10 Tips for Making Healthy Food FUN for Kids

1. Smoothie Creations Blend fat-free or low-fat yogurt or milk with fruit pieces and crushed ice. Try bananas, berries, mango, peaches, and/or pineapple. If you freeze the fruit first, you can even skip the ice!

2. Delicious Dippers

I know as a kid I loved to dip my foods, I still do! Create a dip using Greek yogurt or regular season with spices such as herbs and garlic or you can make a sweeter (cinnamon or vanilla) dip if you like. Serve with raw vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower. Fruit: bananas, apples, strawberries, pineapple, mango, melons.

3. Caterpillar Kabobs "Assemble chunks of melon, apple, orange, and pear on skewers for a fruity kabob. For a raw veggie version, use vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, squash, sweet peppers, or tomatoes."

4. Personalized Pizzas Set up stations in your kitchen with healthy toppings. For crust use: pita, English muffins, whole wheat dough or gluten free. For topping: mushrooms, meat, low fat cheese, peppers, onions, chives, pineapple, etc. My family loves to get together on friday nights to grill our own pizzas....so delicious!!!

5. Fruity Peanut Butterfly "Start with carrot sticks or celery for the body. Attach wings made of thinly sliced apples with peanut butter and decorate with halved grapes or dried fruit."

6. Frosty Fruits

Use frozen fruit such as grapes, bananas, melon or create your own Popsicles with chopped fruit and fruit purée.

7. Bugs on a Log For the log use: carrots, celery, or cucumbers topped with peanut butter or almond butter.

For bugs: Top with dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc

8. Homemade Trail Mix

Use your favorite nuts (walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds,etc) and their favorite dried fruit.

9. Potato Person

Have them decorate their potato using cherry tomatoes, low fat cheese and other healthy garnishes.

10. Put Kids in Charge Have your kids make their own creations.

For full article visit: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet11KidFriendlyVeggiesAndFruits.pdf