Those of us with kids know how challenging it can be to get them excited about meal-time. Even more of a dilemma is making sure that they eat healthy food that they will also enjoy. With the kids out of school for summer vacation, one good way to keep them entertained and make sure they eat right at the same time is to make snacks together! Below are a few simple recipes that will make for fun and health-conscious treats that will please both you and the kids!
Ants on a Log
This is a classic snack that takes about 15 minutes to make, and actually looks like ants on a log! Kids love a snack that also gives them an interesting visual, and this one has been around for years. Simply take a celery stick, and spoon peanut butter (smooth or crunch will both do) into the celery. Then, place raisins along the peanut butter to be your “ants” and enjoy! If they don’t like raisins, try sugar-free chocolate chips instead!
Another great twist on the celery stick is a sailboat snack. This is another visual treat that also takes around 15 minutes to make. You’ll need a celery stick, peanut butter, and a fruit roll treat. Begin by cutting a 3 to 4 inch section of a celery stick, and spreading peanut butter in the groove of the celery. Cut a small triangle from the fruit roll snack and attach to a toothpick to look like a sail. Stick the toothpick in the celery and now you have a sailboat snack! It’s like a toy that the kids can eat!
This recipe is a little more involved, but the payoff is great fun for you and your kids! You’ll need hot dogs, hamburger buns, and cheese. This one takes a little time to cook, so the preparation time will be around 30 minutes. Start by cutting a hot dog down the middle, lengthwise. Then, cut each of these strips in half down the middle (lengthwise) again. Cut each of these 4 pieces in half to make 8 legs. Boil the hot dog pieces until they curl. Place the piece of cheese on half of the hamburger bun and then place the ends of the hot dog pieces onto the bun so the curled ends stick out of the sides. If you want, try placing the bun and cheese in the microwave or oven for a moment so the cheese melts slightly. Once this is done, cover your sandwich with the other half of the hamburger bun. From here, you can use ketchup or mustard to make eyes and a mouth on the top of the bun!
While chances are you won’t find this snack at the ballpark, it’s a great way to turn what many consider a fast food into a wholesome treat! This treat is quick and easy, and all you’ll need are hot dog buns, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, bananas, and jam. Simply spread a hot dog bun (you can use whole grain buns to make this snack extra healthy) with peanut butter, and sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Top that with a whole, peeled banana and a little bit of your favorite flavor of jam. Close the bun, and it’s ready to serve. This treat goes great with skim milk!
This is another fun, visual snack that doesn’t require any cooking time. You can make this treat in about 10 to 15 minutes, and will need apples, peanut butter, and miniature marshmallows. Begin by cutting apples into wedges. Smear peanut butter on one side of 2 wedges. Stick a few marshmallows on the peanut butter on one of the apple wedges and top with the other apple wedge, peanut butter side down. When you look at this it looks like a smile (the red part of the apple are the lips and the marshmallows are the teeth!)
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