Greetings, fellow mommas! As is the case at many preschools, the children (or parents, rather) at my son’s school take turns bringing in snacks. We are encouraged to try to come up with a snack that corresponds with the theme of the day, if possible. My day: stoplights – ugh! I’m not a very creative person, and I’m hoping that I may hear some fantastic suggestions here. I would really, really prefer to keep the snack healthy, but if anyone has a great not-quite-super-healthy alternative, I’d definitely be open to it. The class has 10 3yr olds.
Thinking healthily, I considered just bringing in red, yellow, and green apples. My mom suggested sugar cookies to make flat stoplights, either using food coloring or sprinkles to then color the circles (pressed together before baking). Not only am I not overly creative, I’m not a great cook. Are there other ideas?? I’ve thought about red, yellow, and green M&Ms. More wise would be fresh cut peppers in the same colors, but I’m not sure that would go over very well.
Any other suggestions?? I know that there are many exceptionally creative mommas on this site, and I’d really, REALLY love to hear some of your ideas! Thanks in advance!!
J.
Strawberries
banana
grapes
red apple
lemon - could be fun :)
kiwi - peeled
colored goldfish
tomatoes
cheese
cucumbers
Do red and green apples, but cut them into rounds (you can sprinkle with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning) and get some sliced yellow cheddar from the deli and use a cookie cutter to make it a circle. Then you have red apple slice, yellow cheese slice, green apple slice. Healthy and filling. And kids like apples and cheese. Have fun!
these are adorable.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/stop-and-go-cookie-po...
these are easier:
http://blog.jumpstart.com/2010/01/20/traffic-stoplight-tr...
candied biscuits:
http://candycraft.muxgo.com/candy-crafts/candy-craft-traf...
or, you can do like a less sweet one... maybe a club cracker with a light spread of cream cheese. you can have a mini pepperoni for the red, a little avacado ball for the green, and cut a little circle of cheese for the yellow.
Okay this might take a bit of prep, but I'm good with themes...or crazy, not sure which somedays! ;) What about giving each kid 3 Ritz crackers and spreading yellow cheese spread on one (like any cheddar spread), guacamole (maybe mixed with a little cream cheese) on one, and maybe putting some ranch dip on the third with a little red food coloring. I would also suggest maybe some red pepper hummus but that could be spicy for some kids.I don't really know if 3 crackers is enough for each kid but I suppose you could make a tray full of each color, maybe on round plates and send some napkins and they can take as many as they like.
The other idea I had was to maybe do some dips with pretzels or celery sticks. You could pretzels with yellow mustard, celery with (red) ranch dip, and baked tortillas with guacamole. Again, you could send plates, napkins and a spoon for each dip and have the teacher dole some out to each kid.
My third and final idea is to do mini rice cakes and spread plain cream cheese that either you've dyed red, yellow, green, or spread it on just regular and then topped with chopped celery, chopped red pepper and sliced banana.
I hope that maybe I've inspired some healthier recipes! I know M&Ms are always good but I know I'd want my kid to have something a bit better! :)
have fun and good luck!
**okay I just had another idea...I told you I think way too much about this stuff!...It's kind of like Sheryl's...take a full size rectangular graham cracker and spread a mix of cream cheese and marshmallow fluff (equal amounts of both mixed together) and top it with either a slice of watermelon or strawberry, banana slice and kiwi slice. I mean if it's only for 10 kids you can really have fun with it right?!
Rice Krispie treats are easy and you can press red, yellow and green m&m's into them.
what about ketchup, mustard and relish, all in bowls on a platter surrounded by lil smokies, or turkey dogs sliced up......
Celery w/ sticks butter then 3 m & m 's red, green, & yellow instead of the raisins.
I'd take a club cracker - they are rectangular (come in green box)...spread some light cream cheese on it (as the glue) then put a 1/4 of strawberry, yellow banana piece, and 1/2 green grape.
Or club cracker with cream cheese with small piece of red, yellow and green pepper.
Or make sugar cookies to look like stop lights with the colored sugar.
How about a graham cracker with frosting with gumdrops or m &m's on it?
Celery with peanut butter or cream cheese with craisin, dried pineapple and green raisins, or any dried fruit that fits the color pattern or M&Ms skittles, etc Cut the celery into rectangles and turn them into mini stoplights for each kid.
What about Jello? You could do lime for the green, lemon for the yellow, and cherry for the red. Make the Jigglers recipe and just cut them out in circles or use a glass as a cookie cutter. You could try to find a cutter small enough to fit onto a gram cracker. Yes you would need to keep it cold or chilled.
If there is no peanut allergy, i just thought of something cute. Pretzel rods, with peanut butter to hold on the "stoplight" m&m's :)
I love these kind of projects... they bring out my creative side ::)
How about finger jello? - red, green, and lemon; cut into circles for each child. Served on ?? - graham crackers? Good luck; I can't wait to read the answers.
Just a thought from a parent who has a peanut allergy in the family... we can't do M&M's... they "may contain peanuts". Not sure if that's an issue for you, but something most non-allergy parents don't think of.
Check the list and make sure there are not allergic children before putting M&M's on the snack.
Jessica
rectangular piece of cornbread, red apple slice, round of yellow cheese, green apple slice. a little bit of prep, but relatively healthy
The M&Ms sound simple. Could you put one of each color on the cookies?
You could do a sandwich and on the top slice cut three little circles with a bottle cap or something like that.
Then put yellow jelly, red jelly and margarine with green food coloring so that it shows through the three circles and you have a stop light sandwich.
I saw the rice krispies mentioned....you canalso dye the rice krispies and shape 3 balls, one red, one yelloe, one green on a graham or club cracker.
lots of fun suggestions!
Or dye cream cheese and do the same
