July 28, 2021

Help! What To Feed The Kiddos This Summer

Freeze fruit in ice cube trays

It’s midway through summer and if you have a family with kids, they are probably eating their way through house and home. What is it about warm weather that makes us hungrier than usual? The refrigerator gets opened endlessly all day as your family looks for a little something!

The specialists are UConn EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program) share tasty and nutritious suggestions on what to offer the kids.

Fruits and vegetables are perfect snacks! They are in season, taste great and grown locally. Adding these foods in as snacks helps everyone meet their fruit and vegetable goals. Place a bowl on the table with fruits for easy access. Store washed and chopped veggies front and center in the refrigerator, so no one will miss them.
Make fruit and veggie dip using a large container of plain yogurt.(see photo below)
Veggie dip: Add yogurt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning blend, black pepper and salt. Fresh herbs can be added also – chives, parsley, basil, oregano, or your favorite.
Fruit dip: Add yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
Fruit smoothies can be made and frozen for a cool treat. Add fruit, milk or juice, and yogurt. Then freeze in popsicle molds or disposable cup with a plastic spoon as a stick held up with plastic wrap. Freeze and enjoy.
Trail mixes are fast and handy! Take all those partial boxes of whole grain cereal, small crackers, popcorn, dried fruits and nuts and mix in a large food storage bag or air tight container. This can be easily accessed or separated out into snack bags for grab and go.
Frozen bags of edamame (immature soy beans in or out of the pod) can be microwaved and tossed with a dash of salt, low sodium soy sauce or garlic powder. Eat hot or cold.
Staying hydrated is important! Make water tastier by freezing fruit in ice cube trays with water. Break out and save them in a plastic zip top bag and add them to water for extra flavor.
Start with a whole wheat tortilla and spread cream cheese or nut butter on it, and top with the spread with veggies or fruits. Roll it tight and slice into little pinwheels.

More ideas:

Frozen grapes, fruit + yogurt parfaits, English muffin pizza, hummus and veggies, fruit salad, nut butter on apples or celery, 100% fruit juice popsicles, banana or blueberry muffins, cheese sticks, cheese, and veggie quesadillas. These are just a few of the many healthy summer snacks that for you and your family.

Pat’s Granola Fruit and Yogurt Dip