This peanut butter edible playdough recipe is not only an easy and fun activity for the kids, but a healthy snack to boot!
Today I am sharing with you a fun activity for the kids…and for grown ups…Edible Peanut Butter PlayDough. This is the recipe that my own mom used to make for us when we were kids. It brings back a lot of great memories and my kids enjoy it just as much as I used too.
Make sure your surfaces and kids hands are clean before using! The recipe takes just a few minutes to make and has only 3 ingredients. It can last up to a few days in an air tight container as long as it is handled properly.
PIN EDIBLE PLAYDOUGH RECIPE
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EDIBLE PLAYDOUGH RECIPE
This peanut butter edible playdough is not only an easy and fun activity for the kids, but a healthy snack to boot!
Serving size: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
EDIBLE PEANUT BUTTER PLAYDOUGH INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Flour
2 Tablespoons Honey
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EDIBLE PEANUT BUTTER PLAYDOUGH INSTRUCTIONS
In medium bowl, stir peanut butter and honey.
Add flour gradually to desired consistency, switching to hand kneading as it thickens.
Store in an air-tight container for up to a couple of days.
NOTES
The recipe makes enough for one child to play with. You can let the kids throw in some pretzels, chocolate chips or raisins, etc. when they are playing with the play dough. My kids feel like they are really making some great culinary creations! It actually tastes pretty good too!
This peanut butter edible playdough is not only an easy and fun activity for the kids, but a healthy snack to boot!
Prep Time5mins
Total Time5mins
Servings: 2
Ingredients
1/2cupSmooth Peanut Butter
1/4cupflour OR powdered milk*add up 1/2 cup more until desired consistency is reached
2THoney
Instructions
In medium bowl, stir peanut butter and honey.
Add flour gradually to desired consistency, switching to hand kneading as it thickens.
Store in an air-tight container for up to a couple of days.
Notes
The recipe makes enough for one child to play with. You can let the kids throw in some pretzels, chocolate chips or raisins, etc. when they are playing with the play dough. My kids feel like they are really making some great culinary creations! It actually tastes pretty good too!
Do you have picky eaters? Are you struggling to get your kids to eat healthy, try new foods, or eat their meals? Keep reading for 10 TIPS FOR PICKY EATERS and learn to make your meal times easier.
I’m far from a perfect parent, but one thing I have managed to figure out to-at least to some degree- is how to avoid the dreaded picky eater.
While my children will all go through mild “picky stages”, it’s never been too much of an issue, and with just a few exceptions will eat almost anything I put in front of them, and eat a lot!
(This post contains referral links and Amazon affiliate links. I only recommend products I use and love! Read my full disclosure here)
So today, I thought I’d share with you my 10 tips for picky eaters, and getting kids to eat healthy food:
VIDEO: 10 TIPS FOR PICKY EATERS | HOW TO GET KIDS TO EAT HEALTHY FOOD
10 TIPS FOR PICKY EATERS
Tip #1: Don’t make them a separate meal
I know this can sound a little mean, but as busy moms we just don’t have the time to cater to every single individuals preferences!
It may even be tempting to make a separate meal because it feels like less work than getting your children to sit there and EAT THEIR FOOD!
But in the long-haul, is this something that is both beneficial to you and your children?
If they are hungry, they’ll eat it. And if they refuse to eat it, save it for later. When they are hungry and want a snack later on, have them eat their meal first and then they can have a snack!
Tip #2: Find healthy substitutions to their favorite foods
Finding a healthy substitution to your child’s favorite snack or meal that they love just as much can be key to getting your kids to eat healthy foods, especially if you are working on improving their diet and taking the “junk food” out.
I put together the CONVERTING THE PICKY EATER CHEAT SHEET to help you do just this. It lists some of my family’s favorite healthy substitutions and brands for everything from cookies to pasta. You can download and print it here:
The Picky Eater Cheat Sheet
Healthy substitutions and brands for common "junk food" treats.
Print this off and hang it on the refridgerator!
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Tip #3: Don’t make a huge deal about the meal
I’ve learned to not talk to much about what I’m making for dinner. I never promise them anything or talk anything up. Instead, I just sort of cook and then call them when it is ready, we sit down, and we eat.
If you make a big deal about a meal ahead of time, or tell them that they have to eat their food, it can raise stress levels and expectations and cause children to act out more.
Just keep it chill and have a fun time together around the table!
Pin PICKY EATERS for later!
Tip #4: Serve dips and sauces with your meals and snacks
Kids LOVE to dip their food in things. Use this to your advantage! Ranch, BBQ sauce, ketchup mayonnaise… the healthy versions that is!
I know how this can be hard sometimes if you’re a bit stressed or in a hurry, but it’s a huge payback.
Children love to be involved and in return want to eat the food that they helped make.
Let them pour ingredients into the bowl, help stir, ladle things into dishes. You can even have some safety child knives that they can use to help cut up the soft veggies or fruit .
Tip #6: Offer an “incentive” (also known as a bribe) 😉
I try not to do this too often. But sometimes children need a little encouragement and something to look forward to, just like adults.
Don’t bribe them with sugary treats, but simply let them know that when they finish their meal there will be something they enjoy. Maybe a piece of fruit or some raisins and that usually does the trick!
Tips #7: Serve small portions
I usually just put a small portion of each thing on their plate. Then I let them finish that and if they want more I’ll give them a little more of what they enjoyed.
Try not to load their plate up because it can be pretty overwhelming to them of how much they have to eat, especially if its something they don’t like that much.
It’s so simple, yet makes such a difference!
Tip #8: Don’t give snacks
This tip may not be applicable to every person in your family at all times.
If you have toddlers or little one in the house, they may need to eat frequently. I know when my kids are little they will have melt downs if they don’t have food in their bellies every couple hours! Especially when they are really active and going through big growth spurts.
But I have tried to make our snack time a bit more like meal times, where we either sit at the table to eat them or go outside together and eat them.
As your kids get older it will get easier to not have snacks or not as many snacks because you want them to be hungry at meal times.
Tip #9: Make food FUN!
My kids love finger food, anything they can pick up and eat with their hands or arrange themselves on their plates. Things like ants on a log- I’ll spread the PB on the celery and let them place the raisins on the “log”.
Anything that is a bit more fun or cute and interactive is usually more enjoyable for them.
Tip #10: Disguise vegetables
I use this tip sparingly because I do want my kids to like and enjoy vegetables and their whole form as well.
But I will sometimes do this, especially if I have a child that is going through a pickier stage.
For example: I’ll steam up a big pot of broccoli and then put it in my VitaMix with marinara and blend it all up and use it for spaghetti sauce.
Or, I might blend up things like carrots or beets and put them in homemade muffins, or even add some kale and/or cucumber to our smoothies! If your kids are really picky, just make sure it doesn’t change the color of the smoothie.
Also, VEGGIE POPSICLES! Grab some good quality juice and then blend/juice some veggies and mix it in and freeze! (sometimes I even just throw in some barley grass powder)
I hope these are some fun and helpful tips for you and your family. Of course, each kid and every family is different so you’ll have to adjust as you need to, but these are things that my kids seem to work well with.
I’d love to hear what tips work best for getting your picky eaters to eat healthy food!
Here are 3 easy ways to simplify your life, reduce overwhelm and and stress so you can thrive as a busy mom.
Something that has become very important to me since becoming a mama is learning to be more intentional so as to reduce stress and cultivate a more abundantly thriving motherhood and family life.
So while this sounds great in theory, I’ve found that the key question is HOW? How do I continue to grow in this area?
SIMPLIFY!
One huge answer I’ve found is EMBRACING SIMPLICITY, therefore embracing focused intentionality.
So, in the spirit of keeping things SIMPLE, here are 3 things that you can do TODAY to simplify your life:
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1. Attack a problem area in your home or life
Is there an area of your home that just isn’t working? Maybe it’s causing you mental stress every time you think about it, or wasting your time and energy to work around it? For example, it could be a closet, the laundry room, a junk drawer, the fridge… whatever it is, it’s time to tackle it head on!!
In short, declutter, clean, and organize it. You’ll feel so relieved once it done. I promise, it’s worth the effort!
PIN “SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE” FOR LATER
2. Go screen free
Constant stimulation from phones, tv’s and laptops can add to overwhelm and stress. Make a commitment to be FULLY present throughout your day, and only use screens during designated times. And as a result, you’ll feel calmer and more at peace and focused.
If you’re struggling to limit screen like for yourself or your kids, my friend Martha from www.momgrowsup.com has some great tips!
3. Stop the multi-tasking
This is hands down the hardest one for me. For example, I’m having to intentionally retrain myself to focus on one task at a time. Being a mama to small children can make this feel especially hard because they require so much attention, but I’ve found that if I can focus on one thing at a time instead of trying to do ALL THE THINGS all at once that my mood is sooo much better and my children are calmer.
Another thing that has helped me to focus is meditating. I have a post about it here.
Sometimes following a schedule can help me stay focused. So, I put together one that I’d like to share. You can download and print it off here:
I hope these tips helped you, because they’ve helped me! If you’re looking for some ideas on being more productive as a mom, be sure to check out this post.
Let me know below what helps you to simplify and thrive in YOUR life!
Wondering how to be more productive as a busy mama? Craving simplicity in your day to day life? Here are my top 5 tips on how to be more productive.
IS THERE AN EASY WAY TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE?
Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the busyness of life? Do you long for downtime but feel like if you stop even for a moment, that all of the things that need done won’t get done?
If this is you, I can relate. Juggling all of the responsibilities that comes from being a mother on top of normal life and work responsibilities is a lot for anyone. But lately, I’ve been focusing on creating more SPACE in my life. Space to breath, space to pause. Space to enjoy the small moments. And the funny thing is, that the more SPACE I create in my life, the more productive I become.
So, if you how to be more productive effortlessly, read on. I’m going to share what I have learned and how it has changed my life for the better.
HOW CREATING SPACE ALLOWS OUR LIVES TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE
In art, negative space -or white space as it is sometimes called- is vitally important to design. White space is the empty area on a canvas in a painting. It’s the white part of the paper in an artistic magazine layout. It’s those moments of minimal movement and stillness in a dance performance, or the pause before the final crescendo in a piece of music. The intent of this empty space is to draw your focus to what is important, to draw out the potency within the action. It creates a counterpart and contrast to the busyness and enhances it energetically.
Just as quality art is intentionally designed with empty space, so should our lives be.
To consciously design a quality life, we must approach as a piece of fine art work. We must give as much (or more) thought and intention to the STILLNESS as we do the busyness.
If you’re a mother, it’s especially important that you create space. Because space creates those extra moments where you can steal some time for yourself to renew and recharge. It creates the opportunity to do those things for yourself that rejuvenate you and leave you better able to offer your best to your family. Empty space will allow those moments of connection with your children and your spouse, and more joy in the small moments.
Space allows peace. Peace allows so many good things. Creativity. Possibility. And thought it may sound counter intuitive at first, space even allows…productivity.
Here are my top 5 tips for creating space and allowing productivity in your life:
5 TIPS ON HOW TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE
1. Reduce and Simplify Belongings
Owning a lot of things can create clutter, which will in turn clutter our mind and reduce our productivity throughout the day. Make it a priority to minimize the stuff you own. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:
Create small challenges for yourself. For example, I try to commit to getting rid of one large garbage bag of un-needed items per week. Usually I’ll donate them to a local resell shop or re-home items to friends and family. Or, maybe you would do better getting rid of one item per day, or 4 bags per month. It’s up to you, and really just depends on what you would be most likely to stick with.
When you bring a new item into your home, get rid of 2 items that you no longer need. This especially applies to clothes and toys.
If you’re feeling ambitious and ready to go hard core, then start going though your home one room/closet/area at a time. Pull out EVERYTHING, but only put back your ABSOLUTE favorite things, or the items you truly need. Get rid of anything that is broken, no longer needed or just plain stresses you out. Anything that doesn’t fall into these two categories, or that you feel unsure about, BOX UP AND PUT IT AWAY FOR 6 MONTHS. In six months, go through the boxes with fresh eyes, and donate anything you haven’t missed. Repeat this process seasonally.
Minimizing our physical belongings not only creates space for things that we really need and want, but also creates more space in our minds so that we aren’t subconsciously weighed down by mentally juggling all of our things.
2. Create a Capsule Wardrobe
Decision anxiety is a real thing, and one of my personal struggles. Making decisions STRESSES ME OUT, and so the fewer decisions I have to make in my every day life, the better.
Finding something to wear one of the hardest things for me, and triggers severe decision anxiety and frustration. However, I have found that having a minimalist, capsule style wardrobe reduces my decision anxiety DRASTICALLY.
Finding pieces that you truly love and fit well is key. Equally important is quickly getting rid of the items that you no longer need or like…don’t hold on to stuff thinking “but I might wear it SOMEDAY”.
With a capsule wardrobe, you want all of your items to be interchangeable and to match with everything else. This makes getting ready in the mornings stress free and requires very little thought or decision making, freeing up SPACE in your mind for other, more important things.
3. Be Ok with Boredom
I remember being bored a lot as a kid. If I complained, my mom would say “being bored is good for you. It makes you creative”. I remember getting so frustrated at her when she said that, but now I recognize the deep wisdom in her words.
As an adult, I think that life can sometimes get so busy that we forget what boredom even feels like. If you can’t remember the last time you felt bored, take this as a sign that it’s time to slow down. Because it’s in those moments of mind numbing boredom that the space is created for the most magical things to happen.
Boredom gives your brain freedom from stress. And when you release that stress, you’ll find yourself in a creative space where ideas and inspiration flow spontaneously. You’ll find yourself doing things you haven’t done in a long time, and that you forgot you loved doing.
When you create the space through allowing yourself to be bored, better and beautiful things quickly fill it.
If life is too frantic and busy to allow yourself the time to be bored, then it is time to set some limit. Limits for both yourself and others. This is going to be a little different for everyone, depending on your situation, but here are some basic tips to help you get started:
Don’t be afraid to say no to anything that is not a priority
Say no to things that move you away-not toward- your dreams and goals
Ask for help. And don’t be afraid to ask for help BEFORE you desperately need it
Take time off. Turn off your phone. Take a long weekend. Or just an evening to yourself
Remember that your kids are watching and will mimic how we treat ourselves and allow others to treat us. No only will they learn from watching us how to be more productive in their own lives, but by setting boundaries that improve our quality of living, we are showing our children by example how to live a healthy and joyful life.
5. Brain Dump. Often and Frequently
This is my personal recent favorite strategy. I find that I so easily start cycling to-do lists through my mind, and this is the best way I have found to minimize that.
First, get a blank piece of paper or journal and a pen. Then, write down EVERY SINGLE task, goal, to-do, appointment and anything else you need to remember that comes to mind. Don’t make it pretty. Don’t worry if it seems too small or mundane to write down. DUMP IT ALL ON THAT PAPER!
Then, after you’ve scribbled it all down, you can go through and organize it in a way that creates SPACE for your brain to relax.
You can do this any way you like to, but here’s how I usually do it:
First, I cross off that of the things that aren’t really important and I can say no to.
Then, I list things out in order of importance and urgency. Anything that has a time deadline usually goes toward the top of the list. If it’s something that I want or need to get done sometime in the following weeks, I put that in a different grouping.
After that, group things by similarity. For example:
Errands
Cleaning
Work stuff
Then, I start at the top, focus on that one task and don’t think about the others or what I’ll do next. When I finish the first item, I look at my list and move on to the next. If any other tasks or to-do’s pop into my head during the day, I quickly “dump” it onto the list.
I hope these tips for how to be more productive helps you the way they have helped me.
Remember. Don’t be afraid of stillness. Allow space.
Stay at home moms are LAZY. Stay at home moms are ANNOYING. Stay at home moms are THE WORST. Do you feel shock or even shame when you hear these statements?
“Stay-home-moms are LAZY”
I recently participated in a local fundraising event. I was standing on the stage with the other participants, as the MC introduced us, one by one.
When he began to introduce one of the other woman participants, he said, “This is ‘Suzi’. She is a local stay-at-home mom who eats bonbons all day”.
And everyone laughed.
“Suzi” who is extremely active in the community, has a well known career and is looked up to as a hard working professional. She isn’t currently a stay at home mom, although she is a mother. And so the statement so obviously wasn‘t true and was clearly meant as a joke, no one thought anything of it.
Except for me.
PIN THIS FOR LATER
Standing on that brightly lit stage, in front of all those people, I suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable and self conscious. Even though the joke wasn’t directed at me, and most of the people there probably didn’t even know I was a stay-at-home mama, I felt a sudden, unexpected sharp stab of shame hit me in the stomach.
I had to fight an almost uncontrollable urge to hide so that I didn’t run off the stage in humiliation.
“Stay-at-home-mom’s are WORTHLESS”
It was a gut reaction, and in the moment, I didn’t understand why I felt that way. Later, when I had time to think about it, I still wasn’t sure.
I’m not ashamed of being a stay at home mom. Or at least, I didn’t think I was.
So why did I feel such embarrassment when a joke was made?
I mulled it over for a little while, and then forgot about it for a few days. But later in the week, I happened across this video:
VIDEO: WHY HAVE WE STIGMATIZED AND MARGINALIZED THE STAY-AT-HOME-MOM?
(This post contains referral links and Amazon affiliate links. I only recommend products I use and love! Read my full disclosure here)
The Stay-At-Home-Mom on Google
This video brings up some interesting points, and speaks to a lot of what I was feeling but was unable to put words to.
I also tried Googling what he suggests in the video. I Googled “stay at home moms are…”.
Here are the results I got:
Stay at home moms are lazy.
Stay at home moms are freeloaders
Stay at home moms are annoying
Stay at home moms are not your babysitter (that one made me chuckle!)
Stay home moms are the worse
SAY WHAAAAT?!
I have so many questions now.
Am I Ashamed to be a Stay at Home Mom?
Is there an unconscious (or maybe conscious?) stigma against “stay-at-home” moms (and moms) that has become so deeply ingrained in our society that Google would auto-suggest terms like this?
Is this belief so deeply ingrained in our society that it’s become a subconscious belief of most of us?
Do I believe this?
I don’t think I do. But why else would I feel so much shame over a joke if it wasn’t something that I also believed on some level?
Is the stigma held equally against working moms, and all mothers in general? Or is it stronger against the SAHM?
(I’d like to add here that while I am currently a stay-at-home-mom, I have nothing but MAD RESPECT for working moms, as well. I’ve done both, and they both have their own unique challenges and benefits).
“Stay-at-home-mom’s are ANNOYING”
So as I stood on that brightly lit stage, fighting the urge to melt into the floor in embarrasement, with those words echoing in my head:
“a stay-at-home-mom who eats bonbons all day”…
…and all I could was that, some day, I was going to get me some of those darn bonbons and see what all the fuss was about!
But I mean, SERIOUSLY? Who even eats bonbons, anyway?!
Stay at Home Moms are AMAZING
I know that I actually AM proud to be a stay-at hoe-mom. And I am SO grateful that I am fortuate enough to get to make that choice for myself and my family. I know that not everyone does.
So I say GOOLE, YOU’RE DRUNK. Go home!
It’s time to change the narrative.
Because Stay at Home Moms are:
AMAZING
STRONG
CREATIVE
GOOD PARENTS
HARDWORKING
SMART
Are you a stay at home mom? Do you ever feel ashamed or stigmatized because of it? Drop me a comment…I would would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on the subject.
If you’re struggling with stress as a mom, you might also enjoy these posts:
Try these 7 finger painting ideas for toddlers and preschoolers to spark their creativity and keep little hands busy!
Finger Painting for Preschoolers
There is nothing that stresses me out more than nothing I love more than letting watching my kids flex their creativity.
I’m always looking for fun activities to do with my kids, and one of the best ways to let little ones make a huge mess be creative is to let them go to town with some good, old-fashioned, messy, colorful finger painting!
With summer just beginning, I thought it might be a good time to hunt down some fun finger painting ideas to share with you.
Don’t worry, Mama. The paint will wash away in no time relatively easily, but the memories will stay a life time.
(This post contains referral links and Amazon affiliate links. I only recommend products I use and love! Read my full disclosure here)
Ideas for Lessening the Mess
Ok, hang on. I can see a few of you cringing all the way from here. So before you bust out the tubs of color, let me share a few ideas for making this LESS messy.
Use a disposable plastic table cloth from the dollar store or even an old sheet under your project.
Take it outside. An outdoor picnic table is a great place to finger paint. Or, unfold some large cardboard boxes and lay them on the grass to use as a base.
Raining? The porch or garage is a good option, too!
Have a big towel a stack of wet washcloths ready to go.
Add a little dish soap to the paint. This will help it wash off even easier.
Pour yourself a pot a cup of coffee (or wine!) before you start!
Now let’s get to those finger painting ideas!
7 Finger Painting Ideas for Preschoolers
1) Add Cool Things
Finger paint with added extras! Adding cool stuff can make the mess even more fun! Picklebums has some great ideas for this.
2) Make it Edible
Do your little ones still put everything in their mouths? Make edible finger paint! Here’s a great recipe from Mommypotomus.
3) Frozen Finger Painting
Frozen finger paint can add a whole new sensory experience that preschoolers love.
4) Bubble Wrap Finger Paint
Painting on bubble wrap might be the coolest idea ever! Childhood 101 talks more about it.
5) Mess Free Painting
If you need to minimize mess as much as possible, or have a baby who wants to participate, this is a great idea!
6) Finger Paint to Music
Such a creative twist to finger painting. Carrots are Orange has great instructions.
7) Paint a Box House
Cut doors and windows in a large cardboard box, put it in the back yard and let your preschoolers paint their own house. You’ll be surprised at their creativity!
Be sure to comment and tell which ideas you plan on trying! I’ll bring the coffee!
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This is my personal recent favorite strategy. I find that I so easily start cycling to-do lists through my mind, and this is the best way I have found to minimize that.
