Snacks for tea time

[The Tickle Momster]

I saw an idea the other day that I would like to start. Having a mini tea time around 3:30. I'd like to have a snack then that's healthy, full of protein and EASY to pull out every day. Maybe even something the kids could help prepare. Any one do this? Have any ideas? The point is to provide a time to reconnect in the afternoon, start the dinner hour prep time with "full" tummies so it goes smoother. I'm planning different herbal teas and to introduce poetry or classical music at this time too. I don't want much fuss but something the kids will learn to look forward too. Dd got a REAL china tea set for her birthday last year that we haven't even used yet.

[Garnet]

I'm not sure I'd give the kids any tea unless it was herbal and caffiene free. :think Lets see as for snacks, crackers and cheese and fruit slices, fruit slices and yougurt, isn't traditonal tea time food, but good for kids.....traditional tea time food is like small sandwiches, usually with cheese and sometimes a veggie ( cucumber and cream cheese, cream cheese and chives, or just cream cheese, or just a slice of regular cheese) and a sweet item, a bun or a roll, cookies, scones......but for a nutritional tea time, and not alot of carbs I do fruits, veggies, and cheese ( if your kids can tolerate cheese.) that way they don't get too full.

[RealLifeMama]

We have tea time every Friday afternoon, but we don't serve nutritional snacks. We usually bake on Friday so we have whatever yummy we have made, like banana bread, cookies, whatever, and if we have not baked we eat Newman's Own Alphabet cookies. :O

You could make some sandwiches like cream cheese and cucumber, or PB&J or pimento cheese and then cut them with cookies cutters so they are fun and cute. Now that fall is approaching, you could do pumpkins and leaves, etc.

You could make little quiches in mini muffin pans, and then freeze them and then pop them into the toaster oven (if you have one) to heat them up quickly. That with some finger fruits would make a lovely tea time.

[The Tickle Momster]

Good ideas. I like the mini quiche idea. Now to find a recipe. I was thinking cheese & crackers, I just don't want it to get boring. As for tea, I have several caffeine free herbals, like chamomile that the kids like. The kids'd probably love cream cheese & cucumber, or even cream cheese with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top. Hmmm, keep the ideas coming. I just had another, the little cocktail loaves would be perfect for this!

[Garnet]

what about mini muffins? like banana bread, or fruit?

[The Tickle Momster]

I had that same idea last night. :yes I have 2 huge zucchinis on my counter I need to use.

[Mamatoto]

We have snack after nap at around 3:00.

Today we had organic yogurt with blueberries and maple syrup.

Somedays we have warm homemade bread with butter and jelly, or homemade rice pudding, or grapes or apples with cinnamon...all sorts of things. :-)

[Punkie]

Slightly OT:

How do you make your rice pudding? I have a ton of leftover rice that I need to use up ASAP :)

[Mamatoto]

I have the recipe in the kids activity forum..I'll go get the link.

[Mamatoto]

http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/mb/index.php?topic=75444.0

[Punkie]

Awesome! Thank you so much! I was searching the internet for one earlier and didn't know which one to try :) This makes it easy!

[Mamatoto]

It is soooooo good! I think I am going to make some tomorrow with our raw milk...last time I used cream and it was wonderful. :tu

[Punkie]

Its cooking right now :grin :tu I can't wait!

[Mamatoto]

How did your pudding turn out? I forgot to tell you that you have to boil it while stirring to get it real thick...but you might already know that.

The other thing that I thought of for tea time is bringing the seasons into it. I found these ceramic little mugs at Target for $1 that are in the shape of a pumpkin. So cute. I put ice cream, yogurt, tea, chocolate milk, anything in them. :tu

[Ellyane]

What a cute idea!

if you get tired of tea, mulled cider is great too, and very seasonal. You could serve it with pumpkin bread.

[Punkie]

The pudding was delicious! I used rice milk and it still thickened nicely :grin

[The Tickle Momster]

Well, we did our first tea time yesterday. I wish I knew how to upload pics for you to see. The tea set my dd has is real ceramic stuff and the cups are tiny It was so cute to watch dd pour for her siblings and our 16 month dd drank tons of the peppermint tea. The cups probably hold a tablespoon of liquid. I served English muffins with butter and pear slices. The kids had a great time. Thanks for all the suggestions of what to serve. I'll be trying the rice pudding soon and making mini muffins too.

[Ellyane]

I tried the pudding recipe, but it seems odd. I've never had rice pudding before, so maybe it's okay, but it looks like rice with bits of scrambled egg. Shouldn't there be some creaminess? Is it because I used skim milk?

[Mamatoto]

Hmmmm....mine wasn't like that at all...I would definitely use cream or raw milk and boil and stir until it gets thick. :think

[Ellyane]

maybe I just didn't use enough milk. It never boiled, it just dried up like scrambled eggs.

[RealLifeMama]

Ellyane, that is how all the pudding I have ever tried to make with eggs comes out. I always wind up with bits of cooked egg in it. :sick

[Ellyane]

Ellyane, that is how all the pudding I have ever tried to make with eggs comes out. I always wind up with bits of cooked egg in it. :sick



hmm. I wonder what we're doing wrong.

[Mamatoto]

Do you add the egg in and then stir really well when the pot isn't too hot yet? :think

[Ellyane]

I turned on the stove -after- it was mixed. :shrug