Kids get to enjoy all kinds of fun snacks like dino chicken nuggets, mac 'n cheese and just about everything colorful and greasy in between.
Growing up often comes along with your changes in taste and dietary preferences. In middle school I decided to become vegetarian, which meant giving up a lot of my favorite childhood snacks. Or so I thought.
Dino Nuggets For Vegans
I have always had a slight obsession with brachiosaurus dinosaurs — the cute ones with long necks. During my freshman year of college my roommate would always buy dino chicken nuggets — a bunch of cute brachiosaurus-themed food. I would always be bummed that i couldn't eat them, being a vegetarian.
However, this month when I was walking down the frozen meal aisle at a grocery store I stumbled upon sweet potato dino nuggets — meat-free and dairy-free. I bought them immediately and brought them home to snack on.
The dinos tasted a lot like sweet potato fries, sweet and salty with a warm satisfying crunch. But even better than the delicious taste was the look — the box comes full of all different shapes of dinosaurs, guaranteeing an instant trip down memory lane.
I found Dr. Praeger's "Sweet Potato Littles" at California Fresh and at Whole Foods for $4.99. They are vegan, soy free, gluten free and advertised as a "sweet and savory snack that's perfect for kids (and adults)." Count me in.
Meat-Free Taquitos
The last time I was shopping in Whole Foods I discovered the meat free section of the frozen food aisle, quickly re-falling in love with the foods I ate as a kid.
Taquitos were the best find. I looked at the different options for a good while before deciding on the Starlite Cuisine "Chicken Style" vegan corn taquitos (which were $5.99).
I baked the taquitos in the oven, following the cooking instructions off of the box to get the perfect crisp texture. I also whipped up some homemade guacamole to dip in. I cut the taquitos in halves to get a better glimpse of the meat alternative inside and placed them in my eco-friendly coconut bowls for a fun mid-day lunch break.
Vegan Mac 'n Cheese
Cheese, to me, has to be one of the most difficult dairy-products to replace. With the help of Annie's homegrown quick meals, however, it's much easier to satisfy those flavors.
The most recent one I tried was "Annie's Organic Vegan Mac" in cheddar flavor. Though the pasta didn't have the same consistency or taste as classic Kraft mac 'n cheese, it was still pretty close and overall creamy, delicious and quick to make. I also added toasted bread crumbs to the top for an additional crunch.
I found Annie's vegan mac 'n cheese at Whole Foods in the pasta section for $3.49, but have seen it at stores like Target and Ralph's as well.
Don't Give Up Just Yet
While it can be difficult to convert to veganism or vegetarianism, giving up meat or dairy products doesn't mean you have to ignore old cravings. There are many fun alternatives that are just as good (or even better).