Celery and carrot rounds.

Grapes and chunks of chicken.

Cantaloupe and grapes.

Honey dew melon and grapes.

Blueberries and grapes.

Honey dew melon and blueberries.

Small cheese and meat cubes.

Apple chunks and cheese cubes.

Chunks of kielbasa and cheese.

Cheese and grapes.

Shannon

Ingredients

1/8 cup diced cantaloupe

1/8 cup diced honey dew melon

1/8 cup diced watermelon

1 single serving size container vanilla yogurt

1 tsp granola or wheat germ

1. Place a tablespoon of yogurt at the bottom of a tall, clear glass.

2. Put the cantaloupe into the glass, and top with another tablespoon of yogurt. Spread the yogurt over the cantaloupe.

3. Add the honey dew and spread another tablespoon of yogurt over diced melon.

4. Add the watermelon, and the rest of the yogurt.

5. Top this with a teaspoon of either granola or wheat germ.

Tips

• Top with berries rather than granola or wheat germ.

• Use store brand yogurt to save money.

• T save even more money, grow your own melons and berries.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve parfaits with pasta based meals.

• Serve in place of salad with meat and potatoes.

More parfait recipes:

Apple Harvest Parfait

Easy Fruit Parfait

Triple Chocolate Parfait

Enjoy!

Shannon

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Ingredients

blueberries

strawberries

whipped topping

granola

chocolate syrup (optional)

1. Rinse the berries well, and lay them out on a towel to dry for a few minutes.

2. Slice the strawberries, disposing of the tops.

3. Layer the ingredients like so: Whipped topping, blueberries, strawberry slices. Do this, being sure the the top layer is of whipped topping when done. Sprinkle granola over the top, and drizzle on some chocolate syrup if desired.

Tips

• To save money, grow your own berries.

• Try other berries when in season.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a sandwich or vegetable-based salad on a warm day.

See also: Easy Fruit Parfait and Apple Harvest Parfait

Shannon

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Contributed by Sheila Buck

My children and I love taco shell treats. My oldest brother taught me how to make them when I was about 15 years old. I sometimes make them as a snack while the boys and I watch movies together.

Ingredients:

Package of taco shells

Can of re-fried beans

Mozzarella cheese

Salsa

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Break the taco shells in half and place them on to a cookie sheet. Use a butter knife to spread re-fried beans across the top of each taco shell half. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the re-fried beans. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted. This only takes a few minutes.
2. While you are waiting for the cheese to melt, fill small cups or bowls with salsa.
3. When the taco shell treats are finished baking, use a spatula to remove the treats from the cookie sheet and place them onto plates. Give each family member a plate and a bowl of salsa. Dip the taco treat into the salsa and eat.

Tip:

• Unless there is a sale on name brand products, we use store brand ingredients for this recipe.

*****

Sheila Buck is the single mom of two teenage boys. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Living the Low-Income Life.

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While picking up green peppers (which I do not like) at Moms last week, she mentioned that my niece eats them for snacks.

1. Cut a green pepper in half and scrape out the seeds.

2. Cut into strips.

3. Dunk in ranch dressing and eat.

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I love fruit, and I love vanilla yogurt. Bananas, apples and pears are a great combination, but others can be used if preferred.

1. Slice the fruit. Leave the peels on the the pear and apple.

2. Dip the fruit slices into yogurt.

I toast my bread in the oven rather than by using a toaster. When using cheese, I melt it while ‘toasting’ the bread.

1. Peanut butter and mint jelly, both of which are organic.
2. Organic peanut butter and homemade apple butter.
3. Butter. Once melted, add a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.
4. Cheese and ham.
5. Cheese and pickle slices.
6. Mozzarella cheese and drained, crushed pineapple.
7. Blueberry jelly.
8. Peanut butter with banana slices.
9. Cream cheese with sliced, fresh strawberries.
10. Cream cheese with thinly sliced apple pieces.

There are many other combinations that can be used on toast. What are your favorites? These combinations may be used as part of lunch or breakfast, or eaten as a snack.

Shannon

1. Graham crackers are good when topped with peanut butter.
2. Spread peanut butter on one soda cracker, and jelly on another. Place them together like a sandwich.
3. Peanut butter and fluff is another good combination for soda crackers.
4. Cut a ham slice and a cheese slice into quarters, and put a piece of each on a round cracker.
5. Add a pickle to the cracker combination above, and place another cracker on top to make a sandwich.
6. Top wheat thins with egg salad.
7. Top a cracker with tuna salad.
8. Make cracker sandwiches topped with turkey, cheese and lettuce.
9. Lettuce and small slices of grape tomatoes are also good on crackers.
10. Try topping a round cracker with peanut butter and a slice of banana.

What combination ideas can you come up with? Many of the above ideas can be used as appetizers for parties, or you may simply choose to make some for a snack.

Shannon

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I love trail mixes. They are easy to make, store and to carry with you for a quick snack anytime. This is the latest combination of ingredients that I have been enjoying.

Ingredients

Chex type cereal

sunflower seeds

yogurt covered raisins

dried pineapple

dried berries

banana chips

dried apple slices

1. Mix everything together in a bowl.
2. Store in serving size containers or quart size canning jars.

Tips

• To save money, use store brand products whenever possible.
• Drying your own fruit will enable you to save even more money.

Image by TPapi via Flickr

Tortillas have a great many uses at meal time. They can be used warm, right after making them, or allowed to cool. Many filling combinations can be chosen from for them, and children love them.

Ingredients:

(Makes 32. Recipe can be halved.)

2 cups cornmeal

3 cups boiling water

4 Tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups white flour

1. Put the cornmeal into a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let this sit for at least 10 minutes.
2. Add to the bowl: Oil, salt and baking powder. Mix.
3. Mix in the whole wheat flour. Add the white flour and mix again. Knead.
4. Pinch off pieces of dough. These should be about the size of golf balls. Roll each ball out between sheets of wax paper, to about 4 inches in diameter.
5. Cook on un-greased hot griddle for about 2 minutes per side. A skillet may also be used.
6. Serve warm filled with fruit.
7. Or, allow to cool and serve with taco fillings.

Tips:

• I used this idea with the daycare children: Provide a tortilla bar. Offer different elements of toppings and let each person fill theirs with whatever they like. Explain that they need some sort of protein, as well as a fruit or a vegetable.
• This is a great way to use up leftovers.
• Freeze the leftover tortillas, without filling,  flat between sheets of freezer paper. Place the stack in a freezer container.

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve these for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks.
• Serve with a fruit or vegetable salad.
• These will go with with a vegetable based stew.

Do you have any ideas for fillings? Please share them with us in the comments.

Shannon