attempt to add a bit of variety to his meal-time experience (and let’s face it, to make myself feel better about my parenting), I decided to add pureed butternut squash to his Mac-n-Cheese.
I watched. I waited. I timed it just right.
He left the kitchen for a minute and into the pot went that glob of squash-y goodness.
It felt so wrong…and yet…so right!

But, do you know what happens when you add butternut squash to Mac-n-Cheese?

Let’s just say that your kid will notice the lack of neon orange coloring and will be immediately suspicious!
OK, so my first foray into the dark side of mommy-hood might not have gone so well, but that hasn’t kept me from continuing in my effort to have healthy kids with healthy eating habits!

It didn’t take long for me to realize that, for our family, a 2-pronged approach would be our best bet for having happy meal times, happy, healthy kids and a happy mommy who didn’t need to lie awake at night anymore worrying about the long-term affects of too many carrots!
The combination of sneaking in vegetables along with having them on their plate gave us the best option of knowing that somehow, someway those wonderful vitamins and nutrients were going to make it into their little bodies.
Do you want to know what I have found to be the easiest meals for sneaking in vegetables?
Spaghetti and pizza.
Why?
It’s all in the sauce my friend!

Take your favorite marinara sauce and add in some pureed spinach or squash or carrots and you have just upped the ante on healthy dinners.

Use it to smother noodles or spread it out on pizza dough and you can just pat yourself on the back and smugly sit at the dinner table while the sounds of, “Yum! This is so great Mom,” fill your ears!
The other part of my approach has been continuing to put vegetables on their actual plates and not just sneaking it into the main dish. And the fact that we have a garden every summer has helped tremendously in getting my children excited about their veggies. There is nothing quite like pulling up a carrot and then finding that same carrot, all nicely peeled, on your plate that night at dinner.

I even leave the stem on so that they can pretend they’re bunnies!
Now, while my 2 pronged approach to healthy eating has been a success at dinner time, it hasn’t translated so easily to lunch time.
You see, my kids LOVE breakfast and lunch!

And, I’m pretty sure the reason for that is because there are usually no vegetables involved (I reserved my veggie battles for only one meal a day) and sometimes they get a fun drink. Fun meaning something other than water or milk.
At our house, Capri Suns have always been the favorite. Especially in the summertime!

Maybe it’s the challenge of finding just the right angle to get the pointy straw into the hole on the first try.
Maybe it’s the silvery pouch which makes it so much easier to get every last drop.
Maybe it’s the fact that the same silvery pouch, once empty, can provide endless entertainment in the form of blowing back into it and finding some unsuspecting soul to go up to and say, “Hey, look at how full this is!” and then squeeze it so that poor unsuspecting soul thinks they are going to get sprayed with juice and then they can laugh hysterically!
Not that this has ever been done to me.

But, now that Kraft has come out with their Capri Sun Super V, those silvery pouches just became even more exciting. Especially for this mom! This has solved my “should I feel guilty because my children don’t eat vegetables at lunch?” dilemma. With one combined serving of fruits and vegetables, it is a wonderful source of antioxidant vitamins and fiber, not to mention that the flavoring is all-natural and there are no preservatives.
That is a win-win in my book!

Don’t believe me? Well, here are some testimonials from actual children actually drinking the Capri Sun Super V!
Somehow I managed to find a 9 year old boy and a 5 year old girl willing to try this out and let me interview them. Wink, wink.
“So, what do you guys think about this new Capri Sun?”
5 year old girl replied, “Yummy!”

9 year old boy replied, “I think the guy surfing on the front looks cool!”

Both children ask, “Mommy, why are you taking pictures of us and asking us so many questions?”
To which I reply, “Because you are both just so cute and I want to record every moment of your lives!”
To which 2 pairs of eyes rolled.
But it doesn’t matter! Because I know what they don’t.

While they were innocently enjoying a new yummy drink, I was feeling reassured that they were getting an extra serving of fruits and vegetables!
Now if we can just keep it a secret.
Thankfully they don’t read this blog…yet!!

Learn more about the new Capri Sun Super V on Facebook and check out BlogHer.com to find more Capri Sun Super V reviews!

AND, do you want to know how you can enter to win the Sweepstakes for the

Grand Prize $1,000 Visa Gift Card
and
$500 (runner up) Gift Cards??
Here’s how:

Share a healthy snack tip as a comment below!

Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
Entries from all participating blogs will be pooled for winner selection; only two entries per household. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 8/16/2012-9/16/2012.

UPDATE!!! 9 year old boy was asked at lunch if he would like a Capri Sun. A different flavor was pulled out of the fridge and he looked at it and said, “Oh, I wanted the other one with the cool guy on the front!“

No problem buddy!
Thanks so much for joining me today at the Fence,
1553F4F30A9801A6AFB3E9C624118E7B
I was compensated for my time in conducting this review, but the opinions are my own. Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information.

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118 Comments Filed Under: Giveaways, Kids, Recipes, Reviews

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stuff and Nonsense says

    August 20, 2012 at 1:16 PM

    my healthy snack tip
    is to core ans slice apples
    and serve with a little Nutella
    or peanut butter

    thanks for the chance!

    alison

    Reply
  2. Stuff and Nonsense says

    August 20, 2012 at 1:18 PM

    just tweeted!
    https://twitter.com/mrsstuffandnon

    Reply
  3. thistlewoodfarm says

    August 20, 2012 at 1:57 PM

    Brilliant, Vanessa 🙂 I will remember this for my next pot of spaghetti (or hot dog pot pie)! LOL 🙂

    Ok…..I don’t think hot dog pot pie is a healthy snack tip…..hmmmm……how about cutting up the celery into pieces and putting them into a tupperware container to grab and go!

    Thanks rock star!

    Have a blessed and wonderful day!
    karianne

    Reply
  4. Michelle says

    August 20, 2012 at 3:05 PM

    Healthy snack tip: My kiddo enjoys his veggies much better if he can play with them! Arrange them to look like something different, or add a healthy dip (I like to mix PB2 with water to make real PB). Make it fun!!

    Reply
  5. Pam - @diy Design Fanatic says

    August 20, 2012 at 3:39 PM

    My healthy snack tip is…never leave home without some type of snack so you aren’t tempted to go through the drive thru when you’re out doing errands. I usually bring a some almonds or pumpkin seeds and something to drink for everyone in the car.

    Reply
  6. Vicki Shead says

    August 20, 2012 at 3:51 PM

    Healthy snack tip: veggie kabobs with ranch or fruit kabobs with light cream cheese and 1 tbsp of cocoa mixed for dipping. Then if you have boys like I do, you race! And it all ends up with full tummies and lots of laughter and some mouths to wipe! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Betsy@ coastal-colors says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:01 PM

    Great stuff! I’m with the children- I liked veggies sneaked in to my drink too! Thanks for hosting! This is amazing!

    Reply
  8. Betsy@ coastal-colors says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:05 PM

    Just twitted- Betsy@Coastal-Colors ‏@Betsy07046862 Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  9. Vanessa says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:08 PM

    Hi, Vanessa

    You kiddos are sweet! Great pics! Are you not going to the Southerner Conference in Oct? I am hoping to go and if I do I hope to me you too. We do share something in common, we both have great first name. : )

    Have a great week.

    Vanessa

    Reply
  10. Vanessa says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:10 PM

    Hi, Vanessa

    Tweeted your giveaway!
    https://twitter.com/homesbutterfly/status/237582098557460480

    Reply
  11. Honey at 2805 says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:42 PM

    My healthy snack tip: grapes! Your children are so adorable, Vanessa!

    Reply
  12. boxedb says

    August 20, 2012 at 5:08 PM

    I think this is a great concept. Adults have been taking advantage of this for yours, why didn’t they do this sooner! And the packaging is targeted correctly. Congratulations! Our grandkids think the little tomatoes are candy. I keep them washhed in the refrigerator and they help themselves!

    Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    August 20, 2012 at 7:15 PM

    Even now that my kids are adults they still love for me to make celery stuffed with peanut butter for them & the grands when they visit. I always use the carrot peeler and run it against the very spine of the celery first to peel out the toughest strings. I think that’s why they never objected. Suzi pblapere@att.net

    Reply
  14. Anonymous says

    August 20, 2012 at 7:39 PM

    Can’t wait to try this new Capri Sun with my girls! They love to spread Laughing Cow Strawberry Creamcheese on toast with sliced strawberries on top. They also love almond milk smoothies with chocolate PB2 & bananas. kwillo@sbcglobal.net

    Reply
  15. Posie Plank says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:06 PM

    grp18 my favorite healthy summer snack tip is frozen grapes. I love to grab a handful out of the freezer to take along during the day. Sometimes I will throw a handful in to my drinks also.

    Reply
  16. Beth@UnskinnyBoppy says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:08 PM

    Oh, this would be a good way to get some veggies in at school lunch! Thanks for sharing! And what a generous giveaway!! 😀

    Reply
  17. Amy Renea says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:10 PM

    The packaging is great! My kids love them already and probably wouldn’t notice if I switched out the variety on them – sweet!

    Reply
  18. Serendipity Refined says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:16 PM

    Anything to get them to eat veggies! I can still remember putting peas in peanut butter sandwiches! My sons always loved cheese cubes and apple slices for a snack after school.

    Reply
  19. Beth@UnskinnyBoppy says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:17 PM

    https://twitter.com/BethBryan

    Tweeted and facebooked! 🙂

    Reply
  20. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:19 PM

    Great post! Something I do (I guess a tip?) is to offer a fruit and vegetable at lunch and dinner. And sometimes another fruit at breakfast. They’re pretty picky about veggies, so I’m trying to expand their repertoire. 😉 Great Giveaway!!!

    Reply
  21. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:21 PM

    I Tweeted! Fingers crossed. 😉 https://twitter.com/SerenityNowGirl/status/237675620065222656

    Reply
  22. Nova says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:51 PM

    I try to always keep fruit and vegetables cut up and in snack size bags so they /I can grab and go.

    Reply
  23. Nova says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:54 PM

    I try to always keep fruit and vegetables cut up and in snack size bags so they /I can grab and go.

    Reply
  24. NanaDiana says

    August 20, 2012 at 11:13 PM

    Great post! I think you already know my trick of “octopus on the rocks surrounded by seaweed”- (a hot dog cut into a head with tentacles atop a mound of shell shaped mac and cheese surrounded by spinach or green beans or broccoli. The kids all love it -even the older ones- Have a wonderful night- xo Diana

    Reply
  25. Paula says

    August 20, 2012 at 11:29 PM

    I pack grapes as an after school snack. I eat these on the way home so that I’m not so hungry when I get home and am less likely to eat something unhealthy.

    Reply
  26. Paula says

    August 20, 2012 at 11:32 PM

    I tweeted.

    https://twitter.com/PaulaVirginiaSP/status/237693361329426432

    Reply
  27. Robyn ~ Everyday a la Mode says

    August 20, 2012 at 11:33 PM

    I sometimes put cauliflower in mashed potatoes (awesome trick since they don’t taste i!). The kids also love a fruity vege drink (I think it’s V8 Splash, sorry that it’s not the same sponsor, but the kids love the different flavors!). I also keep a drawer in the frig full of fresh fruits like grapes and cutey oranges and apples.

    Reply
  28. Kris E. says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:07 AM

    My heathy snack tip – if I save the pulp from my homemade juice and I add it to my recipie for whole wheat blueberry muffins – it makes them super moist, and my daughter is eating an additional serving of pulped carrots or zucchini and she doesn’t know it!

    Reply
  29. Jenn "Rook No. 17" says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:07 AM

    Tweeted! https://twitter.com/rookno17/status/237702263450255360

    Reply
  30. Becky W says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:40 AM

    My healthy snack tip is to keep a plastic bin in the fridge stocked with cheese sticks, drinkable yogurt, grapes, carrots, etc. so that something health is ready when the kids are hungry.

    Reply
  31. Becky W says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:42 AM

    I tweeted…
    https://twitter.com/bbwoods68/status/237710883961311233

    Reply
  32. Mdegraeve says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:48 AM

    Wow, this is a big giveaway!
    Me and my kids love bananas with peanut butter! potassium and protein 🙂
    Hope I’m lucky 😉

    Reply
  33. Evelyn says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:52 AM

    Healthy tip – DARK chocolate! Hey, they say it’s good for you…

    Reply
  34. Connie says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:56 AM

    I just have what they like….Grapes,Strawberries, Blueberries, Watermelon, Cantelope, Cucumbers, Salad, Cheese, Brocolli. They eat all of these without a fuss. As they have gotten older they then tried green pepper, squash, beans,

    Reply
  35. Kelly says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:57 AM

    I buy Capri Sun for my 11 yr old son and he loves it. I didn’t know that they started making one with vegetable juice added to it. It reminds me of V8 Fusion drinks. I’m going to definitely buy these new drinks! My son is the pickiest eater of anyone I know. My healthy snack tip is to substitute Carnation instant breakfast in his milk instead of Hershey’s syrup for chocolate milk. He loves it and it is full of nutrition.

    Reply
  36. Connie says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:57 AM

    https://twitter.com/C48444/status/237714810928762880 I TWEETED

    Reply
  37. The Blessed Wife says

    August 21, 2012 at 12:59 AM

    Healthy tip: bananas and nutella pureed and poured into an ice cream maker!

    Reply
  38. Melissa@TheHappierHomemaker says

    August 21, 2012 at 1:08 AM

    For my one year old I like to crush cheerios then toss with banana slices-adds whole grains and makes the bananas less slippery!

    Reply
  39. Debby says

    August 21, 2012 at 1:08 AM

    I love bananas and peanut butter. I don’t know what it is called but you freeze bananas and add other fruit and put in this machine and it tastes like ice cream… The machine can be found at Bed Bath and Beyond.

    Reply
  40. Susan @ Our Family Eats says

    August 21, 2012 at 1:27 AM

    Our healthy snack is a smoothie – pretty much anything can go into the blender and the kids will eat it up. I also make smoothie pops in the freezer.

    Reply
  41. Annie says

    August 21, 2012 at 1:37 AM

    fresh, then frozen blueberries- they taste like candy if you eat them while they are still frozen!

    Reply
  42. Carolyn says

    August 21, 2012 at 2:00 AM

    Fruit for dessert. Apple slices with caramel dip, pineapple sprinkled with powdered sugar, smoothies etc.

    Reply
  43. Sandy A says

    August 21, 2012 at 2:52 AM

    Our daughters cut fruit and veggies in different shapes and the children think they are more fun to eat. They love to come up with different ideas for shapes to use…

    Reply
  44. Kathleen says

    August 21, 2012 at 3:02 AM

    Great tips! Thank you for sharing. My hubby and daughter were not fans of zucchini, that is, until I disguised it as a “pasta” roll up. First, you slice the zucchini into thin sheets and quickly boil them in salted water. Make the filling (a mixture of ricotta, parmesan, spices, etc.) Similar to lasagna filling. You can also add additional veggies here, like chopped red peppers. Spread the mixture on the zucchini sheets and roll them. Line them up in a baking dish, cover in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese and bake. Yummy!

    Reply
  45. f0574e82-a5e0-11e1-b2de-000bcdcb5194 says

    August 21, 2012 at 3:57 AM

    My favorite way to get veggies into a meal is in a 1-dish meal, like a stirfry. I’m not very fond of the more bitter taste of vegetables like broccoli, so adding a little spice along with items I *do* like makes me more likely to eat more veggies than usual. For kids, I think adding visual appeal can help. Use different colored vegetables to make a rainbow, or cut them into fun shapes.

    Reply
  46. Tammi sutton says

    August 21, 2012 at 4:13 AM

    My healthy tip is to let my children use toothpicks for spearing their soft cooked veggies and
    Fruit! They love popping them in their mouths and it makes it healthy fun!

    Reply
  47. vikki says

    August 21, 2012 at 4:30 AM

    My healthy tip is shredding zucchini and adding it to my spaghetti sauce. Also I now make smoothies with spinach in them, no one even knows and this is for my husband who hates veggies. Hee Hee. Thanks for the chance to win.

    Reply
  48. elizabeth says

    August 21, 2012 at 5:34 AM

    My kiddos and now grandkids love to help “cook” and are enthusiastic to eat what they’ve made, whether it be a cucumber they helped peel, some celery they filled with peanut butter, or the green salad they helped tear the lettuce up for.

    Reply
  49. A-kasse says

    August 21, 2012 at 6:27 AM

    Extremely in receiving children keyed up about their veggies. There is not anything quite like pulling up a carrot and then finding that same carrot, all nicely peeled, on your cover that night at dinner.

    Reply
  50. Louise says

    August 21, 2012 at 11:34 AM

    My healthy tip is to keep fruits available for the kids. They like the “self-serve” option of grapes, bananas, strawberries. Really they’re up for any kind of fruit except peaches…haven’t figured that one out yet. We’re working on veggies, a bit at a time.

    Reply
  51. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    August 21, 2012 at 2:10 PM

    Great post Vanessa, my kids love the new Capri Suns too!

    Reply
  52. Stacy says

    August 21, 2012 at 2:11 PM

    I blend fresh fruit and yogurt and make freezer pops and the kids ask for them all the time.

    Reply
  53. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    August 21, 2012 at 2:17 PM

    My two girls eat absolutely everything! My son on the other hand is VERY picky!! So what I do for him every night right before dinner is cut up carrots, celery, cucumbers and red peppers served with some ranch dressing and he eats it right up! That makes for one happy mom 🙂

    Reply
  54. Jessica @ Stay at Home-ista says

    August 21, 2012 at 3:42 PM

    My kids don’t eat sauce, so the spagetti and pizza trick doesn’t work for me!

    I offer them a dipping sauce or something fun to dip in. This only works for one of them. the other one gets “sprinkle cheese” which is just some fancy parmesan that I grate with a micro-plane. Boom, broccoli is now fun:) Or almost!

    Jessica

    Reply
  55. Paula says

    August 21, 2012 at 4:27 PM

    Frozen raspberries in a bowl – better than a popsicle and fun to eat!

    Reply
  56. Brittany @ The Pistachio Project says

    August 21, 2012 at 9:08 PM

    tweeted:https://twitter.com/spritzey/status/238019621809176576

    Reply
  57. Destiny says

    August 21, 2012 at 10:24 PM

    Ants on a log is one of my personal favorites! (Celery with peanut butter & raisins.)

    Reply
  58. Julianne says

    August 22, 2012 at 1:16 AM

    My snack tip is to keep junk food out of the house. If it’s here, that’s all she wants. If it’s not, suddenly fruits (and sometimes CERTAIN veggies–and ONLY with ranch dressing) look good when she’s hungry. It’s magic! Can’t wait to try the Capri Sun V!

    Reply
  59. Julianne says

    August 22, 2012 at 1:28 AM

    Tweeted to my clients:

    https://twitter.com/KnotworksMN/status/238084642744442880

    Reply
  60. Jennifer says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:37 AM

    I cut up different melons into bite sized pieces and put it in the refrigerator. The kids love to be able to get a bowl of fresh fruit that is easy to hold and eat.

    Reply
  61. ms-texas says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:41 AM

    i tweeted here:

    https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/238103210794033152

    debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  62. Jennifer says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:43 AM

    I just tweeted the giveaway.
    https://twitter.com/firefly0407/status/238103708708245504

    Reply
  63. ashley says

    August 22, 2012 at 6:37 AM

    hmmm… i’ve tried several things.

    My preschooler has always liked peas BUT only if they’re still frozen. (they’re sweeter that way)

    She sometimes eats “green leaves” (spinach) like her older cousin who likes to pretend he’s a dinosaur.

    Lately I’ve blended spinach in milk for dunking cookies. Too bad my kiddo won’t touch anything that comes from a blender. It’s how I sneak more green into my diet though 🙂

    oh! and we love cauliflower so i’ve been wanting to make “cauliflower poppers” (break into small peices, toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake)

    Reply
  64. ashley says

    August 22, 2012 at 6:59 AM

    blogged here: https://velez-awesomeness.blogspot.com/2012/08/found-new-blog-today.html

    Thanks for the chance 🙂

    Reply
  65. Debbie says

    August 22, 2012 at 9:35 AM

    Since we were a huge Capri Sun family too, I’m really jazzed about this new addition to their line. Any extra veggies added to the fruit is a plus in my book.

    Veggies at dinner weren’t a huge problem here because my girls liked the ones I served. I’m pretty sure that’s because we always used fresh veggies and steamed or grilled them rather than cook them to death. It’s all in the color, IMO. Fresh, steamed veggies have bolder colors and more crunch, even after steaming. Additionally, the girls learned to love salads very early because we had one at nearly every meal. I regularly let them concoct the toppings du jour and be creative about what we were going to try. Letting them name the concocted salad is fun too. They are huge salad fans to this day.

    I’m trying to think of a SNACK tip that hasn’t already been said. Like others, I always kept fruit and veggies handy for them. I always kept pretzels in little baggies so they could grab and go with that too. I made my own trail mix for them using the dried fruits, cereals, etc. that they wanted, and we kept that in little baggies as well.

    Maybe it’s because I had girls, but for us presentation was always “everything”. We had certain little dishes and bowls that we used for certain snacks. I think they loved the bowls as much as the snacks. Apples and cheese off a Disney princess plate was an snack adventure.

    Reply
  66. Lisabeth R says

    August 22, 2012 at 10:18 AM

    I just want to simply say thank you for the precious story. Many Blessings.

    Reply
  67. Linda @ it all started with paint says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:13 PM

    Sometimes it’s the presentation that makes the difference. Grilled chicken with a side of rice? Boring and colorless … but grilled chicken cut up into bit size pieces and service in a bowl with rice, all mixed in together? They can’t get enough of it! Go figure. Also, I find variety. When I get in a rut with dinner they get bored …

    🙂

    Linda

    Reply
  68. Linda @ it all started with paint says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:20 PM

    I tweeted too!

    https://twitter.com/paintschips/status/238278749165084673

    🙂

    Linda

    P.S. My odds of winning this are next to nil. Okay, exactly nil. We bought two Powerball tickets while in FL because it was up to $320 million. And we did not match a single number. Not. One. Single. Number. So very sad indeed …

    Reply
  69. kellyr78 says

    August 22, 2012 at 5:18 PM

    My healthy snack tip is to provide a little travel container of peanut butter with their favorite crunchy snack- apples, pretzels or whole wheat crackers for dipping.
    KellywcuATyahooDOTcom

    Reply
  70. kellyr78 says

    August 22, 2012 at 5:19 PM

    tweet
    https://twitter.com/Kellydinpa/status/238324401119059968

    kellywcuATyahooDOTcom

    Reply
  71. Angie CountryChicCottage says

    August 22, 2012 at 8:17 PM

    Our fave healthy snack is string cheese!

    Reply
  72. Sally says

    August 23, 2012 at 12:21 AM

    Raw veggies are my healthy snack 🙂

    sally.puckett@yahoo.com

    Reply
  73. Buttercup Bliss says

    August 23, 2012 at 12:50 AM

    My son’t favorite healthy snack is baby carrots dipped in peanut butter! He loves this and I know he is getting vegetables! I also send baggies of chilled cherry tomatoes in his lunch box for a healthy “side” in his lunch box.

    Reply
  74. Brooke says

    August 23, 2012 at 2:30 AM

    Natural almonds with vanilla Greek yogurt …yummy! Frozen fruit smoothies with Greek yogurt are my kiddos’ favorite.

    Reply
  75. Sweep Nets says

    August 24, 2012 at 5:59 AM

    tweet: https://twitter.com/SWEEPNETS/status/238878096764325889

    Reply
  76. Erik says

    August 25, 2012 at 5:03 AM

    I let my daughter help my wife and I prepare the snacks. This is our favorite snack.

    Plain yogurt
    Your favorite fruit: ours is mango (diced)
    2 tablespoons of maple syrup or agave (or any other you prefer to use)
    granola

    Mix everything in a bowl or cup and you got yourself a great tasting snack!

    Reply
  77. Erik says

    August 25, 2012 at 5:05 AM

    https://twitter.com/Ebiker85/status/239226656785580032

    Reply
  78. Tiffany Winner says

    August 25, 2012 at 6:52 PM

    my fave healthy snack: blend a banana, spinach, pb, cocoa powder, and yogurt/milk for a delicious chocolate peanut butter smoothie with hidden greens!
    thismomwins@gmail.com

    Reply
  79. Tiffany Winner says

    August 25, 2012 at 6:53 PM

    tweet: https://twitter.com/thismomwins/status/239428696061140992
    thismomwins@gmail.com

    Reply
  80. Tina says

    August 26, 2012 at 8:48 PM

    I add veggies and fruits to smoothies
    merleandtina@Yahoo.com

    Reply
  81. Tina says

    August 26, 2012 at 8:49 PM

    https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/239826724660068352
    merleandtina@Yahoo.com

    Reply
  82. Carolyn G says

    August 27, 2012 at 2:11 AM

    Cut fruits and veggies into fun shapes

    Reply
  83. Lauren @ Hobo Mama says

    August 28, 2012 at 7:30 AM

    Making muffin tin meals works well. Cutting food into little bits and putting it in little containers (with toothpicks, if possible!) makes it seem so much more fun.

    mail {at} HoboMama.com

    Reply
  84. Linh C. says

    August 29, 2012 at 6:23 PM

    My kids want me to use spinach instead of regular lettuce in their sandwiches, and they want me to use spinach in their smoothies!

    Reply
  85. Grace says

    August 30, 2012 at 7:07 PM

    My nieces taught me this one:

    Ritz cracker
    Philadelphia Cream Cheese
    Slice of fresh cucumber (no peel for them)

    They could eat these all afternoon, and I’ve actually enjoyed them!

    Reply
  86. marcia goss says

    September 3, 2012 at 11:16 PM

    For a healthy snack, my granddaughter loves a bowl of cottage cheese with peaches or bananas.
    marcia.goss@gmail.com

    Reply
  87. marcia goss says

    September 3, 2012 at 11:17 PM

    Tweet.
    https://twitter.com/mgoss123/status/242763035490525186
    marcia.goss@gmail.com

    Reply
  88. B. Edge says

    September 4, 2012 at 2:51 PM

    Cut veggies and fruits in fun shapes with peanut butter and other simple dips. Fancy cocktail toothpicks with colorful crinkly tops make it even more fun to dip and munch!

    Reply
  89. jenspurg says

    September 4, 2012 at 3:28 PM

    Keep fruits and veggies washed and ready to eat in the fridge so they can get them easily.
    huntandride@hotmail.com

    Reply
  90. jenspurg says

    September 4, 2012 at 3:28 PM

    https://twitter.com/jen_r_horn/status/243007220218998784
    huntandride@hotmail.com

    Reply
  91. missreneer says

    September 6, 2012 at 3:04 AM

    My healthy tip is dressing up my childrens plates. They love how it feels like they are in a restaurant which makes them more willing to eat their fruits and veggies. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway 🙂

    Renee
    fattybumpkins at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  92. wigget says

    September 6, 2012 at 1:28 PM

    i try to buy fruit snacks and juices with “hidden” fruits and vegetables

    Reply
  93. Laurel Stephens says

    September 6, 2012 at 8:51 PM

    Healthy snack tip: Cucumber slices and skinny ranch dip. Better than chips!

    Reply
  94. Sherry says

    September 6, 2012 at 11:56 PM

    My kids healthy snack is “ants on a log” AKA: celery, with peanut butter down the middle and raisins perched in the peanut butter.

    Thanks for the chance!
    Sherry

    Reply
  95. Sherry says

    September 6, 2012 at 11:58 PM

    Just tweeted!
    https://twitter.com/SherryTCOH

    Reply
  96. Mary @ A Happy Wife In NOLA says

    September 7, 2012 at 6:19 PM

    Tweeted about this incredible giveaway!!! https://twitter.com/HappyWifeinNOLA/status/244137544462245889
    Mary @ http://www.ahappywifeinnola.com

    Reply
  97. LAMusing says

    September 7, 2012 at 11:42 PM

    Don’t keep junk food around the house. Start with the fruits and veggies they like and slip in a few ones a bit at a time.
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  98. tara1965 says

    September 8, 2012 at 2:48 AM

    tweeted https://twitter.com/kj20082006/status/244265713592827904

    Reply
  99. tara1965 says

    September 8, 2012 at 2:49 AM

    my kids love apples and peanut butter

    Reply
  100. Lisa Brown says

    September 8, 2012 at 8:42 PM

    Healthy snake tip: give them apples with peanut butter or celery with peanut butter.
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  101. Lisa Brown says

    September 8, 2012 at 8:43 PM

    https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/244536340102922240
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  102. Donna McMorrow says

    September 9, 2012 at 12:43 PM

    I put some fruit on the table as the kids are coming down for breakfast. If they can just reach out and plop it in their mouths they will eat it. I core and slice an apple. Slice oranges. Wash strawberries, blueberries, even cherry tomatoes.

    Reply
  103. Kerry says

    September 9, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    My kids love just about any vegetable if they can dip it in veggie dip – so, veggie dip it is!
    nuthouse(at)centurytel.net

    Reply
  104. Kerry says

    September 9, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/244898788458770432
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    Reply
  105. Kelly Massman says

    September 10, 2012 at 2:20 AM

    I always offer dip when giving veggies to kids.. Thanks kmassman gmail

    Reply
  106. brendavr says

    September 12, 2012 at 1:14 AM

    This is a awesome giveaway I sure could use a gift card and my grand daughter LOVES Capri Sun’s thank you
    Brenda

    Reply
  107. Danielle Meek says

    September 14, 2012 at 12:59 PM

    My healthy snack tip: Always keep fresh fruits and veggies on hand!

    Reply
    • Danielle Meek says

      September 14, 2012 at 12:59 PM

      Oops forgot my email… dgoodridge84@yahoo.com Thanks!

      Reply
  108. Karina says

    September 14, 2012 at 9:20 PM

    we make smoothies

    karinaroselee at gmail dot com

    Reply
  109. Karina says

    September 14, 2012 at 9:21 PM

    https://twitter.com/karinaroselee/status/246720140652187648

    karinaroselee at gmail dot com

    Reply
  110. Daniel M says

    September 14, 2012 at 9:37 PM

    love apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar – regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

    Reply
  111. wizardewu says

    September 15, 2012 at 10:13 AM

    make your own healthy snack mix w. dried fruit and nuts.

    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

    Reply
  112. Howell says

    September 15, 2012 at 10:57 AM

    my healthy snack tip: make your own snack mix from dried fruit and nuts.

    hlee99 (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  113. Howell says

    September 15, 2012 at 10:59 AM

    tweet
    https://twitter.com/leedhowell/status/246925754171015168

    hlee99 (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  114. jakiesmom says

    September 16, 2012 at 1:43 AM

    my tip is to make it into a fun shape, my son is actually willing to try foods like carrots which he’d never eat on their own when they are made to look like a bords beak
    nannypanpan@gmail.com

    Reply
  115. Melanie says

    September 20, 2012 at 1:53 AM

    I mix them into mac and cheese.

    melduke26 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  116. kik for computer says

    July 8, 2013 at 9:49 AM

    Hi are using WordPress for your site platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying
    to get started and create my own. Do you need any coding
    expertise to make your own blog? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply

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  1. New Contributor to the Fence & Back to School Ideas says:
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    […] us in the future!Don’t forget that there is still plenty of time to enter the Kraft Capri Sun$1,000 Visa Gift Card Sweepstakes!! Thanks so much for joining us (and Julie!) at the Fence […]

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I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

Why is it called “Good Friday”? Because that wasn’t the end of the story….
.
…It was just the beginning!
Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house that’s become the landing zone for ALL THE THINGS! 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪 I’ve never been more thankful for our rarely used dining room table as it’s become command central for school books and laptops and games.

Where are things collecting in your house right now?
“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si “Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!
I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿
When I was in college I would frequently call home When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.
Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!
There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!
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