Getting Coco on board with eating local food

Making healthier, more local choices when it comes to food hasn't been easy.  Husband and I are starting to get the hang of it.  We are eating more veggies, we get better quality meats and we feel better about it.  Coco, however is having a tougher time with this change. Like other five year olds, he loves KD, granola bars, cheese snacks, crackers.... We basically cut out all is favorites (except for some of Mommy's baked goods and fruit). 

I am trying to find new favorites for him.  We decided to include him in the food preparation process which is helping a lot with the transition.  We made some home made mac and cheese (I wish I had found local pasta... oh well) and pan fried fish.   He loved the fact that we were eating HIS meal.  He was so proud of his hard work that he asked for the same meal the next day!

Coco's lunches are equally difficult to plan without processed things...  I made cereal bars to try and satisfy his corn syrup granola bar craving.

 

1 cup packed organic free trade brown sugar

 

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 

2  free range eggs

 

1 cup granola-type cereal (our own, made with local ingredients including oats, honey, maple syrup...)

 

3/4 cup local whole wheat flour

 

1 teaspoon baking powder

 

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

1/2 cup local dried fruit (we used cranberries and blueberries this time)

 

1. Mix sugar, oil and vanilla together; beat until blended. Mix in eggs. Stir in cereal.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and fruit; stir into cereal mixture. 

 

Bake @350 for 20 minutes.

These need to be completely cooled before taking them out of the dish.

They a nice cereal bar, nothing like a granola bar, but still very filling.

Best of all, I know what's in them :)