Fun Kids Food – Dips
It’s so hard to feed vegetables to a child. I should know – I have 2 kids. But there are snack recipes for kids which could be include vegetables, and your kids will definitely love you for it.
How to do that? By having dips.
Dips are a surefire way to make kids try new food, vegetables included. Just cut up some carrots sticks, celery, broccoli, and even string beans. (Of course, steam them or blanche them first after washing to eliminate unnecessary dirt or germs.) Pita bread, pretzels, breadsticks and some crackers can also be added to the mix from time to time, as a substitute to the vegetables. Fruits can also be thought of as food that can be dipped, like pears and apple wedges.
Try these simple, yet enjoyable dips that won’t just get your little kid eating, but may make the whole family clamor for a little attention as well:
Carrot and Yoghurt Dip
Wash, peel, grate and/or shred about a pound of carrots. Add 1 clove of mashed garlic, juice of half a lemon (don’t forget to take out the seeds!), 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt to 12 ounces of natural, plain yoghurt and mix via stirring. Add the shredded carrots and mix well. Serve with veggies or crackers – either one will do as you have already introduced carrots to the dip anyway.
Low-Fat Cream Cheese or Cheese Spread
This is easy. Just spread cream cheese on a bowl and surround it with vegetable sticks or animal-shaped crackers. This would make your child feel that he’s making his own snack, giving him self-fulfillment.
Cheese
I have never seen a kid who turns down cheese. This may be one healthy, nutritious food that children take with much gusto. Because of this fact, you must take advantage of it. Regular cheese spread and cheddar or brie cheese can be put in a bowl and microwave for a couple of seconds until melted.
I cannot specify how many minutes it should be because not all microwaves are created equal – some may emanate heat more than others. This should be trial and error for you, so watch closely when you microwave. Even fruits such as grapes and apple wedges can be dipped in this, and your kid will still keep on eating as if he’s never tasted those things before.
Yoghurt and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Add 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato paste to a container of Greek yoghurt or sour cream. Stir. You can serve this with pita bread, pretzels and/or breadsticks – toast it in the oven first until crispy.
Honey Peanut Dip
Mix together a cup of peanut butter (preferably smooth peanut butter), 1/3 cup of honey, and 2/3 cup of milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir, then add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon (preferred, but may be optional). Crush a tablespoon or so of cashews and sprinkle on top of the dip. This dip is perfect with pretzels, bananas or apple wedges.
Jams
These are usually fruity and are perfect to spread over breads or be made as dip for breadsticks. 3-layer sandwiches can be made by alternately spreading jam and peanut butter on loaf bread.
There are a lot of other ways to make your kids eat healthy snack, but dips are the best. They’re easy to make, not messy and often requires little or less attention in preparing it. Plus, kids can even help out in making them too. How’s that for healthy living and mother-child bonding?
Find More Ways To Get Your Kids Involved And Interested in Healthy Food.
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