December {Farm Snacks}

One of the most challenging things about eating locally grown foods is the prep time for meals. I’ve often felt that we have too many options in our food system and we end up overwhelmed and just order takeout instead. With busy days here on the farm, I've learned to embrace that a meal doesn't have to be elaborate or take hours to prepare. A benefit of eating seasonally grown foods is that real food fills you up and leaves you satisfied. 

To keep my family nourished between meals I'm known to have fresh, healthy snacks available at all times. Folks we know will often stop in just to grab a healthy small bite to eat so they don't splurge on fast food later.

These bowls of snacks especially get us through the busy holiday months. Hard-boiled eggs, Sweetgrass-brand granola and fresh apples are our staples. We also keep high-quality protein bars on hand. This helps us keep the sugar cravings at bay and make it to the next meal (which is always around the corner).If you were to visit my kitchen you’d likely see at least one or two of these snacks ready for hungry mouths as they walk by:
Apples
Oranges
Grapefruit
Granola
Jerky
Hard Boiled Eggs
Sliced Cheese

​I've found that setting good habits and intentions in December helps us start the new year well. When we as a family eat better, we feel better. When we feel better, we do better and are more kind. Kindness brings joy to life.