My kids would live on snacks if I let them. Is it just my kids that ask for a snack five minutes after a meal?!?! Or is that normal little person behavior? I get the feeling they think I live in the kitchen and it's okay for me to be their snack slave. Someone also must have given them the idea that fruit snacks are a food group. I'm trying to break that idea and keep snacks healthy and nutritious as often as I can but sometimes I have to trick them into choosing the healthy snacks. One way I accomplish that is making their snacks fun and creative. This usually ensures lots of smiles and clean plates!
Vitamin C is such an important part of their diet especially in these unsettling virus times. A great snack are mandarins from Bee Sweet Citrus. I just sliced some up to make some fun items. First were little fish. You need Bee Sweet mandarins, raisins, carrots, and candy eyes. Slice the mandarins, top with 1 eye, and cut two pieces off of a baby carrot for tail. Finally cut carrot in half lengthwise then cut the carrot into fourths. Then cut a small notch in the middle of one of the pieces. Place all together on a plate. For another version of the orange fish I sliced mandarins and then in half again. Layer to make fish scales, cut a slice of a carrot for the mouth, candy eyes for the eyes and mini marshmallows for the bubbles.
To make a mandarin sun slice a mandarin, top with two raisins, and then cut baby carrots into fourths lengthwise and place around mandarin.
Lastly I made a butterfly with grapes, mandarins, carrots and black decorative icing. Cut mandarin into slices and then cut two slices in half again to make wings. Place next to five grapes and use icing to make eyes. Lastly, I cut two very thin slices of carrots for the antenna.
My girls were so excited to see this afternoon snack spread and it only took me a few minutes. Luckily I also had everything on hand (yes I always have candy eyes and black icing).
If you're ever in a rut here are a few other snack ideas that were a huge hit in our house:
To make a mandarin sun slice a mandarin, top with two raisins, and then cut baby carrots into fourths lengthwise and place around mandarin.
Lastly I made a butterfly with grapes, mandarins, carrots and black decorative icing. Cut mandarin into slices and then cut two slices in half again to make wings. Place next to five grapes and use icing to make eyes. Lastly, I cut two very thin slices of carrots for the antenna.
My girls were so excited to see this afternoon snack spread and it only took me a few minutes. Luckily I also had everything on hand (yes I always have candy eyes and black icing).
If you're ever in a rut here are a few other snack ideas that were a huge hit in our house:
