Once a month I am responsible for taking snacks to the kiddos in my son’s preschool class. Living in crunchy granola Santa Cruz means that goldfish crackers just don’t make the cut.

So for the last couple days I have been thinking about what I could make that would be cheap, healthy and appealing to kids.

There’s an apple tree 100 yards from my house that is loaded, so the decision to use apples was a no brainer.

The other thing that appealed to me about this snack, is that your toddler can help you make it.

Apple Peanut Butter Crunchies

Makes 16 apple slices

• 2 large apples
• peanut butter
• granola

1. Wash and cut each apple into 8 slices
2. Spread peanut butter on the sides of the apple slices
3. cover with granola and refrigerate until ready to serve

In addition to those darling Apple Peanut Butter Crunchies, I made Rice Balls and shaped them into hearts

My son loves rice, especially with beans.

But eating rice and beans requires sitting at the table with me supervising the ordeal meal to make sure that the rice goes inside the mouth and not all over my already disgusting carpet.

Cleaning rice off the floor is a form of torture, in case you didn’t know.

So when Enzo needs to have a snack and I want him to eat without my immediate superviseion, I like to use the rice molds that my sister in law sent me from Japan.

Despite my husband’s warning that I was complicating my life,  I  made the 20 shaped rice balls to take to my son’s class. It was easy since the rice was made in my CEM Global CE23201 Continental 6-Cup Rice Cooker and with my mold I can do 3 a a time.

The really hard part about this snack ordeal was making Cheddar cheese from scratch. Just kidding.

I found this on-line store that sells rice molds for $4.00. I might have to order some other shapes.

For a list on online stores where you can find Bento accessories you can go to Lunch in Box. It’s also a great website to get ideas on Bento related things.