Pantry Snack Essentials For the Family

With all the time being spent at home these days, it's more evident than ever that having a well-stocked pantry or snack drawer that pleases all palates is essential! Whether you're filling the pantry for a family of 4 or stocking the shelves for just you and your partner, here are some of my favorite pantry snacks to keep my family full and satisfied throughout the day.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Lily’s, Epic Provisions, Kodiak Cakes & Simple Mills. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If there's one thing I've learned this year with all the extra time spent at home, it's that having a pantry that is stocked with snacks that satisfy the whole family is absolutely essential. I don't know about you, but I feel like our family has had a collective increase in appetite!

Thankfully, grocery orders from Publix have kept us all full and happy all summer long. But, I'll be the first to admit... not all snacks are made equal. It's been a bit of trial and error finding snacks that work for all of us -- from an easy way to start the morning to grab-and-go options that can keep us fueled throughout the day. We've all found our favorites, and now, I make sure to keep our pantry and snack drawer {yes, we have a snack drawer!} fully stocked for around the clock choices that can help us get through the day, no matter what we have on the agenda!

Snack Deals at Publix

If you know me, you know I love a good deal! Whether it's a good BOGO sale or price drop, I keep an eye on my favorite brands and stock up when they go on sale. Right now, you can save $5 when you buy any combo of 5 products from some of my favorite brands at Publix -- Lily’s Sweets, Kodiak Cakes, Simple Mills, and Epic Provisions! The $5 coupon can be found in the Extra Savings Flyer at the front of the store next time you're shopping!

Lily’s Chocolate Bars 2 for $7
Kodiak Cakes Flapjack Mix- $4.99
Simple Mills Soft Baked Bars & Cookies- 2 for $8
Epic Pork Rinds- 2 for $6

Make sure to take advantage of these sales and stock up on pantry snacks for the busy fall season!

Snacking Throughout the Day

Here's what a typical day at home might look like and how each of my snack picks come into play as the day goes on:

7:30 am - Breakfast time! I've never been much of a breakfast eater, but my husband and little one wake up bright and early with growling stomachs. On the weekends, I might whip up a big batch of pancakes, waffles or even muffins using Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Flapjack & Waffle Mix and freeze them so I have an easy breakfast option to serve throughout the week. I know I could just buy frozen waffles or pancakes, but I like the fact that the mix gives me the option of adding different mix-ins for a variety of flavors. I also like making silver dollar sized pancakes for Cole!

Kodiak Cakes mix is crafted with 100% whole grains, uses non-GMO ingredients, and is packed with 14 grams of protein, which we love. You only have to add water {although I usually use milk}, pour the batter onto a skillet or waffle iron and BAM -- breakfast! Pre-making the waffles or pancakes on the weekend let's me having something quick to toast up for breakfast while I nurse my coffee and get the busy weekday started.

11:00 am - Brain fuel needed. By mid-morning I'm usually in the kitchen working on new recipes, sitting down at the computer answering emails, working on the blog or out running errands if needed. Since hunger strikes later in the morning for me, I never leave the house without a snack in my tote! Simple Mills Nutty Banana Bread Soft Baked Bars (and all Simple Mills snack products, really) are a great option because they're made with real ingredients -- nothing artificial! They're the perfect sized snack to hold me over until lunchtime.

3:00 pm - After school snack. In the early afternoon, Cole is done with school for the day and he's usually looking for something to munch on. Meanwhile at my husband's office... he's doing the same! Something savory and crunchy will usually do the trick for both of them. EPIC Provisions Salt & Pepper Pork Rinds are a great, protein-packed pick that they both enjoy -- a major win for me! They happen to be gluten-free, as well as keto & paleo-friendly, but most importantly, they're pork skins raised without antibiotics, which I like to see in snacks for the little guy.

6:00 pm - Celebrating a successful day. When evening time rolls around, we're all ready to unwind and relax. Dinner's been eaten and it's time for a sweet treat! Lily's Chocolate Bars are the perfect ending to a long day... they've got a ton of flavors, all fantastic for taming a sweet tooth. I usually go for the Dark Chocolate Almond, and Cole likes the Salted Almond Milk Chocolate Style, but neither of us are really picky. The best part? There's no sugar added and are botanically sweetened with stevia, which means that whether I want a little pick me up in the afternoon or a better-for-you dessert option, I can feel good about getting my chocolate fix!

Other Ways to Use These Pantry Snacks

There's nothing wrong with enjoying any of these snacks straight up, but you can also get creative and use them in other tasty recipes!

Lily’s Chocolate Bars - Chop up Lily's for use in baked (or no-bake!) treats like muffins, cookies or homemade chocolate chunk granola. Want to keep your bars for snacking? Lily's also has baking chips!
Kodiak Cakes Flapjack Mix - Pancakes, waffles and muffins aren't the only thing you can do with this versatile mix. Try your hand at wholesome quick breads, pie & quiche crusts or even fish and chips!
Simple Mills Soft Baked Bars & Cookies - When I'm not eating Simple Mills bars right out of the package, I like to crumble them up and add them on top of Greek yogurt for a satisfying snack.
Epic Pork Rinds- Pork rinds are satisfying right out of the bag, but don't hesitate to use them as croutons for you favorite salad or even turn them into a crunchy coating for chicken, pork or bacon.