Strawberries offer folate and vitamin C in a sweet package for a healthy snacking option for kids. If plain strawberries are boring for your kids, try new recipes with the red berries. Using other healthy ingredients keeps the snack nutritious while adding other flavors. Start with plump, firm, shiny berries that are fully red for the best flavor and nutrition.
Strawberry Sandwich
If your child is bored with his usual sandwiches, add healthy sweetness to the middle. Instead of jelly in your child's peanut butter sandwich, add a layer of sliced or mashed strawberries. Another option is to spread cream cheese on the bread to go along with the strawberries. Drizzle a little honey on the strawberries if your child wants extra sweetness in the sandwich. For an alternative to bread, try spreading the cream cheese on two graham crackers before layering in the strawberries.
Edible Bugs
To make fresh strawberries more appealing to your child, turn them into edible bugs. The shape of a strawberry slightly resembles the body of a bug. Cut the strawberries in half to create two individual bugs. Use a miniature marshmallow, half of a grape or a melon ball to form a head for your bug. Broken pretzel sticks work for the legs and antennae. If you want to turn the bug into a ladybug, press a few chocolate chips into the strawberry. Limit the number of chocolate chips used to keep the snack healthy.
Strawberry Shortcake on a Stick
Instead of serving strawberry shortcake in a bowl, turn it into a skewered snack for your child. Cut angel food cake, which is lighter than pound cake, into 1-inch pieces. Remove the stem from the strawberries and cut them in half or quarters, depending on the size of the berries. Alternate the strawberry pieces and angel food cake on a skewer. For younger children, use a drinking straw instead to reduce the risk of injury. Poke a hole in the strawberries with a knife if you can't poke the straw through it.
Strawberry Salsa
Fruit salsa puts a sweet twist on the usually spicy Mexican dip. Chop the strawberries into tiny pieces. Add in other finely chopped fruits and vegetables as desired, including kiwi, pineapple, peaches, cucumber and sweet onion. Stir in honey, lime juice and ground cinnamon to taste. Homemade cinnamon tortilla chips pair well with this salsa. Cut the tortillas into wedges. Spray them lightly with cooking spray or brush them lightly with oil. Sprinkle the tortillas with a cinnamon and sugar mixture and bake at 375 F until they are crispy, or about 7 to 8 minutes.
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