Food Activities For Kids
Whether you’re looking for ways to keep kids busy on the weekend or simply for more variety when it comes to after-school snacks – we’ve got you covered! We’ve asked Melanie Marcus, Dole’s Culinary Trained Registered Dietitian to weigh in on her favorite recipes to keep kids engaged!
“I don’t know about you, but at my house it seems like someone is always asking for a snack!! I have to laugh, because we finish one snack and approximately 2 minutes later, someone is standing in front of the fridge asking for a cheese stick or rummaging through the pantry looking for goldfish. Basically, someone is always hungry! When time allows, I take this opportunity to engage them in a food-related activity. There is a lot to learn in the kitchen, from coordination to math to exploring the senses. Preparing foods with children can not only distract them from ongoing snack time, but also educate them as well!
Fun kid-friendly recipes can be a great decoy to increase time between snacking as well as the perfect solution when hunger strikes! Here are a few from our Dole’s Disney Princess Collection that I’m really liking right now!”
I love them because they take a food that I know my kids will love – PIZZA – and combine it with a fruit that’s full of vitamin C.
Kids love them because of the fun pinwheel shape, the familiar pizza flavor and the sweetness from the pineapple!
Let the pineapple on pizza debate continue!
Glass Slipper Veggie Tea Sandwiches
I love them because the traditional cream cheese spread traded in for a cashew version that is creamy and chock full of veggies!
Kids love them because they get to use a cookie cutter to make the “glass slipper” shapes and then they get to top their sandwich with sliced cucumber, radish, carrots, zucchini or tomato!
I triple Love Love Love these because they are bursting with healthful ingredients, unlike you’re typical cake pop that is loaded with saturated fat and refined sugar! Our version is sweetened naturally with bananas and dates, held together with almond flour and sunflower butter, and then has added texture and flavor from cocoa powder and coconut flakes!
Kids love them because they look like a treat, and taste like a treat! And what’s more, they can get involved in shaping them, putting them on a stick and then personalize the decorations with cocoa powder and coconut!
Create Your Own Restaurant
What kid doesn’t love to play restaurant? Bring the pretend-play to life with real restaurant-style placemats!
No chef is complete without their toque blanche, that’s French for white hat! Your kiddo will look and feel like a pro in their own kitchen with this printable Dole Chef’s Hat. Print. Color. Cut. Voila!
