Snacking Tastes Great with Farm Rich {Review and Giveaway}

I don't know how after-school goes down at your house, but at my house, it means FOOD and lots of it.  I can't tell you how often my kids get off of the bus, come through the door (barely acknowledging my presence) and make a beeline for the refrigerator.  With four hungry kiddos looking for something quick, easy and delicious to snack on, I'm constantly looking for new snack ideas that are easy enough for them to prepare themselves and yummy enough for Mom to sneak one or two if need be...what?  Moms get hungry too ya know.  That's one of the reasons why I love Farm Rich, they're products are easy to prepare, super quick (even in the oven) and so good that my kids routinely ask for them at the grocery store. 

Farm Rich has been a much loved brand at our house for years and though I love the old standbys (my favorites are the Mozzarella Bites and Mozzarella Sticks). I also get excited when they introduce new products and this summer they introduced three new products that have quickly become favorites at our house.  Toasted Ravioli, Crispy Dill Pickles and Chili Cheese Bites are the three newest creations from Farm Rich and they are all three every bit as scrumptious as they sound! 

Toasted Ravioli makes a quick and easy family dinner--perfectly crispy and golden brown with melted Mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheeses inside.  Crispy Dill Pickles are inspired by a Southern favorite, lightly breaded and seasoned to make a delicious snack or appetizer.  Chili Cheese Bites bring flavor in every bite, with smooth cheddar cheese and a mild chili sauce in a crispy corn chip coating.

Farm Rich sent us free product coupons to try out some of the new products and I personally couldn't wait.  At the store I picked up the Crispy Dill Pickles and Chili Cheese Bites to try out in addition to my favorite Mozzarella Bites.  As soon as the kiddos came home from school and saw Farm Rich in the freezer they asked for them, in the name of reviewing them of course...they're smart ones I tell ya.  One of the things I love most about Farm Rich products (aside from them being seriously delish) is that they take no time to cook in the oven which is great when you have several hungry kids.  I've never been much of a fan of Fried Pickles, which is strange since I love pickles as much as I do, but I tried them anyway and actually thought they were pretty darn good, my kids however, couldn't get enough of them (especially dipped in ranch dressing--which turns my stomach even thinking about it, but whatever works I guess).  I was skeptical about the Crispy Dill Pickles actually being crispy, but much to my surprise they were very crispy.  While I wasn't big on the fried pickles, I couldn't wait to try the Chili Cheese Bites, I mean chili, cheese and a crispy corn chip coating--what's not to love...seriously?  With one bite I was in heaven, honestly people, these things should be illegal, I mean, I'm not even sure that the kids had more than one each because I seriously made them and then went and hid in my room until they were finished--yes...they're that good!  Make sure you check out the quick meal and appetizer recipes inspired by Farm Rich as well, you'll be glad that you did!

If you haven't tried Farm Rich (or if you're already a Farm Rich fan and just haven't tried their newest offerings) you SO should, honestly, you'll be an instant fan!  Speaking of fans, make sure you head on over and Like the Farm Rich Facebook Page and Follow @FarmRichSnacks on Twitter and Pinterest for the latest news and products!

WIN IT!

I hope y'all are hungry, because one lucky MIBR reader is going to score some coupons for FREE Farm Rich products!  For official rules and to enter check out the Rafflecopter Widget below!  Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure:  I received free product coupons to facilitate my review...all opinions are my own and were not influenced by Farm Rich or anyone else.

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White House Chef Sam Kass Shares His Afterschool Snack Recipes!

Every Mom knows that the most important part of a school day, is the after school snack.  As soon as my kiddos come in the door from school they head straight to the kitchen to raid the refrigerator and it turns out that the Obama girls like their afterschool snacks as well—check out some of the Obama girls favorite afterschool snacks from White House Chef  Sam Kass.  These snack recipes can also be found in the first ever Food Network Magazine Kids, which is a mini-mag attached to Food Network Magazine’s September issue. 

About Food Network Magazine Kids:

Aimed at parents, Food Network Magazine Kids takes an accessible approach to cooking kid-friendly meals and getting kids involved in the kitchen. Other features include mix-and-match chocolate cookies, Food Network stars’ favorite apple snacks and switched-up dinner classics like spaghetti burgers and spaghetti and burger meatballs. 

I thought it would be fun to share some of these healthy and super yummy recipes with all of you…enjoy!

White House Snack Attack

Sam Kass, a White House chef and Michelle Obama’s adviser for her Let’s Move! program, says that the White House is always stocked with fruit in case Sasha or Malia needs a bite. But Kass knows that kids don’t always come home from school begging for healthful stuff, so he offered up these smart swaps for some favorite after-school treats.

Instead of a candy bar, drizzle chocolate on pretzels or apples (pictured left).

Chop 1/2 pound dark chocolate. Microwave three-quarters of the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring, until mostly melted. Stir in the remaining chocolate until smooth. Drizzle over mini pretzels or apple slices and let harden.

“There is no substitution for chocolate!” Kass says. “The key is moderation.”

Instead of packaged peanut butter crackers, make almond butter.

Blend 2 cups almonds and 2 large pinches kosher salt in a food processor for 5 minutes. Pulse in 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons honey. Spread on whole-wheat crackers.

“Almond butter is really simple to make and fun to do with kids,” Kass says.

Instead of potato chips, make kale chips.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the stems from 1 bunch kale and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes.

“Kale chips are great,” Kass says. “Kids don’t expect them to taste like potato chips, but they do.”

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