Sugar-free snacks

[StormySar]

What are your favorite homemade sugar-free snacks? We are going completely sugar/hfcs-free due to behavior issues from an extremely sugar-sensitive child (realized that there is sugar in nearly anything we buy, from bread to peanut butter... so going back to making our own everything and reading labels on things I cannot make).

I'm making a list of easy to prepare or already prepared but still healthy snack foods I can have on hand for in between meals. so far this list includes popcorn (I can pop my own in bulk and store in airtight containers), frozen mixed veggies (my kids love a bowl of frozen mixed veggies, so I buy that by the 5lb bag), whole wheat crackers (w/o sugar or syrup) with cream cheese, homemad peanut butter or cream cheese, homemade yogurt with pureed fruit (I *think* naturally occuring sugars like in fruit are ok, but haven't really paid attention, I think it's just the processed sugars), and peanut butter balls using honey instead of any other sweetners and adding in a bunch of healthy ingredients. And of course veggie sticks, but I need to look into making my own dip for them or reading the labels on our dressing to see if they're ok.

What else can I create that can be stored longer than a day and is healthy, without any sugar? Honey seems to be ok, so I've been adding honey in place of sugar. Oh, and something that doesn't have expensive or exotic ingredients that are hard to find! Picky, aren't I?

Thanks to anyone who can share their ideas!

[Rosehip]

We're not big snackers, but some things that come to mind - nuts, tortilla chips (w/or w/o salsa)

[cristeen]

For your crackers, veggie sticks, chips, etc., dips like hummus or baba ganoush are great. Bean dips, pesto/cream cheese dip, even homemade onion or ranch dip. If you're removing sugar, you'll need extra fat to combat the munchies.

Hard-cooked eggs and/or deviled eggs are great, as are cheese cubes, or I used to keep a big bowl of mixed cheese cubes and meat cubes (pastrami, ham, turkey, etc., bought unsliced and cut into cubes).

I also like to keep prepared salads on hand - broccoli salad, potato salad, pasta salad, etc., depending upon what your dietary concerns are. A handful of meat/cheese cubes or a couple deviled eggs and a bowl of salad makes a nice quick lunch.

[napless]

How about finger jelly?

3 Tbsp/45 mL (3 envelopes) unflavored gelatin

2 cups/500 mL fruit juice

Place the gelatin and 1 cup/250 of juice in a saucepan.
Heat gently until the gelatin dissolves.
Add the remaining 1 cup/250 mL juice.
Pour into a shallow baking dish, about 8x8".
Refrigerate until set.
Cut into 1"/2 cm squares.
Eat as finger food.

Or here is an easy recipe for white bean dip. It's nice with veggies or on crackers.

1 can (19 oz/540 mL) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp/15 mL lemon juice

1 Tbsp/15 mL olive oil

1 clove garlic, pressed

1/2 tsp/2 mL dried oregano, crumbled

1/2 tsp/2 mL salt

1/4 tsp/1 mL pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with a blade.
Blend until very smooth.
If you want to get fancy, transfer the bean dip to a nice bowl and sprinkle some finely chopped fresh parsley on top.

[mistymama]

I go for easy - most of ds's snacks are fruit with nuts. Either fresh PB without sugar, or almonds.

Carrot, broccoli and celery sticks with some kind of dip - hummus, homemade ranch, cream cheese, etc.

Ds also loves a quick bean and cheese quesadilla.