November is upon us, with its crisp
autumn air and cozy sweaters. Thanksgiving is right on our doorsteps. Unbelievable!
I am grateful that our schools have been able to open. I am grateful, too, for
the time we get to spend with our families (both near and far, via Zoom or in
person). Whether your kids are going to school in person or not, here are
some hands-on activities you can do with them for after-school snack or a
mid-morning break. Encouraging healthy eating habits happens by having good
food around, out, and available. And fruits and vegetables are so much more
interesting when they pretend to be something else (like a turkey) and when you
make them yourself. Children tend to eat these projects as soon as they’re
done, if not before. The older the children, the more complex their food
projects could be; adding flair and design is part of the fun. It’s also fun
for the adults to join in and make their own projects. I’d love to see pictures
of the things you and your children make.
Clementine Hugs
Snacks are always
needed (at least in my house). Making a basketful of clementine “hugs”
is a great way to have kids know how much you love them – or let them create
their own. They’re tangy delicious and look beautiful, too. You can write
phrases like “I?U” or “Keep your Head Up,” etc.
You can also draw various emojis on the peels and have your kids pick the clementine
that has the emotion they are currently feeling – frustrated, happy, sad, or
chilled. When you observe their emotion, it’s a chance to launch into a meaningful
conversation.
Apple
You need
toothpicks or skewers for these. I find having skewers in the house comes
in handy. When you put food on a skewer, it’s almost like magic; people will
eat it. Is it because it’s fancy? Reminds them of swords? I don’t know why, but
I know the result. They will eat skewered food.
Normally, I am in
charge of making the Thanksgiving feast for extended family, and we always
have some art project we do before the meal. Sometimes it’s a family
trivia contest or arts and crafts, which then serves as a favor that they can
take home. Creativity is encouraged. There is no “right” or “wrong” way;
it’s just so everyone can have fun. The following food activity is
wonderful for an after-school snack, or it can be done as a Thanksgiving
project. (Make sure to take a picture before it gets “gobbled” up.) The main goal
is to create something fun.
1 Granny Smith apple
4 skewers or toothpicks
4 pineapple pieces
4 green grapes
3 mandarin orange slices
4 red grapes
2 mini-chocolate chips
1 red pepper
1/2 T. peanut butter or marshmallow
fluff for “glue”
Cut off a slice
towards the bottom of an apple for the base. Save this disc for the head and
wings. Now your apple can stand up on its own. On the 4 skewers, thread 1 red
grape, 1/2 mandarin orange slice cut vertically, 1 green grape, and 1 pineapple
slice. Then poke the skewers into the apple towards its top back. Pro tip:
poke holes in the apple for the skewers before you fill them up; it makes it
easier to insert them in later.
Cut a small circle
out of the circle you used for a base for the head. Cut 2 wings out of that
piece. Attach the head (with the green facing out) with a glob of peanut
butter towards the top front of the apple. Attach the 2 wings with the peanut
butter on the left and right sides of the apple. Pro tip: Dry apple pieces
first, and the peanut butter will stick.
Cut 2 triangles out
of the mandarin orange slice for feet, and 1 triangle for the beak. Place the 2
feet at the bottom of the apple where the feet should go. “Glue” the triangle
on the face for a beak, as well as the 2 mini-chocolate chip eyes. If you use
marshmallow fluff for this part, it’ll give you the “whites” of the eyes, or
use small pieces of marshmallows.
Cut a very small
diamond shape out of the red pepper for the turkey’s wattle and “glue” onto the
face. Voila: a turkey apple.
There is something to be said with
playing with your food. This vegetable platter is fun to make, fun to look at,
and fun to eat. It’s a great after-school snack, when having a bunch of cut-up
veggies will get eaten quickly when everyone is hungry as they walk through the
door. It is also a wonderful centerpiece for the Thanksgiving Day table or
sideboard.
Kale leaves
1 cucumber sliced
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 bag of baby carrots
2 pitted black olives
1 teaspoon hummus
1 c. of your favorite dip
To make the
platter: Cover a round 10- to 12-inch plate or platter. To make the turkey’s
feathers, start forming a circle with the cucumber slices towards the bottom of
the platter. Above the cucumbers, form a semi-circle with the red peppers, then
a semi-circle with the yellow peppers, then with the green peppers. Place the
baby carrots vertically above the last row of peppers.
To make the turkey’s
body and face: Dab two small drops of hummus where the eyes will go. Slice
the olive to cut off the end without a hole, and place on top of the
hummus. Use another small drop of hummus where the nose should go, and
stick a triangle made out of the yellow pepper onto the turkey. With one more
drop of hummus, place the red pepper for the wattle and attach it next to the
beak. Then place your favorite dip next to the veggies for everyone to enjoy.
Owl Rice Cakes
These are adorable
and a great at-home snack. If your child’s school does not allow peanut butter,
you can use any other type of nut butter. To transport the “owls,” put them into
a bento box or similar plastic container with a lid.
12 rice cakes
1 medium banana
4 T. all-natural peanut butter
(or other nut butter)
1 c. blueberries or
mini-chocolate chips
1 medium apple
1 baby carrot
1 c. cereal, like Cheerios
Each owl takes 1 rice cake, 2
banana slices, 2 blueberries, 2 slices of apple, 1 small piece of orange, and
about 12 Cheerios. Slice the banana into 24 slices. Give each child a rice
cake and a tablespoon of peanut butter and have them spread it completely over
the rice cake. With a little bit of peanut butter placed in the center of the
bananas, “glue” the blueberries or chocolate chips on for the pupils. They can
then place 2 banana slices where the eyes should be. With a dab of peanut
butter placed in the center of the bananas, “glue” the blueberries on for the pupils.
Slice the apple in half and remove the core. Then slice the halves very
thin. Place 1 slice on the left side and 1 on the right to serve as the wings,
with the peel facing outward. Slice the carrot and make triangles. Place carrot
on the peanut butter under the eyes where the beak would go. Finally, add Cheerios
for feathers between the wings starting about 1 inch under the nose.
Bracha
Shor loves hearing from you. You can get more inspiration by following me on
Instagram @SweetandGoodCatering.
