7 Fun and HEALTHY Treats for Kids

These are my three little princesses:

(Sierra, Amber & Brooke)They mean the absolute world to me, and as such, making sure they eat their fruits and veggies is important to me, but unfortunately it’s not always an easy task. Because I don’t believe in tricking the kids (I’ll leave that to Jessica Seinfeld) which means I’ve had to resort to making food FUN!

Below are seven ways I make healthy food more fun for my kiddos:

 

1. SMOOTHIES!
   Blend fat-free or low-fat yogurt or milk with fruit pieces and crushed ice. Use fresh, frozen, canned, and even overripe fruits. Try bananas, berries, peaches, and/or pineapple. If you freeze the fruit first, you can even skip the ice!
2. DIP DIP DIP!
   Kids love to dip their foods. Whip up a quick dip for veggies with yogurt and seasonings such as herbs or garlic. Serve with raw vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower. Fruit chunks go great wit ha yogurt and cinnamon or vanilla dip.
3. KABOBS!
   Assemble chunks of melon, apple, orange, and pear on skewers for a fruity kabob. For a raw veggie version, use vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, squash, sweet peppers, or tomatoes.
4. MAKE YOUR OWN ‘ZA!
   Set up a pizza-making station in the kitchen. Use whole-wheat English muffins, bagels, or pita bread as the crust. Have tomato sauce, low-fat cheese, and cut-up vegetables or fruits for toppings. Let kids choose their own favorites. Then pop the pizzas into the oven to warm.
5. ANTS ON A LOG!
   Use celery, cucumber, or carrot sticks as the log and add peanut butter. Top with dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, or cherries, depending on what bugs you want!
6. MAKE YOUR OWN TRAILMIX!
   Skip the pre-made trail mix and make your own. Use your favorite nuts and dried fruits, such as unsalted peanuts, cashews, walnuts, or sunflower seeds mixed with dried apples, pineapple, cherries, apricots, or raisins. Add whole-grain cereals to the mix, too.
7. POTATO PEOPLE!
   Decorate half a baked potato. Use sliced cherry tomatoes, peas, and low-fat cheese on the potato to make a funny face.

Question/Sharing: How do you make healthy eating fun?