Entertain Your Child with Easy and Nutritious Snacks!

Have your children lost interest in their usual snacks? Kids become bored quite easily—especially when it comes to food. You don't have to be a master chef or a child food specialist to create a healthy snack that will grab your child's attention (and approval!) during snack time. Take a look at the following treat ideas that won't hold you up in the kitchen for hours:

Kid-Sized Personal Pizza

What You'll Need:
4 English muffins, split
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1/4 pound Canadian Bacon (or pepperoni)
6 large mushrooms, sliced
4 large black olives, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 medium green pepper, sliced
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Simply spread 2 tbsp of pizza sauce on each muffin half. Top each with 1/8 of the Canadian bacon (or pepperoni), mushrooms, olives, onion, and green pepper. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Place on a non-stick baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 - 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

The best thing about making these mini pizzas is that you can get your kids involved in making them. Just set the ingredients out and let your child add the toppings to his own pizza. You might find that your child will be so intent on the project that he/she won't even care that they are adding vegetables to the pizza!

Getting your kid(s) to eat celery may be a toughie, but this recipe is sure to grab their attention, especially if you let them help assemble the "ants."

Ants on a Log

What You'll Need:
2 sticks of celery
6 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 box of raisins

Chop the celery into finger-sized lengths. Fill the semi-circle of each piece of celery with peanut butter—use as much or as little as you like. This is your "log." Line up the raisins on top of the peanut butter to make the "ants." After the raisins are in place, it's ready to serve.

This next recipe is a great spin on the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich that your children are sure to love!

Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

What You'll Need:
Smooth peanut butter
Jelly
2 slices of bread
Butter

Make a traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich. On the outer surface of the sandwich, spread a thin but even layer of butter on each side of bread. Pre-heat a skillet to medium heat and fry both sides of the sandwich for a few minutes, until each side is golden brown. Cut in half or into quarters, depending on which your child prefers. Allow to cool a bit and then serve.

A smoothie is a quick treat to prepare and it provides a large chunk of your child's daily recommended allowance of fruit and dairy in one go! The fruit and yogurt smoothie recipe you're about to read is particularly great because you can substitute the specified fruits with anything you like—blueberries, apples, peaches, etc. Take a look!

Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie

What You'll Need:
1/2 cup chopped mango
1/2 cup sliced banana
1/2 cup chopped strawberry
2 - 3 cups plain or vanilla yogurt
Handful or two of ice
Sugar to taste

Put the fruit into a blender and blend on a low speed until the fruit is pureed. Add yogurt and ice (and sugar, if desired) and blend on a low speed until the fruit and yogurt are completely mixed. Pour into a cup, add a straw, and watch your little one enjoy!

If you're tired of hearing your child say, "I don't like that," try getting him/her involved in the preparation process, as you'll find that this often results in your child eating healthier items simply because he or she made them! Give these recipes a try; a new treat will not only intrigue your child, but it will give him/her the mid-day vitamin boost he/she needs!


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