Works For Me Wednesday - Easiest Teacher Gift Ever

Teachers work hard every day for our kiddos.

So I like to treat them to a little something fun at Christmas.

But having a special needs child often means there's not just one teacher to treat, but multiple teachers, aides, and therapists.

And that can get real pricey real quick.

So I've found a delicious treat that can be made in large batches quickly, easily, and inexpensively.  And it can be customized for any holiday.

That treat is Confetti Popcorn.

This picture shows the Valentine version.  

But by simply changing to whatever seasonal M&M's are available, you can easily make Christmas, Easter, Fall, or 4th of July Confetti Popcorn.

Here's the recipe:

Confetti Popcorn

1 bag of M&M's (use whatever seasonal ones are appropriate)

Almost 2 bags of Orville Redenbacher's microwave Tender White popcorn (or any kind with no butter)

1 bag Wilton's Vanilla Candy Melts 

Pop popcorn.  Pick out any unpopped kernels and toss them out.  Put popcorn in large bowl.  Melt chocolate and pour over popcorn.  Add M&M's and stir gently.  Spread on baking sheets and sprinkle another handful of M&M's over the top.  Allow to dry completely.  Break up and package as you wish.

Sweet and simple - doesn't get much better than that!

Today's post is linked up with We Are That Family's Works for Me Wednesday blog feature.

Works For Me Wednesday - Keep Apples From Turning Brown in a Lunchbox

Sliced apples have got to be the most common fruit to show up in a kid's lunchbox.  They're easy, inexpensive, available year-round, and pretty much every kid likes them.

But it can be a challenge to keep them from turning brown.

Sure, you can send a whole apple but the Bird, like many kids, prefers her apples pre-sliced. 

I think those little bags of pre-sliced apples have a bit of a funny taste.  And they're over-priced when compared to whole apples.

So I was so excited to discover not one, but two ways, to keep apple slices from getting brown and yucky-looking by the time lunch rolls around.  Neither of these methods alters the taste.  And your fresh apple slices will stay crisp and white for a few days in the fridge so you can even pack lunches in advance.  It's a total win!

Option 1 - Fruit Fresh

Fruit Fresh is a natural powdered citric acid product most often used in home canning and preserving.  I put 2 apples I've sliced up in a container.  Then I mix up about 2 teaspoons of Fruit Fresh with about 2 tablespoons of water, pour it over the apple slices, put the lid on the container, give it a couple gentle shakes and stick it in the fridge and voila - sliced apples at the ready.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that the longer you keep the apples, the taste does seem to change slightly so I don't usually store them longer than two days.  But maybe that's just me.

Option 2 - Eat Cleaner

This is an all-natural, odorless, and tasteless produce spray that cleans your fruits and veggies, removing dirt and pesticides, that just also happens to keep your apple slices from browning.  But not only that - you know that waxy build-up that's all over grapes?  Well, Eat Cleaner will remove that, too. There are three versions of Eat Cleaner - a spray, a wash, and wipes for on-the-go food cleaning. I'm a huge fan of this product and I think you will be, too. 

So there you have it. Now go forth and eat crisp, delicious, and most importantly, white apple slices to your heart's content.

Linking up with We Are THAT Family and the Works For Me Wednesday feature.