Beyond Puffs: 7 Healthier Alternatives to Common Toddler Snacks

I'm no perfect mom. The laundry situation is never quite under control and I can't seem to get the kitchen counter cleared off, ever. (Right now there's a box from Amazon.com, two miniature water glasses leftover from breakfast, seven Cheerios and my four-year-old's felt food concoction that I'm supposed to be "eating".)

But even I have my moments and because I love cooking, most of mine happen in the kitchen. While I agree with Mark Bittman's new piece from the New York Times this week--all processed foods aren't wrong, evil or even that bad for you-I'd still like to give my kids the good stuff, the real stuff as often as I can. That's where these snacks come in. Every time I have the wherewithal to serve something like this instead of crackers shaped like something from the sea, I feel like I'm on the right track. Even if it's only for the moment. And that works for me. -By Charity Curley Matthews

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