Last week, I talked about my homemade pizza pockets I used to carry for lunch in school.

Continuing the trend, I thought I’d spend some time on a few easy homemade treats that I loved to carry, and still love honestly, that are sure to level up any bag lunch.

I’m not a big fan of sweets … I know, shocking.

I like a few, but it is not a regular staple of my diet. That said, these treats are among those that I like.

Starting off, we have cornflake candy.

I am not sure where this recipe originated, I just remember us starting to make them around the mid-2000s, 2005 or so.

They can be a little messy, I will admit it, but I think the benefit far outweighs the cost.

In addition to the excellent taste, the treats are quite easy to make, only requiring a handful of ingredients that are not hard to find.

Just be sure to include a napkin.

Next up, we have homemade rice cereal treats.

This is exactly what it sounds like, the homemade version of the popular Rice Krispies Treats.

We have been making these for a while, and I’m pretty sure our recipe came from the side of the cereal box, but that’s neither here nor there.

I can testify that they are a delicious treat.

It is another simple recipe with ingredients that are readily accessible.

This is probably my favorite of the treats if I’m being honest. I love Rice Krispie Treats, and so being able to make them at home and, dare I say, better, is just awesome to me.

You can also add different colored cereal to make the treats pop.

They also travel well. Just individually wrap them in plastic wrap and you have several treats that can be divided however you see fit.

The third and final treat I am going to discuss this week is chocolate covered peanut clusters.

This is very similar to the cornflake candies in a way. Both are clusters, but this one uses chocolate as a base where cornflake candies use peanut butter.

I love the sweet and salty flavors that work so well together. They also pair well as a snack to follow up a savory lunch.

I did not carry these as much, so the anticipation of when I did carry them made them that much sweeter.

Any of these three treats are sure to brighten up even the sourest of days and bring a smile to the face of the recipient.

CORNFLAKE CANDY

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
4-5 cups cornflakes

Directions:
■ Measure the cornflakes and set to the side.
■ In a large pan, heat syrup and sugar. Stir constantly until dissolved.
■ Add peanut butter and stir until smooth.
■ Remove from heat and pour over corn flakes (Or add cornflakes to pan).
■ Stir until completely coated.
■ Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.
■ Let cool and enjoy.

HOMEMADE RICE CEREAL TREATS

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 package of marshmallows
6 cups of rice cereal

■ In a large saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter.
■ Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
■ Add the rice cereal and stir until completely coated.
■ Place the mixture on a greased pan and press down even with a greased spatula or wax paper.
■ Let cool.
■ Cut the treats into squares and enjoy.

CHOCOLATE COVERED PEANUT CLUSTERS

Ingredients:
1 bag chocolate chips
2 cups peanuts
1 tablespoon crisco

Directions:
■ Melt the chocolate chips and crisco together in a microwave safe bowl, stirring frequently until melted completely.
■ Add peanuts and stir until completely coated.
■ Drop by tablespoon onto wax paper.
■ Let cool completely and enjoy.
■ Note: Keep clusters stored in a cool area such as the refrigerator, or they can melt.

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