Many days, my kids literally survive on snacks.  Some days I don’t have time to fix actual meals, or we don’t have time to sit down for them, so my snacks need to pack a lot of nutrients in them.  However, constant snacking can get pricey.  An average pouch of fruit snacks (which carries no nutrients and does little to fill you up), can run 30 cents per pouch when paying retail price.  This doesn’t sound like a lot until your kids eat three a day, and give them away to the neighbors who always happen to get hungry right when they walk through the door. 

So today I decided to whip up a batch of muffins to have them on the counter when they walk through the door after school.    If in plain sight, my kids will usually check it out.  I got a package of muffin mix (although from scratch will always be healthier).  The mix costs me 1.00 because I love shopping sales with coupons.  Within 4 minutes I added the ¾ C of water, 2 eggs, and instead of the oil I used ¼ cup of applesauce.  Then I added 4 TBLS (a little more than ¼ C) of a soy based protein powder (found at health food stores, or body building outlets) and 4 TBLS of Flaxseed meal.  This small change added 4.5 grams of protein to EACH MUFFIN making each muffin 6.5 grams of protein, almost an extra gram of fiber per muffin, as well as some good healthy fat from the flax.    Flax is amazing!  Not only does it help to lower bad cholesterol, it also raises good cholesterol.  It can be added to any of your baked goods and substituted for shortening, cooking oil, or butter.    Total cost per muffin; around 10 cents.  

Did they eat it?  Well, when the kids walked through the door they exclaimed how good it smelled. 

They each took one and ate it.  I asked how it was, they said they liked it!  Hooray! Success!  I’ll wrap up the rest and pull them out in the morning for breakfast.