How to Make a Healthy & Tasty Snack Platter For Kids
3 min readOn the lookout for a healthier snack idea for young ones? Fulfill the Snack Platter: simple, enjoyment, and whole of wholesome things.
Thank you to Wish Farms for sponsoring this post. They’re a 4th generation family farm that produces berries including Pink-a-Boo® Pineberries, the new blush-pink berries on the plate higher than.
As a dietitian, I get a ton of concerns: Is sugar poisonous? (No.) Ought to I go on a person of those juice cleanses? (Also no.)
But a single of the most prevalent issues I get is this: What kinds of treats ought to I feed my little ones?
My respond to is that typical “fun” snacks–all the stuff promoted as snack meals like chips, cookies, and cheese crackers–are entirely fantastic sometimes.
But most of the time, treats really should basically search like the sort of food stuff you provide at mealtime, like fruits, vegetables, full grains, meats, beans, cheese, and nuts.
Since if you only serve “fun” treats to your kid at snack time, meals–with their dull ol’ standard foods–are going to eliminate their appeal.
Luckily, there’s a way to completely transform that food stuff into something special: The Snack Platter.
What is a snack platter?
I’ll permit you in on a tiny secret: The snack platter is basically just foodstuff. On a plate. Yet when I announce, “I built a snack platter!” my children are psyched.
In point, a handful of years in the past I overheard my son boasting to his pals, “My mom helps make the Best snack platters!”
Occasionally, all you will need is a minor re-branding.
Essential system for a snack platter
- A dip like hummus, nut butter, ranch dip, or guacamole
- Common grains like crackers, pita, and pretzels
- Protein-rich foodstuff like tough-boiled egg, cheese, rolled-up deli meat, edamame, or leftover roasted hen
- Veggies or fruits they presently like, no matter if that is toddler carrots or grapes
- Veggies and fruits that are considerably less common or unanticipated, like these Pink-a-Boo® Pineberries demonstrated beneath, which are a quite blush-pink when ripe (scroll down to browse a lot more and see wherever you can come across them in your area)
The perks of a snack platter
- The selection of food items implies that your little ones will get a blend of vitamins and minerals, like distinctive natural vitamins and minerals.
- You can clean out the odds and finishes from your fridge and pantry, and a absolutely random assortment of food will seem purposely extravagant.
- Much less common foods search much less scary together with things they by now like, and veggies that may possibly be a tough offer at mealtime search fun and extra-appetizing.
- It doesn’t require chopping nearly anything into enjoyable designs or generating a deal with on foods (nevertheless if that’s your point, that’s interesting far too!).
- On a particularly hectic night time, a Snack Platter can also develop into supper.
How massive should really your snack platter be?
You know your kid and their hunger finest. Make absolutely sure you retain snacks considerably more than enough absent from evening meal to develop an urge for food all over again.
What should you use for a snack platter?
Just a standard plate. Or use a small tray. You can also crack out your “good” plates or a fancy serving dish to make it truly feel far more special. Gather scaled-down things like cheese cubes or berries using silicone muffin cups (here’s the rectangle dimensions I have).
One more snack strategy for little ones that is fantastic for younger ones: Fill the compartments of a muffin tin with food.
About Pink-a-Boo® Pineberries
Pineberries are a cross between a Florida red strawberry and a Japanese white strawberry, pale pink when ripe and dotted with red seeds. They’re sweet like strawberries with a trace of pineapple flavor. This is the very first 12 months they are widely accessible, so check out the create aisle (See in which you can find pineberries in your area). These would make a pleasurable shock on a snack platter!
