Healthy Fun Foods for Kids

Kids have fun with food while making healthy choices. Fresh fruits are enjoyable for kids to pop in their mouth and eat while on the go. Serving vegetables in creative way invites kids to use their imagination. Healthy high-fiber crackers make stackable snacks. Substitute lean meats in kids' favorites for a healthy alternative. Kids will enjoy choosing their own toppings from a frozen yogurt bar.

Fruits

• Fresh juicy fruit makes a fast exciting snack for kids. Many fruits are conveniently packaged in their own skin making them easily portable. Kids enjoy the interactive pleasure of pealing a banana or plucking grapes off the vine. For creative snack fruit presentation, slice apples thin, sprinkle with cinnamon, and bake at 250 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. This yields crisp apple chips that are much healthier than potato chips. Serve watermelon outdoors, and kids can have a seed spitting contest.

Vegetables

• Transform vegetables into healthy and fun meals for kids. Present vegetables in creative ways that are spin-offs of less healthier options. Green bean fries are a tasty and healthy alternative to french fries. Add excitement to a grilled cheese sandwich or macaroni and cheese dinner by adding thinly sliced tomatoes. Kids also enjoy grazing on raw vegetables anytime. Cut up carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower into small pieces and serve with fat-free ranch dressing. Cut the pieces small so they fit whole into your child's mouth. For additional food play serve these vegetable bites with chopsticks and challenge kids to eat with them.

Grains

• High-fiber whole grain crackers are healthy salty snacks that are fun to dip. Read the nutritional contents on the side of the box to find a cracker or crisp that is made with whole grain and has at least 2 grams of fiber per serving. Provide a selection of healthy dips and toppings to allow kids to create their own flavor combinations. Enlist kids to sandwich together two crackers with peanut butter. They will enjoy the using their hands and eating the results.

Lean Meats

• Serving lean meats to kids in creative ways will put a smile on their face and an energy source in their belly. Indulging in healthy and flavorful versions of meat dishes that are usually considered junk food makes eating more exciting for kids. Serve mini ground turkey cheeseburger sliders instead of using traditional ground beef to greatly reduce your child's fat intake. Get kids involved in forming the mini burger patties and preparing the toppings. Make the burgers small so kids have room to try different topping combinations before they are full.

Desserts

• Kids enjoy designing their own dessert when you set up a healthy frozen yogurt bar. Set up your bar with vanilla and at least one other frozen yogurt option. Prepare a selection of fruit toppings. Frozen blueberries, a strained can of pineapple tidbits, or frozen sliced strawberries are popular topping options. Add a couple of low-sugar cereals, some nuts or a low-fat granola so kids finish their sundae with a crunch.