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large family food ideas snacks popcorn balls

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This is a great, inexpensive large family food ideas for snacks…..a yearly tradition around our home.

 Popcorn balls

 

 

We usually plan a fall harvest party for our household every year.  We plan games and activities– just some good fun for the little ones.  My oldest daughters and I usually make some cute fall snacks.  Popcorn balls are always one of the things that we make.  They are super easy and taste great.

We usually double this recipe when having a large gathering.  This recipe makes about 16 balls.

  • 1/4 cup margarine
  • 1 pkg. (10-1/2 oz.) Marshmallows
  • 1 pkg. (3 oz.) gelatin, any flavor–we really enjoy strawberry
  • 3 qt. (12 cups) popped popcorn–make sure to not get any seeds into your bowl.

I usually scoop through the corn after having it popped, to ensure that we don’t have any unwanted seeds.  It is very bad to be biting down into a hard popcorn seed when you eat these.

So pop your popcorn, don’t worry about making over, we usually do and have a little less, sugar for our balls:)

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt your butter

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Place your marshmallows in the potImage00017

Let melt, continuously stir this so that it does not burnImage00018

When completely melted, add your package of gelatinImage00019

Stir until dissolved.  Then remove from heat and pour over your popped popcorn.Image00020

Gather up your ball makers….and let them get to work.  I haven’t met a child yet that doesn’t like making these, especially when they get to lick their fingers clean!Image00021

We found that having your hands slightly dampened, helps in preventing your hands from sticking to the popcornImage00022

You can wrap these up in plastic and twist them closed, or we just sat them on a plate and covered with plastic wrap.  They will last for a little while, if you need to make them before hand for a group something.Image00023

 

yummy!!!!Image00025

large family food ideas snacks energy bites

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Here is another large family food ideas for snacks…energy bites

This is something that our family enjoys very much.  Very simple, healthy ingredients.  I can’t even feel guilty feeding it to my children because I know it is good for them. This also works great for those of us who are trying to lose some weight, because it takes away those “sweet” cravings that we have.  When I was losing my 70 lbs, there were times when I just craved junk food.  These energy bites were the key to helping me not gorge on something unhealthy.

This recipes makes about 175 golf ball sized bites.  We store these in our freezer and just grab one when we need a pick me up.

If you want the “smaller family” version scroll down to the end.

 

Energy bites

  • 15 c oatmeal
  • 6 c unsweetened coconut
  • 5 c flax seeds
  • 4 c mini chocolate chips
  • 5 c (40 oz) peanut butter
  • 5 c honey

Place the oatmeal in a large bowl

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Next add the coconutImage00002 Then the flax seeds–you can use either type golden or the darker one…I have used bothImage00003And the mini chocolate chips, you can add regular ones, the smaller ones make the balls more uniform.Image00004

In a separate bowl mix the peanut butter and the honey

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Pour the peanut butter/honey mixture over the rest of the mixed ingredients.  Stir until well combined.Image00006

 

Here are the ingredients that I used.  I used a whole 40 oz jar of peanut butter.  Our honey I get from a local source and they sell it in 1/2 gallon milk jugs.  I used 1/2 of the container.  For next time, it is easier to just pour directly into the bowl, instead of having to measure sticky honey.Image00008 I purchase my items at a Mennonite bulk food store.  This is from the flax seed.  It was 1.5 lbsImage00009 The unsweetened coconut was 1.3 lbsImage00010 The mini chocolate chips was 1.75 lbsImage00011 For the honey I used half of the containerImage00012 The oatmeal we buy in a 50 lb container and the peanut butter was purchased at Aldis.

Ok back to our energy bites……after you have thoroughly combined your ingredients, it is time to roll them into balls. Image00013

This works best if you just slightly dampen your hands.  Then grab some of the mixture and form it into golf ball size balls.Image00015

 

I put them on a cookie sheet and freeze them individually.  After completely solid, I place them in tupperware containers and store them in the freezer.

Energy bites for the “smaller family”

  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup flax seed
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix as in above and store in freezer

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