Pudding-Powered Snacks

MISSION, KS--(Marketwired - Jul 2, 2014) - (Family Features) What do you reach for around 3 in the afternoon? Something salty? Something crunchy? Something creamy, smooth and sweet? These days, more and more snackers are looking for something wholesome and satisfying to get them through the afternoon.

Here's one snacking choice you may not have thought of: pudding. When pudding is made right -- just the way your grandma used to -- it's made with real ingredients like milk and eggs, cooked slowly until it's creamy and delicious. While cooking up your own pudding is a fun and satisfying weekend or evening project, when you need a quick afternoon snack, that's probably not in the cards.

Fortunately, there are still some companies making pudding just the way you would at home, slowly simmered to perfection. This is great news for people who want a smooth and creamy snack they can feel good about. There's a good reason why simple, comforting pudding was a favorite childhood snack -- and is still a wholesome snack choice today.

Simple Ideas for a Delicious Snack
Pudding is perfect straight out of the refrigerator, of course, and all you need to enjoy it is a spoon. But you can make it your own with other ingredients that you probably have right in your kitchen. Take a look at your spice rack: You've probably got cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. In your pantry, you've got crunchy cookies, pretzels and nuts. Fresh and frozen fruit are always good to have on hand. Even canned and shelf-stable packs of tropical fruits can top your pudding. Before you know it, you'll be seeing surprising pudding pairings everywhere you look.

With a little creativity, you could have a unique pudding snack every day of the week. We've got a few ideas to get you started.

Find out more about Kozy Shack® Pudding at www.kozyshack.com.

Banana Split Pudding Snack -- Cut a banana in half the long way. Stand one half in a small cup. Spoon chocolate pudding into the cup and top with a maraschino cherry.

Minty Chocolate Pudding -- Cut mint and chocolate layered candies into smaller pieces. Spoon Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding into a small bowl. Top with mint pieces.

Chocolate Drizzled Strawberries and Tapioca Pudding -- Drizzle strawberries with melted dark chocolate and allow to set. Layer chopped strawberries and Kozy Shack Tapioca Pudding in a small dish. Top with a chocolate-drizzled strawberry.

Bananas & Cinnamon Rice Pudding -- Spoon rice pudding into a small dish. Top with sliced bananas and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Peaches & Blueberries Rice Pudding -- Layer diced fresh peaches, Kozy Shack Rice Pudding and blueberries in a small dish. Top with any remaining fruit.

Candied Almond Slivers and Tapioca Pudding -- Spoon tapioca pudding into a dish. Top with candied almond slivers.

Chocolate Pudding -- Spoon Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding into a colorful cup. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a cookie.

Mango & Coconut Tapioca Pudding -- Cut a fresh mango into small pieces. Spoon Kozy Shack Tapioca Pudding into a small dish. Top with mango and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Blackberry Rice Pudding -- Dice a handful of fresh blackberries. Layer blackberries and Kozy Shack Rice Pudding in small dish. Top with any remaining fruit and a mint leaf.

Fresh Raspberries and Chocolate Pudding -- Layer fresh raspberries, whipped cream and Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding in a small dish. Top with extra raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

Lemon Tapioca Pudding -- Crush a couple of lemon shortbread cookies. Spoon into the bottom of a small dish. Top with Kozy Shack Tapioca pudding, a sprinkle of lemon zest and assorted fresh berries.

About Family Features Editorial Syndicate
This and other food and lifestyle content can be found at www.editors.familyfeatures.com. Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for use in print and online publications. Register with no obligation to access a variety of formatted and unformatted features, accompanying photos, and automatically updating Web content solutions.