With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, what better time to share some delicious, healthy, kid-approved green snacks?
I’ve always looked for ways to teach my daughter about holidays through crafts, activities, books and food. For St. Patrick’s Day, think green. Here are some healthy St. Patrick’s Day recipes for kids.
First up: green smoothies.
My daughter loves fruit smoothies as a snack, but I was skeptical about whether she’d go for a green one because, well, it’s green. The more involved I let her be in the food-preparation process, however, the more likely she is to eat the result.
For this recipe, I let her assist with washing spinach, peeling the banana, measuring ingredients and putting it all in the blender. After watching it whir and turn a gorgeous green, I asked, “Do you want to try it?” Her response was an enthusiastic yes. Much to my delight, she loved it! It doesn’t hurt that these smoothies are absolutely delicious – they’re creamy, citrusy and coconutty, like something you’d enjoy on a Caribbean vacation.
- ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- ¾ cup fat-free Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup pineapple cubes (fresh or frozen)
- 1 medium banana
- 1 cup packed spinach
- 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
- Ice as needed
- Place all ingredients together in a blender and combine until smooth and creamy.
Next: green snacks on skewers.
My daughter helped me choose some perfect green fruits at the grocery store. We went with apples, pears, grapes, kiwis and starfruit. She helped me wash the fruit, then I sliced and skewered them for a pretty presentation. Older children can help with the skewering (which becomes a fabulous art project), but because my daughter was so young, the pointy skewers were best left for me to handle. She clapped when I showed her the fruit skewers and loved chowing down on the fruits that I reminded her that SHE selected from the store.
If you’ve got veggie-loving kids at home, you could do similar skewers with fresh green vegetables, and serve them with a favorite salad dressing or hummus for dipping. Kids love anything they can dip! If you’re fighting to get any nutritious fare into your kids, here are tips on encouraging them to eat more healthfully.
There are lots of other naturally green, Saint Patrick’s day treats for kids. Some of my daughter’s favorites have included guacamole (or really, anything avocado-based), edamame, pasta with pesto, broccoli and peas.
This post was written by Amy Donovan, a food blogger, a wife to a clever architect, a mother to a wonderful daughter, a yoga lover and a social media junkie. You can learn more about Amy on her blog, Fearless Homemaker.
