Snacks

A smart store-bought shortcut for the holidays.

I'll admit: I was skeptical I'd be into these bags, but they've totally won me over.

It's salty, buttery, crunchy perfection.

My quick, initial taste test basically turned into a full meal.

Pumpkins, mummies, and monsters, oh my!

Forget the oven.

Sweet and (not too) spicy. One you start, it's hard to stop.

A magical, three-word phrase that's remarkably effective.

"Do we have any ice cream?" Yes, yes we do.

Grapes about to go bad? Throw them in the freezer!

Grab a mason jar! Your stroller walks are about to get a lot better.

If I hadn’t known that I was eating beans, I’d have thought that it was chocolate pudding.

When serving corn chips on the side simply isn't enough.

They're the U.K. equivalent to pigs in a blanket.

I was impressed by each and every one.

This bread is a squishy, savory delight; what’s not to like?

You don't even need a mixer.

Save tons of money, while also customizing to your heart's content. (Try the chocolate version of an extra-special lunchtime treat!)

Cheese sauce is 100% necessary.

My son doesn’t like the snacks I pack for him to take to school and it’s demoralizing to me. What’s your daughter’s favorite? Any good ideas? ShelleyDear Shelley, I will tell you that Ursula is actually — God bless her! — very good at choosing the healthy snack route, though she’s no stranger to ice cream and candy after school and no one’s looking. When I asked her directly what she LOVES, this is what she said.

Packing for a trip with my daughter means a suitcase that’s equal parts clothes, entertainment, and food. The food part is oh-so-necessary to keep little (and big) tummies full and blood sugar levels steady. We bring stuff from home so that we don’t succumb to the expensive snack kiosks at the airport.

If you’re planning a long car ride, aside from mapping out where you’re going, the second most important thing to organize is your snack situation. A growling stomach is a dangerous thing to have when you’re in such tight quarters. Rather than settling for unhealthy roadside stops, keep a few wholesome snacks on hand to reach for whenever you need them.

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. When I asked my daughters if they would be interested in testing some products from Trader Joe’s, the answer was a resounding yes. After a year of ordering groceries online, the idea of perusing shelves in-person — and picking up something other than the same-old — appealed to us quite a bit.

Let’s be honest: If you’re craving super-crispy, crunchy apple chips, baking them in the oven just isn’t going to cut it. The air fryer, on the other hand, will never fail to deliver. This recipe couldn’t be easier. You’ll start by thinly slicing an apple (any variety will work, though a red apple produces extra-pretty chips), and if you have a mandoline, use it: the thinner the slice, the crispier the chip.

Across the board, 2020 has been a year when parents and children have spent more time together than pretty much ever before. Stay-at-home orders, lapses in safe childcare options, and transitions to online school have forced new routines that have taken family time to unprecedented levels (in both good and bad ways). A clear side effect: Parents having to field way more “I’m hungrys!” than usual.

Do you remember the absolute joy you’d feel when your mom would pop open a can of biscuit dough and a package of bite-sized sausages — meaning pigs and a blanket were on the horizon? Our version embraces that exuberance, but we’re upgrading the whole thing. Thanks to our smart technique, you don’t have to individually wrap 50 tiny sausages to create the perfect bite of flaky, buttery pastry and smoky sausage (but more on that later).

Every one of these is kid-approved.