School Snacks - HELP!

[InsaneCdn]

Hi -

Here's a real puzzle for some health nut to solve... (oops - no nuts allowed... hm... for some health affectionado to solve?)

Need a high-calorie healthy snack that can be taken to school, and eaten quickly, and actually LIKED by a teenager. And doesn't require refrigeration (i.e. doesn't even need an ice-pack in a lunch bag) so I can send a week's worth at a time. And it can't be expensive.

medications dictate need for snacks between meals. Must contain protein, fat and carb. The more calories per cup, the better. (kid is underweight besides, so the only thing not allowed is "lo-cal" stuff!)

That would be easy except... school policy is NO NUTS. Not peanuts, not tree nuts, not soy nuts. No nuts period. In any form.
So, I can't do GORP (good old raisins and peanuts). Or any form of trail mix.

Anything that requires opening more than one container - isn't going to happen on a 5-min break between classes. ONE container.

Any really creative foodies out there?

Thanks in advance!

 

[HaoZi]

Muscle Milk or any of the shelf-stable drinks the body builders use if he can chug it down that fast. If he doesn't mind it not being cold buy the mix and a good reusable PBA-free water bottle (or whatever that stuff is).

 

[keista]

Beef jerky or beef sticks and crackers

 

[tiredmommy]

How about Ritz cheese and cracker sandwiches?

 

[Josie]

How about pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead of nuts in trail mix or GORP?

 

[AnnieO]

They have crackers with cream cheese and chives, or cheese crackers with cheese, or any number of other things since NUTS aren't allowed. Made by Arrow, and Lance, and Kroger has a brand too. Fairly cheap, high in carbs and some protein and fat, easy to eat, no refrigeration.

 

[tiredmommy]

Question: would your school allow access to refrigeration if it's medically required and documented?

 

[InsaneCdn]

This is a high school of over 1200 kids.
There isn't time to get to where refrigeration is, and back in time for class.
There isn't even time to get to a locker.

So I have to be able to stuff it in his school book-bag. And there isn't much room - so can't squeeze in a small lunch bag with an ice pack, even.

 

[InsaneCdn]

I can ask about seeds... some schools allow, some don't, but I haven't actually asked this time about seeds.

Most of the pre-packaged stuff - like the "crackers and cheese" packages... are just too expensive.

 

[AnnieO]

You can make your own, too - cheez its, saltines, etc., and cheez whiz.

Ugh, in my opinion, but...

 

[DaisyFace]

Let him "mix and match" these easy grab-ables for quick snacking between classes

Fruits - bananas, apples, raisins, grapes

Crackers - cheesy or plain

Bars - cereal bars and granola bars and chewy bars and protein bars and breakfast bars etc

Shakes - vitamin shakes, protein shakes

Jerky - beef jerky, slim jims

Puddings/yogurt snacks (look for shelf-stable varieties)

 

[HaoZi]

What about those yogurt covered raisins or pretzels?

 

[InsaneCdn]

The biggest challenge is the protein.
Other than protein shakes (really expensive), most snacks just don't cut it for protein.
GORP does - 1/2 nuts, 1/2 raisins. Most kids can't handle swapping seeds for 100% of the nuts - half, maybe.
The packaged cheese-and-crackers stuff probably comes close.

But most stuff just doesn't have anywhere close to enough protein.
Yogurt is great... if its PLAIN. And what teenager wants to eat plain yog? But the flavored stuff has too much carb in relation to protein.

Pound for pound and dollar for dollar, nothing matches the protein content (and calories and general nutrition) of good old peanuts.
Some schools (not ours) only have peanuts on the hit list - tree nuts are allowed... in which case, its expensive, but other nuts work just as well for the nutrition factors.
Need the protein because... the only thing worse than low blood sugar, is a blood-sugar spike-and-crash combo.

Yah, I know. Its one of those things where you just can't win.
And no, I'm not showing up between classes so he can grab his GORP in the car.

 

[Mattsmom277]

How about pepperette type sticks? They make some single wrapped and fairly large, packed full of protein and shelf stable so suitable for a back pack. They can be pricey but you might find them on sale, and buying bulk size might help lower the price.

Then there are those protein bars (just find the nut free ones) that taste pretty good. Again, can be pricey but if you find them online you might be able to buy in bulk for much less than in shops.

 

[HaoZi]

Slim-Fast and Special K bars and shakes might be a little low for the calorie count you want but they are balanced and have the protein. On top of that you can get coupons for them. There's often coupons for the Pure Protein bars and shake mixes, too.

 

[InsaneCdn]

HaoZi - So far I haven't found coupons that are usable in Canada... unless you have some good links? He'd definitely use something like the Pure Protein bars...

Pepperoni sticks and such are workable combined with some fast-version fruit (think grapes or raisins or banana, not apple) - but not 2x/day, 5days/week. Yes, they do come on sale on warehouse-sale weeks (about once every 6 weeks) so I can stock ahead on those. Jerky is too salty, and too expensive, and takes too long to eat.

 

[Hound dog]

I'd opt for protein bars as long as you can find them without nuts. But yeah, some can be expensive without coupons.

 

[DammitJanet]

I dont much like nuts or protein drinks so maybe I can actually help. Cut up your own apples and spread pnut butter on them. Or apple sauce in small little tupperware containers with string cheese. Hard boiled eggs with a piece of toast with apple butter folded over to a small sandwich. Chicken salad in a small tupperware container and one of those itty bitty spoons and a couple of crackers. String cheese and apples. Frozen gogurts and a couple of pieces of leftover meat from dinner last night. You can get a big box of frozen gogurts in the tubes for very reasonable and freeze them and they thaw out for school easy. oh, half a bagel with cream cheese on it. ham and cheese roll up - piece of ham, light smear of mayo or mustard whichever he prefers, top with a slice of either swiss or american cheese and then roll up.

 

[svengandhi]

Peanut butter is probably out, but maybe almond butter on crackers or with carrot or celery sticks? Does the nut ban extend to almonds?

I agree with frozen gogurts. Also, dried fruit mixed in with plain yogurt is good, as are hard boiled eggs. Frozen blueberries are nice with the yogurt and raisins can be mixed in as well. Clementines in season, easy to peel and yummy to eat. Hard cheeses like Jarlsberg - I like mine cubed with deli mustard on it.

 

[loves_rainy_days]

Have you thought about Boost or Boost High Protein? Can be kept at room temp or cold. They also have puddings that can be kept at room temp or cold. I know they are pricey but if you check with your local hospital food service department, you maybe able to buy a case cheaper than in the store. If your teen will eat raw veggies, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, carrots or celery, those would be good and can be carried around in a glad container without needing to stay fridged. "Creature" does this all the time because he doesn't like his veggies cooked and can't get raw veggies in the cafe at school. Another idea is make pumpkin bars. Cheerios mixed with granola, dried cranberries and raisins or a baggie or container of popcorn.

Hope that helps.

"J"
"J" crazy mom of 2, adopted mom of 1. ~Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Bi-polar Disorder, PTSD~ (Zoloft)
"Gentle Giant" Supportive & Loving Boyfriend (Fiancee) ~ADHD, PTSD, Migraine Suffer~ (Zoloft, Vyvance, Seroquel)
easy child "TAG" 19yrs old, my mini me. ~Learning Disability (LD)~
easy child "Creature" 11yrs old almost 12, my lil story teller. ~Epilepsy, 10yr Brain Tumor Survivor, Learning Disability (LD)~ (Carbatrol)
difficult child "Dill" 9yrs old, "Gentle Giant's" son and my son in every way except I didn't give birth to him. My lil Hugger. ~ADHD, possible Oppositional Defiant Disorder, possible Autism/Aspergers, bio-mom avid meth user entire pregnancy, abuse and severe neglect after birth.