When you are presented with a beautiful fresh fruit hamper or even when you purchase a selection of fruit from the local market, they are all incredibly appetising. Children, on the other hand, might have a few favourites while they turn their noses up to the rest. If you want to get your little ones to eat more fruit, here are some creative ideas!
Get creative with cheese and fruit skewers for kids. Cut your cheese and larger pieces of fruit into fun shapes like hearts and stars. Slide them onto skewer sticks and don’t forget to use a variety of colours. If you are worried about certain fruits (like apples or pears) turning brown, you can create a lemon and water wash. Dip these fruits in this solution before placing them on the sticks. This helps slow down oxidation.
Smoothies are delicious and nutritious! They are also a great way of sneaking in several fruits into your kid’s diet! There are a number of low calorie and full fat recipes so you can choose the options that best suit your dietary needs and preferences.
A number of baked goods can be made using fruits and vegetables. Apple sauce can be used to substitute sugar or fat (butter) in many recipes. You can even add ingredients like zucchini and your kids while be none the wiser!
Yogurt is a delicious treat and you can add extra fruit to the mix if you like. You can even use fruity yogurt in various recipes like making your own fruit yogurt popsicles. Crepes or pancakes can also be filled or topped with fresh fruit. You can even add certain types of fruit to your pancake mixture if you want to blend the two together.
Don’t forget the nutritional value of dried fruit. If your children enjoy snacking while doing homework or while watching their favourite TV show, you can make your own healthy mix by tossing together some dried fruit (cut larger pieces into bite size portions if need be), nuts, and you can even add some pop corn too. Just make sure that you avoid salt if you want to keep your snack bowl as healthy as possible.