Recipes :: 5 Easy Summer Treats

 

Nothing says summer quite like eating fresh watermelon at the pool or beach.  As kids, my younger brother and I would sit outside our front porch and go through a whole watermelon between the two of us!  I can’t seem to get enough of it this summer and recently learned that it has moved up to the front line in recent research studies on high-lycopene foods.  You have probably heard about Lycopene as it is a carotenoid phytonutrient important for cardiovascular health.   This week I found some healthy fruit treats that you can feel good about serving to your kids and not have to worry about grumpy sugar crashes.   You can even get the kids involved to help you make these snacks!

 

Here are some of our favorite summer treats:

 

 

 

Frozen Banana Bites:

This treat was found at She Knows Parenting.  Ditch the ice cream and go for a totally different kind of summer treat with these yummy frozen banana bites. All you need is bananas, chocolate and peanut butter — yum!  Make sure to buy the darker chocolate (try to get 72% cacao or higher) for a nutritious snack as dark chocolate is filled with antioxidants.  And banana’s are a very good source of vitamin B-6 and has a decent amount of vitamin-C.  They also provide adequate levels of copper, magnesium, and manganese. To read more about how to make this sure-to-be-a-hit treat go to: https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/994219/summer-treats-for-kids

 

 

Peanut Butter Banana Bites:

 

This yummy recipe was found at Our Family World.  You can choose what type of whole grain cereal you want to roll the bites in.  Or better yet, the kids could do this after you coat them with peanut butter (or almond butter is always good!).  Here is the ingredient list:

Ingredients: Bananas, Peanut Butter, Pretzels, Cereal
Cut banana into chunks, spread peanut butter all over with spoon, roll around in crushed whole grain cereal (cheerios, grape nuts, Kashi). I used Kashi Sunshine Honey whole grain squares. Stick a pretzel stick into the banana bite and enjoy. This would also be great with melted chocolate for a healthy dessert.  To read more go to: https://www.ourfamilyworld.com/2011/06/20/kids-in-the-kitchen-and-healthy-summer-snacks/

 

Fresh Fruit Cones:

This fun idea comes from Moore Minutes.  Just fill a sugar or cake cone with fresh fruit for a delightful and colorful snack! For more summer treat ideas go to: https://www.mooreminutes.com/2011/06/healthy-fruit-summer-snacks-for-kids_12.html

 

Beach Ball Fruit Pizza:

I think this creative idea is one of my favorites from Hungry Happenings.com!  This would be a perfect fruit tray for an upcoming beach, birthday or pool party!  This would definitely be a hit with both kids and adults alike!  The woman who designed this is beyond creative!  Here is what she said about this fun idea:

Knowing it would take some time to decorate my fruit pizza, I decided to
keep everything else about this dessert simple and quick. I baked up a
large Pillsbury sugar cookie and topped it with a lemon cheesecake mousse made
from Philadelphia Ready to Eat Cheesecake Filling, a jar of lemon curd, and some
whipped topping.  The light lemon flavor is a perfect compliment to all of the
fruit.  I chose a rainbow of fruits that I enjoy eating including blueberries,
raspberries, apricots, bananas, kiwi, pineapple, and strawberries, but you can
choose whatever fruits you prefer.  

To read more on how to make it go to: https://www.hungryhappenings.com/2011/07/transform-large-pillsbury-sugar-cookie.html

 

 

Frozen Yogurt Dipped Berries

 

I like how simple but tasty this idea is from Yew Doo.com.  Just use your favorite yogurt to coat your favorite berry and put in the freezer.  This is a great way to include more fruit in your children’s diet, plus you get the benefits of yogurt.  We like the Greek Yogurt, but try to get one that isn’t loaded down with extra sugar and additives.  To read more about how to make this recipe go here: https://yewdoo.com/fruity-fun-summer-snacks/

 

Photo courtesy of Flickr

 

What are some of your favorite summer snacks?

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