Monkey Munch is a snack that's as fun to make as it is to eat. It's so easy older kids can make it on their own, or little ones can make it with the help of an adult.

It's similar to the popular puppy chow snack or Chex™ Muddy Buddies™. But most Muddy Buddies recipes and store-bought versions can contain peanut butter and milk.

Our friend Elena shows us how to make Monkey Munch using sunflower seed butter. But it's a versatile recipe. You can adapt it to make it safe for your child with food allergies.

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Monkey Munch

Ingredients

• 9 cups rice squares cereal (such as Rice Chex™)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup nut, seed or soy butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and sunflower seed butter together in 30-second intervals to be sure not to burn the chocolate. When melted, add the vanilla and stir. Next, add the cereal. Mix carefully to coat the cereal.

Put 1/2 the powdered sugar into a zip-top bag, put the cereal mixture in and then top with the other 1/2 of powdered sugar. Shake to coat the cereal.

Substitutions

You can use any kind of Chex-type cereal for this. Use any neutral flavored crispy cereal that is free of your allergens.

The original recipe uses peanut butter. Use any safe nut, seed or soy butter that works for you. Commercially available sunflower seed butter may contain soy. If avoiding soy, you can make your own sunflower seed butter using safe sunflower seed kernels.