Wellness Mama®
Simple Answers for Healthier Families
My favorite healthy, real food snacks for busy families can be found below. All recipes are grain-free, dairy optional and kid-approved. Need help meal planning? Check out my meal planning service!
I’m not a fan of most gummy vitamins since they’re full of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. A yummy and healthy way to get that fun gummy texture though is to make your own! These great-tasting probiotic gummies are a hit with kids and provide good bacteria for the digestive tract. Probiotic Gummy Pitfalls Most …
Pumpkin is a wonderfully versatile food that’s easy to grow, easy to store, and easy to cook. You can use the whole squash and they’re budget-friendly. One of the most popular ways to use the seeds is to make roasted pumpkin seeds. In the Fall, I’ll often plan our family’s meals for the week around …
Ahh, fall… the glorious season of apples, pumpkins, changing leaves, and cooler weather (finally!). I definitely get in on the fall pumpkin craze and start making pumpkin spice everything this time of year. This coconut flour healthy pumpkin muffins (and bread) recipe is the perfect way to ring in the season. Healthy Pumpkin Muffins (and Bread!) …
We don’t eat a ton of chips in our house (unless it’s kale chips.) But sometimes taco night calls for some homemade tortilla chips. Here’s how to easily make your own tortilla chips that are naturally gluten-free and healthier. Fried vs. Baked Tortilla Chips I’ve included directions for how to make yummy homemade chips 3 …
Our family likes feta cheese with these Greek meatball skewers and in this strawberry salad (my favorite!). But I’ve never had feta by itself before. This baked feta recipe is inspired by my trip to Greece and is perfect to use as a dip or throw in a stir fry. Baked Feta with Olive Oil …
I used to love fried cheese sticks in high school and college and would even order these as my meal in restaurants. Something about the crispy breadcrumb fried exterior of mozzarella sticks combined with a warm, melty center is the ultimate comfort food. They go really well as an appetizer with these crispy Korean chicken …
These coconut butter cups are like my coconut clusters, but easier to make and without the coconut texture many kids don’t like. They provide a lot of healthy fats and are a way to sneak some extra coconut into your kids’ diets. If you liked Reese’s cups before your real-food days (*ahem*) these are a good …
I love chia seeds and use them in a variety of ways. They add a nice crunch when they’re used dry and gel when added to a liquid. Even better, I love their spectacular nutrient profile. I’ve used chia seeds in many ways, but these chia seed energy balls are without a doubt my favorite! …
I love how happy and healthy spending time outside makes me feel, so I garden. Part of the result of that is that there’s always an abundance of zucchini during the summer months. Zucchini plants are such super producers that I frequently find myself with more vegetables than I know what to do with. I’ve …
Sometimes I struggle with side dishes. I feel like I’ve already put enough effort into planning the main dish, so sometimes the vegetable sides become a minimal-effort afterthought. Fortunately, Real Plans has helped with the planning part a lot. These quick and easy sweet potato fries are on Real Plans. I love that they are …
My name is Katie and I love cabbage. I never really thought I’d say that. I’m not a huge fan of coleslaw. In fact, I usually use broccoli instead of cabbage when making it. However, I’ve learned that if I don’t like something, sometimes I just need to either try making it myself or try a completely …
Have you ever asked your child a question, with a pretty good idea of the answer you were going to get, and then be completely taken by surprise? How about a fervent request for hummus, carrots, and crackers for lunch?! Apparently, that’s just how good this roasted red pepper hummus recipe is! Roasted red peppers …
When I created this recipe, I was more excited about it than I had been about almost any other post. I played around with recipes to make an easy, homemade, kid-approved, all-natural, raw, gluten-free, dairy-free, portable energy bar that wasn’t too messy. After months of trial and error (mainly error) and a messy kitchen, I …
We’re big fans of gelatin around here. I add it to my marshmallow recipe and healthy jello. Tangerine gummies are another delicious and healthy way to enjoy this superfood. Why Tangerine Gummies? One of the main reasons to consider taking your vitamins in gummy form is the gelatin they contain. If you’ve been around the …
While I don’t avoid dairy, we don’t really drink cow’s milk in our house. Since that’s the case, I enjoy experimenting with varying types of milk for cooking and drinking. We use coconut milk a lot and I frequently make different kinds of nut milk. Recently, I tried a new flax milk the kids and I all …
Sometimes the simplest recipes end up being our favorite. This yogurt fruit dip is one of those recipes. It’s so easy to make that it seems a little crazy to even call it a recipe. And since I make my own yogurt, making this yogurt dip was extra easy. Straining Yogurt: Whey and Greek Yogurt Have …
I’m not a fan of the chemicals, artificial flavors, and preservatives in microwave popcorn (actually, we don’t use a microwave at all… here’s why.) However, we do like popcorn as a crunchy, savory snack on family movie or game nights. We decided to look up the old-fashioned way to make popcorn and discovered it’s actually not …
Kids are snackers. I make sure they have a filling and nutrient-packed breakfast every morning and I don’t encourage snacking near mealtime. However, when they’re playing outside and burning off energy or going through a growth spurt they’re going to need snacks from time to time. These chocolate coconut energy bars fit the bill perfectly. They’re tasty, …
Ever miss that crunchy texture that foods like chips and crackers used to provide? This easy cheese crisps recipe will hit the snacking spot! Best of all, unlike most storebought cheese crackers, the one ingredient is 100% real food! The next time you need a healthy alternative to crackers or a break from carrots and celery …
Need a delicious summer treat without added sugars and preservatives? Make this real fruit smoothie sorbet. It’s a simpler recipe than my strawberry coconut milk ice cream. I use coconut milk and fresh fruit to make a cool sorbet that tastes like a fruit smoothie. What’s a Fruit Smoothie Sorbet? Well, it’s really the same …
Tater tots were a very occasional treat when I was growing up. (I confess, I loved them.) The grated zucchini in these fritters mimics the texture of tater tots and is a great way to reinvent an old favorite in a healthier way. The zucchini gives them a nutritional boost that tater tots don’t have, …
I came up with the idea for these bacon chicken bites when I needed an idea for a potluck. I had chicken in the fridge that I was going to use for Parmesan chicken nuggets, so I made these up instead and had them done in less than an hour. The key is the honey, mustard, …
Pickles are one of the items that I always have in my naturally stocked fridge. I learned how to pickle cucumbers because I wanted to avoid the less than ideal ingredients found in most store-bought pickles. Not only are homemade pickles healthier, but they taste great! Why Pickle Cucumbers? Aside from the fact they’re a …
Since we don’t eat a lot of grains, I’ve had to get pretty creative to find alternatives to eggs for breakfast. We’ve done cottage cheese crepes and chia seed pudding. This coconut granola recipe was created in an attempt to find something new. If you’ve been looking for a healthy “cereal,” this is a good option. Granola Without …
