Ah summer! Long days, warm nights, and farmers markets filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Get your kids enjoying the best produce of the season – and maybe even try something new – with our fun recipe ideas.
Agua Fresca
Encourage kids to drink more water by letting them help flavor some delicious agua fresca! Create interesting and fun combinations of fruits and herbs to make water more flavorful – and maybe even encourage them to try something new! Let your kid’s imaginations run wild to create a refreshing drink. Some yummy combinations:
- Mint, lime, cucumber
- Honeydew and thyme
- Lemon and strawberry
- Blueberry and basil
Fruit Kabobs
Kabobs are fun and easy to create, they encourage trying new foods, and are helpful in teaching concepts like patterns. Grab some bamboo skewers, reusable skewers, lolly pop sticks, anything that you can slide a piece of fruit over! Chop up fruit into bite sized pieces. Create patterns with the fruit, have absolutely no pattern and use any and all produce – there are no rules! Some delicious combinations:
- Grapes, strawberries, cantaloupe
- Honeydew, blueberries, pineapple
- Mandarin orange slices, raspberries, kiwi
- Make a rainbow!
Watermelon Pizza
This deliciously fun recipe idea can be savory or sweet, and oh so yummy! Take a large watermelon and slice it width wise to create big, round slices (like a pizza!).
Sweet:
Spread marshmallow fluff or drizzle honey over the slice. Add strawberry slices, blueberries or any other favorite fruit. Slice into sections and enjoy! Add whipped cream for a fun topping too.
Savory:
Sprinkle feta or slices of buffalo mozzarella cheese over the “pizza”. Add sliced tomatoes, or sliced grapes are delicious too. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or honey and enjoy!
Fresh Smoothies
A healthy smoothie is a great summer time breakfast or afternoon snack. Load it up with your favorite fruits, milks, even veggies (!) to create a nutrious and delicious treat. Some of our favorite combinations:
- PB & J: peanut or almond butter, berries, and nut or cow milk to blend
- Strawberries, banana, milk
- Peaches and cream (milk), with peach yogurt
- Mango, spinach, and coconut water – yes spinach! The powerful flavor of the mango drowns out the mild flavor of the spinach. Your kids will get a kick out of the Hulk-like color!
Stuffed Berries
Much like peanutbutter and jelly, filling fresh berries with your favorite nut butter or chocolate spread is not only a delicious combination, but a healthy one too!
- Fill raspberries with a chocolate chip or hazelnut spread
- Smear strawberries with almond butter
- Tuck a blueberry inside of a raspberry, dip in chocolate
Picky Eaters?
Let them help! Have your kids help pick out fruits and vegetables by having them choose two that they like and one that is new to them. Have them be a part of the process by preparing the recipe. Ask them to take a “thank you” – or a trial bite – and be patient. Setting the expectation that there is only one bite required and praising them for taking it will lay the ground work for them to be more adventurous!
Click over to our blog page for even more healthy eating ideas!
