Snacktivities & Food Exposure: Spring Edition

Did you know that children are more likely to try a new food away from the family table? That is one of the reasons why making fun “snacktivities” with them and involving them in meal preparation is so important.

With the start of spring and Easter on the horizon, we thought it would be fun to share a few ideas of ways you can have fun with your kids in the kitchen! And through the process, maybe they will take that first bite of Red Pepper or dip a Cucumber slice into hummus for the first time. But even if they don’t, think of the fun memories you will make, the autonomy the child will feel, and the food exposures that have lasting value.

5 Spring Snacktivities

These five creative activities are a fun way to let your children do art with food! Use the photos and descriptions below as examples and then let your little ones make their own version. The opportunity to get messy, explore, create, and have fun with food will impact their relationship with food in a positive way – and ultimately their interest in eating it!

Brunch Easter Bunny

Ingredients (makes 4 bunny pancakes)

• Sweet & Savory Pepper Pancakes
• 1 Long English Cucumber
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
• 2 Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 banana
• 4 blueberries
• 8 small pieces of white cheese
• 4 medium plates

Steps

1. Cook our pancake recipe, ensuring you make 4 pancakes with a 5-inch diameter for the bunny heads, and 8 pancakes with a 1-inch diameter for their cheeks.
2. Wash produce before preparing.
3. Slice the Cucumber on an angle to make the ears.
4. Core the Pepper and remove the seeds. Cut the Pepper into thin 2-inch long slices to use for the whiskers.
5. Slice the banana into round circles, and the Tomatoes and blueberries in half.
6. To assemble the bunnies, add the Cucumber ears to the top of each pancake. Place 2 banana slices with the halved blueberries on top for eyes. Use a halved Tomato for the nose, 2 small pancakes for the cheeks, and Peppers on top of the cheeks for whiskers. Finally, place 2 pieces of white cheese on the bottom half of the big pancake for the bunny’s front teeth!

Delicious Dragonfly

Ingredients (makes 1 dragonfly)

• 7-10 Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Cocktail Tomato
• 2 Mini Cucumbers
• 1 slice of cheese
• 1 medium plate

Steps

1. Wash produce before preparing.
2. Cut the 2 Mini Cucumbers in half lengthwise to create the 4 dragonfly wings. Also cut the Cocktail Cucumber in half.
3. Arrange the 7-10 Cherry Tomatoes in a loose line vertically down the plate, giving the body a bit of curve.
4. Place 2 wings on either side of the body.
5. Place the halved Cocktail Tomato at the top of the body with the skin facing out.
6. Cut 2 small circles out of the cheese slice and place them on top of the Cocktail Tomato slice for the dragonfly eyes.

Chick Eggs in a Nest

Ingredients (makes 1 nest with 2 chicks)

• 1 Orange Bell Pepper
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1 carrot
• 1-2 tbsp. ranch dressing
• 4 raisins
• 2 small plates
• Optional: Bagel/toast

Steps

1. Wash produce before preparing.
2. Cut hard-boiled eggs in half.
3. Shred the carrots and finely slice the Peppers. Toss the carrots and Peppers in ranch dressing and make into the shape of a nest on either a plate or bagel/piece of toast.
4. Add the egg halves to the nest and place 2 raisins and a small piece of Pepper or carrot on each halved egg for the chick’s eyes and beak.

Fresh Rainbow

Ingredients (makes 4 rainbows)

• 1 Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper
• 8 small cauliflower florets
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• Yellow food coloring
• 4 small bowls

Steps

1. Wash produce before preparing.
2. Slice each Bell Pepper into 2-inch long slices.
3. Mix ½ cup of ranch dressing with a drop of yellow food coloring, then stir to combine.
4. Place 1 slice of each color of Pepper alongside each other in this order to create a rainbow inside each bowl: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green.
5. Place 1 cauliflower floret at the end of each side of the rainbow.
6. Underneath the rainbow, spoon a large dollop of dressing to represent the gold at the end of the rainbow. You can also place the dressing in a small dish for easier dipping!

Flower Garden

Ingredients (makes 1 garden on a large plate, or 2 gardens on 2 medium plates)

• 1 Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Pepper
• 1 Mini Cucumber
• 4 Cherry Tomatoes
• 16-20 green beans
• 1 large plate or 2 medium plates

Steps

1. Wash produce before preparing.
2. Cut some of the green beans in half for the grass and leave a handful of beans long for the flower stems.
3. Cut the end off the Bell Peppers to be 1 type of flower and slice the Mini Cucumber and Tomatoes to create another type of flower. Place these veggies at the tip of the longer green beans.
4. Decorate the garden with pieces of other vegetables or fruit you have on hand to represent butterflies, bugs, and birds!

Little Helpers in the Kitchen

Whether you are hosting a large family meal or making supper for you and your little ones, getting them involved in food preparation teaches valuable cooking skills and offers incredible exposure to new and familiar foods. Here are a few ideas for various ages:

1. At 18 months and beyond, if they are supervised, children can help pour dry ingredients into a bowl, tear lettuce or spinach, rinse vegetables and fruit, and place pieces of potato or chopped vegetable into a baking pan or bowl.
2. From about 2 years and beyond, children can help with tasks such as pouring small amounts of wet liquids into recipes, stirring ingredients together, and holding down the lid on a blender. They can also help mash potatoes or sweet potatoes with a fork. If your child can count, have them count the number of anything you are adding to a recipe, such as eggs or cups of flour.
3. At 3 years of age, a child can do all the things above with greater independence, especially if they have gotten used to doing them from an early age. They can also start to voice their opinion more on what they want to help with or eat. For example, you could say, “Would you like to make banana muffins or banana bread?”. When given the opportunity to choose, they are more likely to stay engaged during the process and try the finished product.
4. At 4 years of age, children can help put groceries away, pour cereal and milk, get their own water, put spreads onto breads or wraps, stir pasta, add ingredients together for muffins or cookies, help to serve fresh vegetables onto plates, or put dip into a bowl. It may not be done perfectly, but (from my experience) they will be much more interested in eating carrots and hummus that they have prepared than if you did it all for them. Children at this age can also learn how to properly measure dry ingredients for a recipe and are at a perfect age to start being involved in lunch choices and preparation.
5. As a child gets older, they can start to measure liquids for a recipe, cut fruit with a dull knife, peel oranges and bananas with less help, make toast and scrambled eggs, pack their own snacks and lunch, and do all the above activities with more proficiency. Before you know it, your child will be making you breakfast on the weekends!

The Power of Snacktivities

We hope that these ideas have gotten you excited to get creative and messy in the kitchen with your little ones this spring. In addition to food exposure, your children will learn amazing kitchen skills such as how to properly use a cheese grater, how to stay safe with knives, and how to measure ingredients. And most important of all, the memories you make will last a lifetime!