Fun Finger Food Ideas For Kids

When children become tired of the same old snacks, finger foods provide a simple way to whet their taste buds. Homemade finger foods are also healthier than prepackaged snacks from the supermarket. For instance, you will be able to control the amount of sugar or salt you use. Let your children assist you with shopping for ingredients and preparing the snacks so they'll be more likely to eat them, advises the Weight-control Information Network.

Fruit and Cheese Kebabs

If you're looking for a creative way to make two kid-friendly foods more appealing, you've found it. Cut fruits such as pears and apples into interesting shapes using cookie cutters. Alternate them on a skewer with a variety of low-fat cheese cubes and a few smaller fruits such as grapes and strawberries. Serve these snacks to children 5 years old and older.

Chocolate Matchsticks

These snacks made the cut for "The 100-Calorie Snack Cookbook" by Sally Sampson. For this variation, place some salt-free pretzels in a mug. Place about six bars of semisweet chocolate into a saucepan and melt them over a saucepan of boiling water. Stir the chocolate as it melts and make sure it doesn't burn. Once the chocolate has melted, dip a pretzel in it. Wait a few seconds and dip again. Return pretzel to the cup and repeat with all the other pretzels. Serve immediately.

Jack-o-Lantern Snack

This "horrorful" snack is inspired by Kraft. It's a tasty and fun finger food at any time of year, but especially at Halloween. Place a few Ritz crackers on a cookie tray. Spread crackers with Cheez Whiz or with melted cheese. Cut apple peel or thin pieces of carrot into triangles and use them to form the eyes, nose and mouth. To create the pumpkin stem, place a small sprig of parsley at the top.

Tortilla Rolls

Your family will easily find different ways to prepare this snack so it never becomes boring. Lay a small or regular-sized tortilla on a plate. Spread it with low-fat cream cheese and a few slices of lox or smoked salmon. Roll it up and enjoy. For variety, try combinations such as low-fat cream cheese and jelly, or hummus and shredded roasted chicken. Use whole-grain tortillas for an even healthier snack.