Portland Observer, June 1,1963 Page 7
Snacks can be cheap, healthy
ft* M o n /n r StrodfSiebbins
OSU Extension Servict
“ W hat’s the definition o f a split
second? T h a t’ s the time it takes a
teenager to close the front door and
open the refrigerator door I ’ ’ O h,
did that joke bring back memories.
W hen my kids were teenagers, it
seemed like snacking was no
problem ,
leftovers
were no
problem, the food just disappeared
like magic. The real problem was
just
keeping ahead o f the
“ hungries’ ’ w ithout spending a
fortune. When the youngest moved
away, it took me a while to realize
that what went into the refrigerator
stayed in.
I ’ve always enjoyed those articles
that say anything can be a snack.
M y kids were born knowing that,
probably because I seldom bought
the kinds o f snacks that other
people may consider snack foods.
They were brought up on econo
caring. Patoto chips, special snack
crackers, pop and nuts were only
bought for special occasions. They
were purchased to go with a meal or
were for a party — not for general
use. Small leftovers, on the other
hand, were encouraged as snacks.
Cheese, fr u it, bread, fresh vege
tables, plain crackers and peanut
butter were also encouraged, not
because they were cheap, but
because they were good fo r you.
They were bought in large quanti
ties, anticipating the need to fill
bottomless pits.
Snacks are an American institu
tion. They are often im portant to
good health, not just for fun. The
young child can seldom eat the
am ount o f food needed at one
sitting, but can have snacks that add
up to a balanced diet i f the right
snacks are chosen.
W e’ve already talked about teen
agers. These active young adults
really do need extra calories. The
Recommended Dietary Allowance
fo r calories fo r teenage girls is an
average of 2,100, not very high, but
boys need about 2,900 calorics, the
highest in the whole chart. They
really do need to eat more. M y son
was standing in front o f the door of
the refrigerator one day and said, “ 1
used to think it was a lot o f bunk
when they said that teenagers ate a
lot; I ’m beginning to believe it.” It
even amazed him!
Older people can benefit greatly
from snacking, too. Sometimes
problems o f chewing or indigestion
interfere w ith eating three meals
large enough to meet their nutrition
requirements. They also tend to skip
or go lightly on some o f the food
groups, such as m ilk or meat. A
little cheese, ice cream, or yogurt
cun be a useful snack and a nice way
to rest a minute.
In a survey o f shopper's habits,
though, people stated that they were
cutting down on non-essentials —
and as an example, they often said
they were cutting down on snacks.
So, how do you take care o f this
n u tritio n a l need and keep the
expense down?
The fresh fruits and vegetables in
season can often be a cheap snack.
Oranges and bananas, for instance,
are a little lower in price now.
Instead o f having each person eat a
whole one, I often fix a plate o f
fruits as snacks. T w o oranges that
are cut into ’ ’smiles*’ look like a lot
more fru it than when just peeled
and eaten. I f you haven’t cut smiles
before, you m ight try it. C ut the
orange from stem end straight down
to blossom end ( I just learned that
term from my horticu ltu re hus
band), then lay it fla t on the cut
side. C ut straight across, at right
angles w ith the stem ends making
h a lf circles that look like smiles.
C u t-u p bananas can be nice on a
plate, too. I just cut them crosswise
through the peel. Then they stay a
little nicer to pick up.
Popcorn was one o f our
mainstays. I t ’ s good tasting,
crunchy and not very expensive,
especially if you have the air-type
popper that doesn’t require oil. We
always had the popper out on the
counter like other people had their
mixers, so it was handy. W e did
invest in popcorn salt and used
margarine on it sparingly. When my
son moved away from home, he'd
come home and make popcorn, so I
gave him a house warming gift o f a
popcorn popper o f his very own. It
was a real hit and helped fill him up,
I ’m sure.
There are even fancy snacks you
can make with popcorn. We some
times made popcorn balls as a fun
family activity. Here’s my favorite
recipe. I t ’s easy to do and can be
shaped by young kids, because you
can pour the syrup over the
popcorn, stir it to coat, scoop it out
onto waxed paper and lei it cool a
little. It doesn't have to be formed
while still very hot. It also stays soft
to eat.
The other recipe is a cheaper
version of the Party M ix. Kids can
make this one, too, if they’re ambi
tious. I always felt it was important
to have them use up some o f the
tim e and energy generating the
food, not just eating.
THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL
Pickup
m ixing. Scoop out onto waxed
paper. Let cool until easy to handle.
Grease hands, form into balls, using
as little pressure as possible. W rap
individually in waxed paper.
Reupholstered
50
CEREAL NIBBLES
SPEEDY Q U IC K
PO PC O R N B A I LS
C om bine I H cups granulated
sugar and 1 cup light corn syrup in
saucepan and cook over medium
heat, stirring constantly, until sugar
is dissolved and mixture comes to a
fu ll rolling boil. T u rn heat to low
and add 12 large marshmallows; stir
until melted. For colored balls, add
a few drops o f color.
Slowly pour the hot cooked syrup
over about 10 cups salted popcorn.
M elt 3 tablespoons butter or
margarine in a fry pan at 23O*F.
Add: W teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce and V4 teaspoon flavored salt.
Stir to mix. Then add: 2 cups
ready-to-eat unsweetened cereal
(different kinds may be used) and I
cup thin pretzel sticks.
Stir to coat with butter or marga
rine mixture. Stir every two or three
minutes. It is ready when slightly
brown, about 3 minutes. Store in
tight container.
Complete
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