Are you striving to find better balance in your life for the new year? Try these five tips from USU Extension associate professor and relationship expert Naomi Brower.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s… holidays bring family, food, and irregular but expected costs. Find out how to protect your budget against these holiday costs in this video from @famfinpro Amanda Christensen.

Achieving a happy life full of meaning takes conscious effort. Choose and implement some, or all, of these factors to positively affect your sense of well-being and that of your children.

If someone asks how you are doing, do you respond with the typical fine or pretty good? Or are you tempted to give a list of complaints? John Paul Murphy, former Utah State University Extension 4-H specialist, had a standard answer to that question, whether he was dealing with a personal health issue or was actually having a good day. His response? “I’m terrific! But things are looking up!”

Martin Seligman, a leading professor and pioneer in the world of positive psychology, explains that our well-being, or how we are doing, is heavily influenced by five factors. These factors are outlined in, “Strong Parents, Stable Children: Building Protective Factors to Strengthen Families,” a curriculum sponsored, in part, by USU Extension.

1. Positive Emotion. This includes feelings of happiness, peace, love, connectedness, hope and gratitude. The important part is to enjoy yourself in the moment, such as when reading a good book, spending time with family and friends or eating a bowl of your favorite ice cream. Doing fun and enjoyable things is important in life and it makes us feel better inside.
2. Engagement. Has time ever slipped away while doing something you love? Seligman refers to this as “flow.” Doing something that brings you to a state of flow can enhance your well-being. These are activities that make you feel fulfilled like playing with your children, playing a musical instrument or using your talents to create something.
3. Relationships. Positive relationships are at the core of our well-being. People who have positive, meaningful relationships with others are happier than those who do not have these close bonds. Keep in mind that such relationships take time and effort to maintain.
4. Meaning. Meaning comes from belonging to or participating in a cause that is higher than ourselves. Most of us want to believe we are living and working for a greater purpose. For some, the greater purpose may be tied to spirituality or religion; for others, it is raising a family, involvement in a charity, participating in humanitarian efforts or mentoring a young person.
5. Accomplishment/Achievement. Setting our sights on something and dedicating time and attention to bettering ourselves is good for us. This includes working hard at a skill, achieving a goal or winning a game or competition. Well-being is tied to the steps taken to achieve the goal, not just on the end goal alone.

To foster this sense of well-being in your children, consider applying “Make Time for 9!” in your relationships with them, also taken from the “Strong Parents, Stable Children” curriculum.

• 9 Meaningful – and Safe – Touches. Children need physical contact every day to feel connected to their parents or other caring adults. Physical contact between parents and children helps create strong attachment, builds trust and is calming.
• 9 Minutes Matter. Children need quality time, not just quantity time. Busy families will especially need to make each available minute count. Some important times parents can impact their child are:
  • The first three minutes after children wake up and see you.
  • The first three minutes after coming home from school or an activity.
  • The last three minutes of the day before they go to bed (reading time, debriefing, snuggling, etc.).

No single interaction requires much time, but it is important to slow down, look children in the eyes and talk or ask each other questions.

• 9 Minutes of Conversation. Depending on age, this could be 9 straight minutes or a minute here and there. Babies need a lot of contact with their parents, including face-to-face time and talking. It is no less important to interact with teens and keep communication lines open.

This article was written by Kathleen Riggs, Utah State University Extension professor, Iron County, 435-586-8132, kathleen.riggs@usu.edu

There’s a New Pest in Town

The elm seed bug has been recognized as Utah’s newest pest. It was first discovered in Utah in July 2014 and confirmed by the Utah State University Extension Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The elm seed bug has now been widely reported along the Wasatch Front, Cache County, east to Duchesne County, west to Tooele County and south to Grand County.

“We have received an abundance of calls about this pest over the last few weeks,” said Ryan Davis, USU Extension arthropod diagnostician. “People want to know what this pest is and how to keep it from coming into their homes.”

Davis said adult elm seed bugs are about 1/3-inch long with dark, rusty-red and black coloring. They feed primarily on elm seeds and leaves. Similar to the boxelder bug, elm seed bugs enter homes and buildings in large numbers. However, unlike boxelder bugs, whose peak nuisance time is in the fall and spring, the peak nuisance time of elm seed bugs is during the hottest days of summer, about mid-June through August.

“Be aware that elm seed bugs can emit a pungent odor from scent glands, similar to bitter almonds, and they will leave unsightly fecal spots behind,” he said. “When many of them are gathered indoors, they will even land and crawl on people, but they are not considered a health threat.”

Davis said elm seed bugs enter structures through cracks and crevices, but most commonly through windows and doors. Any gap in weather stripping in a window or door is an open invitation. New windows, and even picture windows, are susceptible to elm seed bug entry.

Tips for keeping the pests outside include caulking foundation cracks and gaps in soffits and around plumbing, gas or electrical conduits; sealing windows and doors with sealant or weather stripping; and making sure all screens fit tightly. In addition, vacuuming the bugs is effective. Be sure to dispose of or freeze the vacuum bags before reuse. If using a vacuum with a hose extension, insert a knee-high nylon stocking into the hose end and secure the open end around the hose end with a rubber band. Vacuum elm seed bugs, then remove the stocking with the bugs, tie it shut and throw it away. Keep in mind that this method may cause elm seed bugs to emit their foul-smelling odor. For larger-scale exterior vacuuming, fill a wet-dry vac with approximately 1 inch of water and a dash of dish soap to drown the bugs.

Davis said residual pyrethroid insecticides can help reduce elm seed bug entry when applied around the foundation, windows, doors and to the undersides of eaves, but complete control will be difficult. Products commonly labeled for these application sites contain active ingredients such as beta-cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin and permethrin. Be sure the intended target site is listed on the product label.

“It will be interesting to see how the elm seed bug saga plays out in Utah,” Davis said. “Hopefully its presence as a nuisance pest will moderate, but only time will tell. Until then, Utahns now have to deal with boxelder bugs in the spring and fall, and elm seed bugs during the summer. Compared to boxelder bugs, however, elm seed bugs are smaller, more difficult to keep out of homes and structures and they emit a foul-smelling odor from their scent glands. If these pests have been a problem in your home, it is worth the effort to try and exclude them for the long-term.”

Contact: Ryan Davis, 435-797-2435, ryan.davis@usu.edu

Writer: Julene Reese, 435-757-6418, julene.reese@usu.edu

Draw the short straw on family reunion assignments and are suddenly faced with preparing food for the multitudes? Here are some tips from USU Extension family and consumer sciences faculty to help ease the pain.

Keep Food Safe!

Be cautious and observant. Whether at a buffet-style luncheon, a family, community or church dinner or a picnic, just be cautious up front. Do a cursory review of what food is available and how it is being kept hot or cold. Ask yourself, “Does the food look fresh?” “Do I trust that the person preparing the food had clean hands and avoided cross-contamination with raw meats or juices?” “Has the food been held at a safe temperature?”

–Kathleen Riggs, Iron County

I make sure all food is well chilled and packed in a cooler if I’m traveling. Rather than mixing everything together and trying to keep a large container cold, I keep individual ingredients for a salad packaged separately to keep them cold. I pack the dressing separately, then combine it all in a large bowl when I arrive. I make desserts that are not temperature sensitive, such as brownies without frosting (I just sprinkle powdered sugar on top), Rice Krispy treats, cookies or fresh fruit with a fun dip. With meat to be served cold, I keep it well chilled. If keeping it hot, I use a crockpot or a casserole container that can be placed in an insulated bag. Dutch oven meat, vegetables and desserts are a favorite, and since they are generally cooked on site, there is no worry about the food sitting in the danger zone too long.

–Marilyn Albertson, Salt Lake County

Make sure hot food stays hot and cold food stays cold. Place bowls of ice or ice water under salads, etc., and use heat packs or slow cookers for the hot stuff. Make sure food gets put away quickly. That’s a thing in my family that worries me–we all wander away and leave the food out. When making food ahead of time, don’t put super-hot foods in the fridge to cool when they are in very large bowls or pots. Separate for faster and consistent cooling.

–Melanie Jewkes, Salt Lake County

Don’t use home-canned potatoes in your potato salad, or in your funeral potatoes, for that matter, unless you want them to live up to their name…

Even if you’re boiling or (otherwise cooking) whole potatoes the night before and plan to finish prep the next day, make sure they’re properly cooled and then refrigerated until you use them. When we talk about C. bot requiring an anaerobic environment, remember that includes microenvironments.

–Karin Allen, USU Extension Food Quality and Entrepreneurship Specialist

One last food safety tip from the USDA: Use a Meat Thermometer!

Food Planning Ideas

Meal-in-a-bag — Pre-bag the entire meal for each person, and they can eat right out of the bag with no fuss or mess. This works well for something like taco salad. You can also put raw ingredients, like omelet fixings, in a bag and then cook the bag in boiling water. The meal is already served out and people just need to pick a bag.  

–Ginger Hack, Juab County

You have to have homemade root beer with dry ice.

If serving homemade ice cream, let family members twist the hand crank ice cream freezer or roll the ice cream in a can or bag. You will need a #10 can with a tight-fitting lid.  Inside that, place a smaller can with a tight-fitting lid filled with the ice cream mixture. Add ice and rock salt and put the lid on and tape it with duct tape. Then roll it on the cement if it is in a shady place (sunny, hot concrete will slow freezing) or in the grass for about 15 minutes. Take lid off, take off lid of small can and stir down ice crystals and repeat the process until ice cream is firm.

–Marilyn Albertson, Salt Lake County

Buy food in amounts that are easy to handle. It may be cheaper to buy a 20-pound chub of ground beef, but have you ever tried to defrost 20 pounds of ground beef in order to use 5 pounds for the taco salad that night?

Have a sign-up sheet — everyone eats so everyone helps! You make the menus, you buy the food, you provide the recipes, but the point-of-contact labor force is the whole reunion population.

Keep the menus very, very simple. It doesn’t mean it has to taste bad, just that it has to have universal appeal. Meals like Hawaiian haystacks where people have an array of topping choices to put on rice make life easy. Rice will feed everyone, and people can choose what they would like to add to it.

–Cathy Merrill, Utah County

From a health perspective–do less salads that are mayo based. They often separate in the summer heat, anyway, and there are way too many delicious veggie dishes to try out (my favorite is a black bean, corn, avocado salsa made with more tomatoes and peppers and raw tomatillos…yummy!). I don’t have a recipe typed up–I change it up each time I make it based on what I have from my garden. This one is very similar to what I start with, But l always add more tomatoes, more peppers, and usually tomatillos and avocados if I have them:

Food $ense Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can whole corn, drained
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small can sliced black olives, drained
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 to 4 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Combine all other ingredients and pour liquid mixture over and stir. Chill or serve immediately.

–Melanie Jewkes, Salt Lake County

There you have it, folks! Tips from family and consumer sciences faculty from around the state. Obviously, what worries us most is KEEP YOUR FOOD SAFE!  Don’t let a reunion memory of a fantastic family meal be spoiled by a food-borne illness report to the Centers for Disease Control afterward!

This article was compiled and edited by Cathy Merrill, FCS Utah County

What do you really need to know about food recalls? Find out what they really mean, what to do if you have a recalled product in your pantry or fridge, and how to keep your family safe from food-borne illnesses.

Another recall hits the news: is any of the food we eat safe?

Not to worry! These recalls ensure our national food supply continues to be the safest in the world. To put it into perspective: There was a massive cheese recall in February of 2017, of cheeses made in a plant that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The recall affected all cheeses produced in the plant from November 10, 2016, through February 9, 2017.  

Roughly 3,640,000 pounds were recalled. However, nearly a BILLION pounds of cheese is produced in the United States per month. So, out of the 3 billion pounds of cheese produced during the same time period, only 0.1% (or, 0.001213) of the cheese was recalled.

Recalls occur for several reasons:

1. Something is missing or incorrect on the label, such as an allergen alert.
2. A manufacturer reports a problem they have found in their own product.
3. Government inspections uncover contamination of some sort in a food product of a food processing facility.
4. Someone reports a foodborne illness to the Centers for Disease Control (the CDC) that is then traced back to its source.

Our government takes food safety very seriously. Manufacturing plants have long lists of “Critical Control Points.” These are steps in the manufacturing process where a specified time and temperature must be regulated. They are checked frequently. Batches of foods are labeled for tracking, and records are kept as to what batches went where in the world and nation.  Quality assurance scientists have chemical tests to run on each batch to ensure safe food. When a recall does occur, there are records that trace the entire physical pathway of the food product so the “bad” food can be found.

What can we do to be a savvy consumer in the face of these recalls?

Be aware of recalls. If it is something you typically purchase, check your pantry and throw away or return the product.

Practice basic, practical food safety: clean, separate, cook & chill.

• Clean: keep you, your food, and your kitchen clean.
• Separate: keep raw meats and poultry separate from ready-to-eat foods—in your grocery cart, on your counter preparing food, and in your refrigerator.
• Cook: cook food completely. The internal temperature for poultry and ground products is 165 F; whole cuts of meat and pork internal temperature should be 145 F.
• Chill: Keep foods out of the “danger zone” of 41 to 135 F. Bacteria develops rapidly when foods are left at normal room temperature longer than 2 hours. During the summer months in particular, don’t wait even an hour before getting things refrigerated!

So, what should you “recall” about food recalls? That we have government regulations protecting us, and companies doing their best to follow the law and ensure their product is safe!

By: Cathy A. Merrill, FCS Assistant Professor, USU Extension, Utah County

References:

Thielking, M. (2017, March 9). Why is so much cheese being recalled? Stat. Retrieved from: https://www.statnews.com/2017/03/09/cheese-recall-sargento-indiana/

Barry-Jester, A.M. (2016, April 12). The US produces about a billion pounds of cheese every month. The Digest. Retrieved from: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-u-s-produces-about-a-billion-pounds-of-cheese-every-month/

White-Cason, J. (2013, August 12). Understanding Food Recalls: The Recall Process Explained. Food Safety News. Retrieved from: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/

Worried about how your pets will react to the sight and sound of fireworks? Try these tips to keep them safe and calm.

No Fourth of July would be complete without a fireworks display. But pets often don’t find the noise, blasts and flashing lights associated with fireworks fun or entertaining. With fireworks going off in Utah throughout the month of July, pets are bound to get stressed and anxious. Karl Hoopes and Allison Willoughby, faculty in the Utah State University School of Veterinary Medicine, shared tips to help owners keep their pets safe and make the summer more enjoyable for everyone.

Both Hoopes and Willoughby emphasized the importance of keeping pets in an area they are familiar with and where they can’t hear the fireworks.

“If your dog is mildly nervous, just keeping them in a safe area is easiest and safest,” Willoughby said. “Feeling ‘safe’ to your dog may be a cool basement or lower level family room with a fan blowing to dampen the noise.”

Hoopes said the shelter needs to be indoors where sound can be better controlled and pets can’t escape. Playing soft music or leaving the TV on can also keep them distracted and drown out the noise of the fireworks.

Special clothing, such as anxiety jackets or vests, can also be helpful in keeping animals calm. Willoughby said these jackets basically give the dog a hug by applying constant pressure, which makes them feel safer.

While dogs are usually more comfortable when their owners are nearby, giving them too much reassurance can actually have the opposite effect and make them more nervous instead of calm.

“Dogs can feel more anxious if you are telling them over and over again they are going to be okay,” Willoughby said. “They can sense your own anxiety. Try to project confidence to your dog and give them the most attention when he is calm and confident.”

Prescription medications can also be useful when it comes to helping pets feel safe. If a dog has high anxiety levels, Hoopes advised owners to plan ahead and contact their veterinarian to get a safe sedative to keep them calm.

“Every year from the Fourth of July to the 24th, people get sedatives for their dogs because they know this time period is going to be hard on them,” Hoopes said. “All they do is give them the sedative pill and let them go to sleep.”

Herbal supplements can also be beneficial in treating milder cases of anxiety. Willoughby said these supplements are available over-the-counter from pet stores or veterinarians and are safe to give over long periods of time.

Willoughby warned that people should never give prescriptions designed for humans to their pets and recommended that pet owners visit their veterinarians to find out what medication will work best for their pets.

“Don’t use human prescriptions on your animals. Some may be toxic and the dosages are different for your pets,” Willoughby said. “Your veterinarian will carefully calculate correct dosages based on your pet’s species and weight. Also, your veterinarian will know any preexisting conditions that might not allow your pet to take certain medications.”

Willoughby had some advice for cat owners as well.

“I recommend you keep your cat indoors. They are pretty good about finding a spot where they feel secure,” she said. “If they are hiding out a lot, just make sure they have access to their litter box, food and water and somewhere they can visit without feeling too vulnerable”

Even after taking all of these precautions, sometimes pets still escape. Before attending any activity or celebration, pet owners should make sure their animal’s microchip and license is up-to-date to avoid losing their furry friends.

This article was written by Aubree Thomas, aubree.thomas@usu.edu

Contacts:

Karl Hoopes, karl.hoopes@usu.edu

Allison Willoughby, allison.willoughby@usu.edu

Don’t let summer break turn into a technology marathon; try these tips to help your kids unplug and engage with something besides a screen.

In today’s world, children are exposed to vast amounts of technology. An estimated 75 percent of teenagers own a cell phone, and, not surprisingly, social media sites are their favorite places to visit. In fact, one study showed that 22 percent of teenagers log onto their favorite social media sites more than 10 times a day. Consider these tips to keep your child engaged in activities other than technology.

1. Parents should first set an example by monitoring their own technology use and putting technology away when they interact with their children. Children need parents who are physically, emotionally and mentally available to them so a solid parent-child relationship bond can be formed.
2.  Establish phone-free zones and times throughout the day. These could include during mealtimes, homework, family activities or right before bed since technology can be especially distracting during these times. Some parents even have children turn in their technology during these activities so they can focus or interact without interruptions.
3. Parents can limit technology use and encourage physical exercise and social activities that do not involve technology. There are numerous apps parents can use to monitor children’s technology time and limit its use. With time limitations on some apps, children can learn to regulate their own use if they know how much time they have. Parents can also require that all forms of technology be turned in at night.
4. Encourage some technology use. Our children’s worlds will continue to be filled with various types of technology, which isn’t necessarily a negative thing. Parents can find ways to connect with their children through technology or join them in ways that show they are interested in and aware of their children’s technology use.

Children are exposed to many forms of technology each day. Parents can take a leading role in setting an example and helping them develop healthy technology habits, starting when they are young. Parents should monitor children’s devices, know the passcodes for each device and let their children know they will review what is being said or done on the devices. Parents can also make sure the privacy settings on the Internet and Facebook are set to appropriate levels. Technology should be a privilege that is earned and respected. It is best to discuss rules, expectations and consequences and be open about what your children should do when they see images or visit websites that are not appropriate.

This article was written by David Schramm, Utah State University Extension assistant professor and family life specialist, david.schramm@usu.edu, 435-797-8183

Next time you’re at the grocery store, look for some of these interesting vegetables to incorporate into your menus.  Watch the video clip for some recipe ideas, and read up on the nutritional benefits of these veggies below.

Bok Choy

Bok choy is a member of the cabbage family, and contains fiber, protein, and vitamins A and C, which are antioxidants and protect cells from damage. Try sautéing it in a skillet with hot oil and garlic until leaves are bright green and stalks are translucent.

Anise/Fennel

Anise, or Fennel, is a root vegetable and also an aromatic and flavorful herb in the same family as carrots and parsley. It continues fiber, some protein, vitamins A, C and E, potassium, zinc, and beta-carotene.

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 fennel bulbs, cut vertically 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved.
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly oil bottom of a 13×9 glass baking dish. Arrange fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with parmesan cheese. Drizzle with oil. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 tsp, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

Kale

Kale contains protein, fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, C and B6. Try it in a massaged salad, or added into soup.

Massaged Kale Salad

• 2 bunches of kale
• ½ c parmesan cheese
• 1/3 c olive oil
• ¼ c lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp salt

Strip leaves from the stems (discard stems). Wash and dry the leaves. Tear the leaves into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add parmesan, oil, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and salt. With clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens to work in the flavoring. Stop when the volume of greens is reduced by about half. The greens should look darker and somewhat shiny. Taste and adjust seasoning with more parmesan, lemon juice, garlic, and/or pepper. To avoid mess, massage in a Ziploc bag!

Broccoflower

Broccoflower looks like a light green cauliflower, and has a milder and sweeter flavor than either broccoli or cauliflower. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Broccoflower contains vitamins A and C, folic acid and magnesium.

Rainbow Chard

Rainbow chard is a relative of the beet, with colorful stalks that resemble celery topped with dark green leaves. It contains vitamins A, C, E, and K, beta carotene, calcium, and potassium. Prepare the leaves as you would spinach, and the stalks as you would asparagus.

Purple Potatoes

They may look different, but purple potatoes contain the same vitamin C, potassium and fiber that regular potatoes do, and can be prepared the same way.

Shallots

Shallots contain more nutrients than onions, and have a milder flavor. They contain vitamins A and C, pyridoxine, folates, and thiamin.

Jicama

Jicama is a root vegetable, and contains potassium, fiber, protein, and vitamin C. It should be stored on the counter, not in the fridge. Eat it with hummus or on a salad.

Beets

Beets contain antioxidants, vitamin C and B6, fiber, potassium and magnesium. Try them roasted.

Information for this article was contributed by Jaqueline Neid-Avila, RDN, CD with USU Extension in Davis County

Skip the pre-packaged unhealthy snacks, and try these 10 easy and nutritious summer snack ideas.

It’s that time of year again. School is out, and kids are making plans for summer adventures – which will naturally include snacks.

Check out the 10 fun, summertime snack ideas below. Some will take a little more prep time, but once they are done, they will be easy for kids to grab out of the freezer so they can be on the way to their next adventure.

1. Frozen grapes – This is a simple yet tasty snack, and red grapes tend to work best. Pull grapes off the vine, toss them into a freezer bag and freeze. When your kids ask for a popsicle or snow cone, give them a handful of frozen grapes in a cup instead. Better yet, fill an ice-cream cone with grapes, and they can also eat the container!
2. Watermelon balls – Eating watermelon in the summer is always refreshing, not to mention, it has water to keep your kiddos from getting dehydrated. Rather than just giving a slice or a chunk of watermelon to your kids, grab a melon baller and make little balls. Let them help you so they can take part in making a healthy snack. They can even put them on a skewer for serving.
3. Homemade fruit roll-ups – Nearly every kid loves fruit roll-ups. Homemade roll-ups are even better AND are very simple. Choose 4 cups of your favorite fruit and puree. You can add a little sugar if desired. This will make enough for two pans. Spread half of the puree until it is about ⅛-inch thick in a 9×13-inch pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Spread the other half in the second pan. Bake at 175 F for 3-4 hours. Make sure the fruit doesn’t become burned or too crispy. Once done, pull the parchment paper with the dried fruit out of the pan. Transfer the dried fruit to wax paper, roll up and cut into 1 to 2-inch strips. Store in an air-tight container or freeze.
4. Ants on a log – This classic treat has always been an easy “go to” for parents. It is also fun for children to eat. All it requires is celery, peanut butter and raisins or dried cranberries. Cut the celery into 3-inch long sticks, fill the center with peanut butter, place the dried fruit along the peanut butter and Voila! A healthy snack.
5. Cheese, olives and crackers – This may be the simplest snack out there. Grab a plate and cut some cheese sticks, slices or cubes, open up a can of olives and a sleeve of crackers. Kids can combine the three into a sandwich or eat them individually. Or use toothpicks as a skewer and put small chunks of cheese and olives on them.
6. Strawberry yogurt popsicles – These are a healthy alternative to popsicles filled with sugar. To make this treat, cut tops off the strawberries, and puree the fruit. Using a popsicle mold, layer pureed strawberries with vanilla yogurt. Put in the freezer overnight and freeze. The next day you have a healthy and refreshing frozen treat.
7. Ham and cheese pretzel bites – Kids can help with this hearty snack. Roll cheese up into ham, cut into 1-inch long “bites,” and push a straight pretzel through the side of the roll to hold it all together.
8. Butterfly quesadillas – This snack gets in many of the food groups and is as cute as a button to make. Start by making a simple quesadilla. Cut the quesadilla into quarters. Using two of the quarters, turn them so the points touch. Use grapes lined up to make the body of the butterfly and straight pretzels for the antennae.
9. Baked apple chips – This snack requires a bit of preparation, but it stores easily for later snacking. Core an apple and cut it into thin slices (the thinner the better – preferably 1/16-inch  thick). Place apple slices so they are not overlapping on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake at 200 F for 2 hours. After one hour, turn the apple slices over and bake for another hour. Once they are done, let cool and enjoy.
10. Peanut butter and chocolate chip oatmeal energy balls – These energy balls are simple, easy to make, easy to store and require no baking! The recipe below makes about 12 oatmeal energy balls.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry oats
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips
• Dash of salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla, optional

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients, and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.

So there you have it. Ten easy, fun snacks that will keep your children healthy and happy. Have a great summer, and happy snacking!

This article was written by Summer Hansen, USU Extension intern, Box Elder County

Resources: https://www.blessthismessplease.com/2017/03/8-no-bake-oatmeal-energy-balls.html?m