Healthy Summertime Snack IdeasTo get kids to munch on fruits and veggies in the summertime let them help select fresh produce at the grocery store or farmer's market!
A surefire way to get fruits and veggies to disappear … Let the kids PLAY with it!
(Please be aware of toddlers and choke-able items. Remember no honey for children under 1 year. )
Some fruit kids snack favorites are:
Let the kids make Fun Fruit Faces:
Assorted Fruits (Bananas, melon cubes, grapes and cherries work well). Let your child decorate a plate or a dish of cottage cheese or yogurt with a fruit face. Halved grapes or cherries for eyes, melon cube nose, and banana smile…etc. Be creative!
Lady Bug Apples, what could be more fun than edible insects?
2 red apples
¼ cup raisins
½ tablespoon peanut butter
8 thin pretzel sticks
Slice apples in half from top to bottom, and scoop out the cores using a knife or melon-baller. Place each apple half flat side down on a small plate.
Let children use peanut butter to "glue" raisins onto the apples for spots. Stick one end of each pretzel stick into a raisin, and then press the other end into the apples to make antennae. 2 Servings
Older kids enjoy making Fruit Kabobs :
1 apple, cubed
1 banana, sliced
1/3 cup red seedless grapes
1/3 cup green seedless grapes
2/3 cup pineapple chunks
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup shredded coconut
4 wooden skewers
Let children:
Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewers. Roll each kabob in the yogurt. Roll in the coconut. 4 Servings
Fruit Burritos
4 6-inch tortillas
4 tbsp peanut butter
1 banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
1 peach, peeled & sliced (remove pit)
1/4 cup blueberries
4 tbsp vanilla yogurt
Spread about 1 tbsp peanut butter over each tortilla. Place fruit slices down center of each burrito. Drizzle 1 tbsp vanilla yogurt over fruit. Roll up tortilla, burrito-style (fold up one side, tuck under fruit, fold up bottom, then roll other side over). 4 servings.
Secret weapon = veggie dip!
Kids can't resist dunking, dipping, and smearing it on. Yogurt, salsa, refried beans, or dressing make great dips.
Smoothies:
| Banana Cow Smoothie
1 medium banana, peeled & cut into chunks 1/2 cup milk 1 tablespoon honey 1/8 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup crushed ice Place all ingredients in blender container. Blend until smooth. 2 servings |
| Berry Purple Smoothie
20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, un-drained 16 oz can blueberries or blackberries in light syrup, drained 1 ½ cups ice cubes 6 oz container lemon yogurt Place all ingredients in blender container. Blend until smooth. 4 servings |
| Cranberry Apple Blender
1 cup orange juice ¼ cup cranberries 1 tbsp honey 1 apple, cut into chunks Place all ingredients in blender container. Blend until smooth. 2 servings. |
| Melon Slush
1 cantaloupe, cubed ½ cup orange juice Put cantaloupe in zipper bag and freeze for at least 2 hours. Put cantaloupe and orange juice into blender container. Blend until smooth. 4 Servings |
| Cantaloupe-Lemon Smoothie
2 cups cantaloupe, chopped 1 cup plain yogurt 4 ice cubes 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp honey Place all ingredients in blender container. Blend until smooth. 2 Servings |