Well yesterday I was talking about eating healthy snacks that keep you cool on a hot day. Here are some of the regular snacks I like to make. Hopefully there will be something here you haven't tried before that sounds good to you. Most of these items contain fruits and veggies, so maybe one of these recipes will be a way to get a picky eater to eat healthier.
Waters
First things first, we all need water to live so why not mix it up and make water fun? Sometimes just changing the ice can make it fun. Used crushed ice and make it a water slushy. You can also basically add any fruit or veggie to water to give it a flavor. Let your kids pick what flavors they want to mix up and make. Here are some of the foods to consider using: mint, watermelon, cucumber, strawberry, lemon, lime, blueberries and blackberries.
Frozen fruit
This is so simple, but making fruit just a few degrees colder than just your fridge can make it yummy. This works great for teething babies too, because not only does it soothe gums, but also gives them a serving of fruit. My brother loved frozen grapes when he was little, but play around and try different fruits, they can make a yummy, healthy treat for those that are already sick of normal fruit. You can freeze the fruit yourself either for the day or by the season, or you can buy frozen fruit at almost any supermarket.
You can also throw the frozen fruit in a blender, add juice, yogurt and/or ice and blend it together making a smoothie. Kids love cooling drinks and they are packed with vitamins. They taste so good your kids usually don't even know they are eating something that's also good for them. You can also slip in a veggie or two to the mix to add a little fiber and pack it full of even more vitamins.
Popsicles
Take any kind of fruit or juice you want. If it's fruit you're going to have to turn it into a juice first. Then pour into a cup or Popsicle maker and put a stick in the cup. Freeze the mixture and you have a Popsicle that has only ingredients you can pronounce. You get to know exactly what your kids are eating and your kids get to eat dessert. I used to love making these with the neighbor kids growing up. You can also use an ice cream maker and make sorbet for a more mature dessert. This way you can serve it to guests without having to peel off a cup first. There is nothing I love to eat more than my home made strawberry sorbet in the summer.
Fruit shapes
Using a cookie cutter, slice out shapes from a slice of melon. Sometimes all it takes is putting fruit into a different shape to get kids to eat it. Stars can be served for adults and kids alike. You can even put them on a stick to make a "fancy" edible centerpiece at your summer bbq. Honestly you can use any cookie cutter you want to make fun shapes. Let your kids pick the shape, or even better let them cut the watermelon for you!
Waters
First things first, we all need water to live so why not mix it up and make water fun? Sometimes just changing the ice can make it fun. Used crushed ice and make it a water slushy. You can also basically add any fruit or veggie to water to give it a flavor. Let your kids pick what flavors they want to mix up and make. Here are some of the foods to consider using: mint, watermelon, cucumber, strawberry, lemon, lime, blueberries and blackberries.
Frozen fruit
This is so simple, but making fruit just a few degrees colder than just your fridge can make it yummy. This works great for teething babies too, because not only does it soothe gums, but also gives them a serving of fruit. My brother loved frozen grapes when he was little, but play around and try different fruits, they can make a yummy, healthy treat for those that are already sick of normal fruit. You can freeze the fruit yourself either for the day or by the season, or you can buy frozen fruit at almost any supermarket.
You can also throw the frozen fruit in a blender, add juice, yogurt and/or ice and blend it together making a smoothie. Kids love cooling drinks and they are packed with vitamins. They taste so good your kids usually don't even know they are eating something that's also good for them. You can also slip in a veggie or two to the mix to add a little fiber and pack it full of even more vitamins.
Take any kind of fruit or juice you want. If it's fruit you're going to have to turn it into a juice first. Then pour into a cup or Popsicle maker and put a stick in the cup. Freeze the mixture and you have a Popsicle that has only ingredients you can pronounce. You get to know exactly what your kids are eating and your kids get to eat dessert. I used to love making these with the neighbor kids growing up. You can also use an ice cream maker and make sorbet for a more mature dessert. This way you can serve it to guests without having to peel off a cup first. There is nothing I love to eat more than my home made strawberry sorbet in the summer.
Using a cookie cutter, slice out shapes from a slice of melon. Sometimes all it takes is putting fruit into a different shape to get kids to eat it. Stars can be served for adults and kids alike. You can even put them on a stick to make a "fancy" edible centerpiece at your summer bbq. Honestly you can use any cookie cutter you want to make fun shapes. Let your kids pick the shape, or even better let them cut the watermelon for you!
