Some of my fondest memories were around the holidays. Easter time mom and I would get our hands full of dye trying to decorate the eggs for the Easter Bunny. Dad and I baked the day away one Christmas making cut out cookies. I also remember mom's Christmas baking and her letting me put the kisses in her peanut butter cookies. Halloween was making the pumpkin seeds and carving out the pumpkin with dad. He was the carver and I was the gooper scooper. We spent Valentine's eve before the school Valentine's party making treats and Valentines to give out (even to the boys with cooties). I will always treasure those times. This past Halloween, Carly finally got to enjoy the pumpkin carving with us and was entranced with the lights glimmering within the pumpkins. I've decided I can't wait for the holidays to have these moments with my girl. There are so many things that we can make and enjoy together. And I would have to say (by the looks of me) the best thing ever to enjoy would be FOOD! We just made a cereal necklace together. It was more exciting for her I think to take it apart and of course throw to the floor to share with her furry brother.
This morning I had the great opportunity to share some fun kid's healthy snacks with Kevin and Monica on our local NBC Today show (view it here: Healthy kid's foods segment on KFYR-TV). We made lady bugs, monkey tails, and Mustache faces on rice cakes. Here are the recipes we made today if you are interested:
Apple Ladybug Treats
"Red
apples are decorated to look like lady bugs. This is a quick and fun snack that
kids will enjoy making and eating. For once kids can play with their
food."
Ingredients
2 red apples
¼ cup raisins
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
8 thin pretzel sticks
Directions
- Slice apples in half from top
to bottom and scoop out the cores using a knife or melon baller. If you
have an apple corer, core them first, then slice. Place each apple half
flat side down on a small plate.
- Dab peanut butter on to the
back of the 'lady bug', then stick raisins onto the dabs for spots. Use
this method to make eyes too. Stick one end of each pretzel stick into a
raisin, then press the other end into the apples to make antennae.
Servings: 2 Prep 20 minutess Chill Up
to24 hrs
Ingredients
- 4 cantaloupe or honeydew melon slices
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese or Monterey
Jack cheese slices
- 4 fresh blackberries
- 4 whole fresh strawberries
Make
It
Use 1- to 1-1/2-inch cookie cutters to cut shapes out of cantaloupe and
honeydew slices and cheese. Thread fruit and cheese onto 4 small skewers. Place
in a flat storage container and chill until serving time (or up to 24 hours).
Serves 2.
Start with a few different kinds of pretzels (Rod for the trunk/regular pretzels for the roots/braided pretzels for the branches). Encourage them
to think about which parts of the tree each kind of pretzel could represent.
Cut grapes in half so they lay flat and not roll off the
table while the kids are creating.
Silly Kids
Snack: Hummus & Cracker Mustache Faces
To Make Mustache Faces:
Spread about 1 tsp. of hummus on each cracker. Slice baby carrots and use for eyes. Cut olives into many shapes and go crazy with your mustaches. Add a simple sliver of celery for the mouth.
Spread about 1 tsp. of hummus on each cracker. Slice baby carrots and use for eyes. Cut olives into many shapes and go crazy with your mustaches. Add a simple sliver of celery for the mouth.
Fun Kids Snacks - Goldfish in the Pond Rice Cakes
Kids snacks can
be healthy and fun to prepare, too. In fact, these Goldfish in the Pond snacks
are one of my favorite healthy snacks for kids, because the kids can do
everything themselves.
Rice cakes,
cream cheese, Goldfish crackers and blue food coloring are all you need for
these fun kids snacks.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 plain
rice cakes
- 1/4 cup
whipped cream cheese
- 2 drops
blue food coloring
- Goldfish
crackers for decorating
Preparation:
- Put the whipped cream cheese into a small bowl, and add two drops of food coloring. Stir until it becomes the color of the sea.
- Spread one
tablespoon of cream cheese on each rice cake.
Cereal Bracelets
Pipe cleaners and colorful cereal are used to create cereal bracelets in this fun snack. Choose O-shaped cereal and allow your child to thread the cereal onto the pipe cleaner. The ends of the pipe cleaner are twisted together after all of the cereal is threaded. Your child can wear the cereal bracelet and snack at the same time. A necklace can be created by twisting two pipe cleaners together.
Frozen Banana
Pops
Frozen banana
pops are versatile because any toppings may be used. Cut a banana in half
width wise. Your child can carefully push a Popsicle stick into the banana to
create a handle. Assist your child in spreading either peanut butter or honey
on the banana. Your child can then roll the banana in his choice of toppings.
Granola, crushed cereal or chopped nuts work well. Place the banana on a plate
and freeze for three hours. Another option is to help your child dip the banana
in melted chocolate before freezing.
Pear Mouse
Canned pear
halves transform into an edible mouse in this kid's snack. Have the child place
a pear half, flat side down, on a plate. The small end of the pear will serve
as the mouse's head. The child places two cloves in the small end to make the
eyes and a raisin below the eyes for the nose. Use two banana slices for the
ears. Carefully break a toothpick in half to hold the banana slices in place.
Remove the toothpicks before eating the pear mouse.
Rice Cake
People
This kid's
snack idea makes plain rice cakes more appealing. Help your child spread
softened cream cheese, hummus, peanut butter or another spread over the rice cake.
The child can use small food items to create a face on the rice cake. Foods
that work well for facial features include carrot shreds, cheese, raisins,
chocolate chips, apple slices, dry cereal, licorice, coconut and banana slices.
Zoo Animals Lunch
Ingredients for Zoo Lunch: 2 Pieces of Bread Peanut
Butter Pretzel Sticks A Few Keebler Animal Crackers Directions to Make Zoo
Lunch: Spread peanut butter on one piece of bread. Cut out the middle of
another piece of bread (the end piece of the loaf works great) leaving the
edges. Place the cut out piece of bread on top of the peanut butter bread.
Place a few Keebler Animal Crackers on top. Place 4 pretzel sticks on top of
the Keebler Animal Crackers. Now your kids can have a lunch-time trip to the
"zoo"! - The best treat of all is Carly. You could say she is my Olive Garden never ending bowl of soup. I could and do just eat her up everyday and can never get enough of her. She fill my cupeth over. Bon Apetite!
