We are a team of fun and friendly characters that want you to love tasting, eating, and enjoying fruits and vegetables every day.
Join us for fruit and veggie snacks that are both fun to make and yummy to eat. Let’s get cooking!
With this book in hand, you can make easy fruit and veggie snacks with children. Use these recipes to build into your menus for snacks and mealtimes. Before starting any recipe, it’s important to take safety into consideration to keep both kids safe from harm while working in the kitchen and the food you’re preparing safe to eat.
• Before preparing the recipes, wash the fruits and vegetables under running water and dry with a clean kitchen towel.
• Everyone should wash hands before starting any recipe.
1. Run hands under warm water.
2. Lather hands with soap.
3. Rub hands together for 20 seconds. Sing your ABC’s or count to 20.
• Assign cooking tasks that are age appropriate.
Preschoolers can: School-aged children can:
• Wash and scrub fruits and veggies
• Dump and pour pre-measured ingredients
• Mix and stir ingredients by hand
• Sprinkle and spread ingredients
• Pour liquids with help
• Peel fruits and veggies with a vegetable peeler
• Read recipes and follow directions with help from an adult
• Cut fruits and vegetable with a plastic knife or dinner knife
• Measure ingredients
• Use metal or plastic utensils, measuring cups, and bowls that won’t break if they fall from the counter or table.
4. Rinse hands under warm water.
5.
Dry hands with a clean towel.
• Some recipes call for sharp knives and electric appliances. Adults only with these tools! Pointed wooden skewers should be used with adult supervision. Young children can use plastic serrated knives or table knives to cut soft foods. Flat wooden craft sticks are great for spreading, too.
Look for this symbol as you cook from this book to indicate where adult supervision is needed:
• Take care to prevent choking. Cut up any hard, small, whole foods like grapes or raw carrots into pieces smaller than the size of a child’s throat – about the size of a nickel.
Crediting
CACFP crediting with serving suggestions for children ages 3-5 years old are noted on each recipe. Portion sizes listed are based on the 2017 CACFP snack meal patterns listed below (or other meals were applicable using serving suggestions).
CACFP Snack Meal Patterns for 3-Year-Olds: Must include items from two food groups:
• 6 ounces low-fat milk (1% or fat-free/skim)
• 0.5-ounce equivalent grain
• ½ cup fruit: fresh, frozen, or canned (or ¼ cup dried fruit)
• ½ cup vegetable (raw, green-leafy veggies require double-portion)
• 0.5-ounce meat/meat alternate
Encouraging Children to Eat
Picky or fussy eating can be a child’s first step toward showing independence. Children don’t have control over much in their lives so they may use food as a form of power, which can make eating fruits and veggies a challenge. What can adults do to help encourage good eating habits?
• Limit distractions. Put away toys and turn off the TV before eating.
• No pressure. If a child doesn’t like the taste of a fruit or vegetable, move on to other choices and reintroduce at another time. It may take as many as 10-15 tries of a new food before a child will accept it.
• Think about color, smell, and texture. A child may enjoy apple slices but not applesauce, or broccoli cooked in a casserole but not raw crunchy broccoli florets.
• Be a role model. Children learn habits from watching others, so show children you enjoy different foods.
• Make food fun by cooking together. Use the recipes in this book to inspire creativity and interest in eating fruits and vegetables.
Teddy Bear Snacks
Ingredients
4 rice cakes (4 inch)
¼ cup nut butter or fruit butter
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
¼” thick
Red and green grapes
Supplies
Table knife or serrated plastic knife
Plates
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Directions
1. For each snack, give each child:
• 1 rice cake
• 1 slice kiwi
• 2 green grapes
• 2 red grapes
2. Ask child to spread 1 tablespoon of nut or fruit butter on rice cake. Place rice cake on a plate.
3. Press kiwi slice into the nut or fruit butter at the center of the rice cake.
4. Place green grapes as “eyes” above the kiwi slice.
5. Set red grape ears on top of the rice cake.
6. Eat together! Serve any extra grapes along with the Teddy Bear Snacks.
CACFP Crediting: As written: Credits as 1 grain, 1 meat alternate, and ½ fruit component. Rice cake must be 11 grams minimum. Nut/Seed butter must be 1 Tbsp minimum. Serve with ¾ cup low-fat milk and additional fruit (½ cup total) to credit at breakfast. Serve as written at snack. (Credit rice cake and peanut butter.)
Veggie Bagel Faces
Ingredients
1 whole grain bagel, halved
2 Tbsp. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. broccoli florets
1 Tbsp. shredded carrot
2 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 sugar snap peas
Supplies
Table knife or serrated plastic knife
Measuring spoons
Plates MAKES 2 SNACKS
Directions
1. Spread each bagel with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese.
2. Allow child to create a face with the vegetable toppings. Use the tomatoes as eyes, broccoli florets or shredded carrots as hair, and sugar snap peas as mouths.
3. Eat and enjoy together!
CACFP Crediting:
As written: Credits as 1 whole grain and ½ vegetable component.
Bagel must be 14 grams minimum. Vegetable must be ½ cup minimum.
Serve with a ¾ cup low-fat milk and additional vegetable (½ cup total) to credit at breakfast.
Serve with additional vegetables (½ cup total) at snack.
Strawberry-Kiwi Pops
Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside and on average, there are 200 seeds on each berry!
Ingredients
1 cup fresh strawberries, stemmed or halved
½ cup 100% apple juice
½ cup low-fat strawberry yogurt
2 medium kiwis, peeled, quartered and sliced
Supplies
Blender
Measuring cups
Rubber scraper
6 – 3 oz. paper cups
6 wooden craft sticks
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Directions
1. Arrange paper cups on a tray small enough to fit into your freezer.
2. Add strawberries, apple juice, and yogurt into the blender.
3. Place cover on blender. Blend until mixture is smooth.
4. Carefully stir the kiwi pieces into the mixture.
5. Pour ¼ cup of the mixture into each of the paper cups and place into the freezer.
6. After 30 minutes, place a craft stick into the middle of each cup. Return cups to freezer until completely frozen solid.
7. To serve, remove from freezer and gently peel paper away from the pops.
8. Eat together!
Orange Sweet Potato Yogurt Smoothies
Ingredients
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
½ cup canned sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp. orange juice
⅛ tsp. cinnamon, plus an additional pinch for garnish
Supplies
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Blender
2 juice glasses
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Why did the orange stop?
Directions
1. Combine yogurt, sweet potato, 1 tablespoon orange juice, and cinnamon in blender.
2. Place cover on blender. Blend until mixture is smooth. Add remaining tablespoon of orange juice if the smoothie is too thick.
3. Pour mixture into juice glasses. Place a pinch of cinnamon on top of each serving.
4. Drink together!
Because it ran out of juice!
CACFP Crediting: As written: Credits as 1 meat alternate and ½ fruit component. Yogurt must not exceed 15 grams of sugar per 4-ounces. Serve with 0.5-ounce equivalent (14 grams) savory crackers or pretzels at snack.
Fruit Rainbow
Ingredients
2 strawberries, sliced
2 peach halves, cut into pieces
¼ cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks
1 kiwi, peeled, halved, and sliced
3 grapes, halved
Dressing
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. coconut flakes
Supplies
Plates
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Small mixing bowl
Whisk or fork
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Directions
1. Arrange a rainbow of each of the cut fruits on plates.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey, and coconut flakes.
3. Drizzle dressing over fruit rainbows. Eat and enjoy together!
CACFP Crediting:
You can choose your favorite fruits to make your own fruit rainbow!
Ingredients
6 baby carrots (or 1 medium carrot)
12 sugar snap pea pods
¼ cup hummus
MAKES 12 CANOES,
4 SERVINGS
Stuffed Pea Pod Canoes
Supplies
Plates
Vegetable peeler
Table knife or serrated plastic knife
Show child the treasures inside the pea pods. Gently open each pod together to find the peas nestled inside.
CANOE believe how yummy pea pods and carrots taste?
Directions
1. Using the vegetable peeler, peel carrots into 24 thin strips, 1-2 inches long.
2. Place pea pods on a plate. Work with child to gently break open each pea pod along the seam. Remove peas and reserve.
3. Using a table knife, carefully spread a generous teaspoon of hummus into the open pea pod. Repeat with each pea pod.
4. Tuck 2-3 peas into the filling of each canoe. Set on a plate and arrange 2 carrot strip “paddles” alongside each pea pod.
5. Eat together!
CACFP Crediting: As written: Credits as ½ vegetable component. (Note: Commercially manufactured hummus is not creditable in some states) Serve with additional vegetables (½ cup total) and 0.5-ounce cheese at snack.
1. Give child a napkin, a bagel half, slice of cheese, and apricot half.
2. Place the cheese slice over the bagel half. Top with one apricot half, rounded side up.
3. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
4. Eat together!
Crediting:
If you like ‘pepper’ on your eggs, sprinkle with poppy seeds!
Strawberry Mouse Nibbles
Ingredients
4 graham cracker squares
¼ cup low-fat strawberry cream cheese
4 strawberries, stemmed
1 string cheese stick
8 sliced almonds
Supplies
Table knife or plastic serrated knife Napkins MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Directions
1. For each snack, allow child to spread graham cracker with 1 tablespoon of cream cheese. Place strawberry on top of the cracker.
2. Ask child to tear four slim strings from the cheese stick. Arrange cheese on the cracker as the mouse’s tail. Reserve remaining cheese to eat along with the snack.
3. Place sliced almonds in strawberry for ears.
4. Eat together!
CACFP Crediting: As written: Credits as ½ grain component. Graham crackers must be 14 grams minimum. Serve with additional fruit (½ cup total) or ¾ cup low-fat milk, or 2 ounces low-sugar yogurt at snack.
Pretzel Bugs
Ingredients
6 dried apricots
12 pretzel sticks
4 raisins
Supplies
Napkins
Paring knife
MAKES 2 SNACKS
Directions
1. Give child a napkin and half of all the ingredients.
2. Have an adult make two small slits in the side of each apricot for each of the pretzel bug legs.
3. Lay apricots on a plate in a row. Insert pretzel legs into the slits in the apricots. Place raisins on top apricot for eyes.
4. Eat together!
Have your camera handy to take pictures of making and eating the snack!
CACFP Crediting:
As written: Credits as 1 fruit component.
Dried fruits require ½ as much as fresh or canned fruit to credit = ¼ cup at snack. Serve with additional pretzels to meet 0.5-ounce equivalent (11 grams minimum) or ¾ cup low-fat milk at snack.
Sweet Potato Hugs and Kisses
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
1-2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Supplies
Vegetable peeler
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Measuring spoons
Mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet
CACFP Crediting:
As written: Credits as 1 vegetable component.
Vegetable portion must be ½ cup minimum for snack.
Serve with ¾ cup low-fat milk or 0.5-ounce equivalent (11 gram minimum) whole grain crackers at snack, or as part of a 5-component lunch.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Cut 1 sweet potato into 2 x ½-inch strips. Cut the other sweet potato into ½ inch thick rounds.
3. In medium bowl, combine sweet potatoes and enough oil to coat.
4. Sprinkle garlic powder and salt over potatoes, toss until evenly coated.
5. Spread on baking sheet in single layer.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Turn potato slices half way through cooking time.
7. On serving plate, arrange sweet potatoes into X’s and O’s.
8. Cool slightly and eat together.
Garden Veggie Flowers Ingredients
10 sugar snap peas
2 cherry tomatoes
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
6-8 fresh spinach leaves
¼ cup low-fat ranch dressing
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Supplies
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Plates
Directions
1. Give child half of vegetables on a plate.
2. Together, arrange pea pods, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and spinach into flower shapes.
3. Pour dressing in a 1 fl. oz. portion cup or on the side.
4. Eat together!
CACFP Crediting:
Broccoli Carrot Forest Ingredients
6 broccoli florets
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
⅓ cup low-fat veggie dip
Supplies
2 plates Spoon MAKES 2 SNACKS
Directions
1. Spoon veggie dip into three mounds on each plate.
2. Stand broccoli florets upright in the mounts of dip.
3. Arrange the carrots among the broccoli florets.
4. Eat together!
CACFP Crediting:
written:
as 1
What kind of music does broccoli listen to?
Broc ‘n roll!
Tomato Broccoli Pasta Salad Ingredients
2 cups (3 oz.) cooked whole-wheat penne pasta
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into ½” cubes
¼ cup Italian dressing
6 SERVING PLATES
Supplies
Measuring cups
Liquid measuring cup
Large mixing bowl
Directions
1. Place cooked pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, and cheese in a large mixing bowl.
2. Pour dressing over all and toss gently until all ingredients are coated.
3. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until ready to serve.
4. Eat together!
Crediting:
Cook pasta ahead of time according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Spinach and Ham Wrap’n Rolls
Ingredients
2 – 8” whole-wheat flour tortillas
4 thin slices deli meat (ham, turkey, or roast beef)
¼ cup low-fat cream cheese, softened
⅓ medium sweet pepper (red, yellow, or orange), seeded and cut into thin strips
8 fresh spinach leaves
Supplies
Measuring cups
Table knife or serrated plastic knife
2 plates
MAKES 4 SERVINGS, ½ WRAP EACH
Directions
1. Place one tortilla on each plate.
2. Spread half of the cream cheese into a thin layer on each of the tortillas.
3. Divide the remaining ingredients between the two tortillas. Layer in the following order:
• Spinach leaves
• Deli meat slices
• Pepper slices
4. Roll up the tortilla and cut in half.
5. Eat together! No spinach on hand? Try lettuce instead! Run out of peppers? Use cucumber or carrots cut thinly lengthwise in place of the peppers.
CACFP Crediting:
As written: Credits as 1 whole grain, ½ vegetable, and ½ meat component. Tortilla must be 14 gram minimum. Vegetable portion is ½ cup minimum. Meat potion is 0.5-ounce minimum (Note: cream cheese is not creditable). Serve with additional vegetables (½ cup total) or ¾ cup low-fat milk at snack.
Mini Pepper
Veggie Skewers
Ingredients
4 cherry tomatoes
4 mini sweet peppers (or 1” squares cut from sweet peppers)
4 sugar snap peas
8 – 1” cubes of cheese: Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella
⅓ cup low-fat ranch or vegetable dip
Supplies
4 wooden skewers Spoon Small bowl
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Directions
1. Give child a skewer and one of each veggie and two cubes of cheese
2. Show child how to thread veggies and cheese on the skewer.
3. Spoon dip into small bowl.
4. Eat together!
Wooden skewers have sharp, pointed ends. Adult supervision required when making this recipe!
CACFP Crediting:
As written: Credits as 1 meat alternate and ½ vegetable component. Meat alternate portion is 0.5-ounce. Vegetable portion is ½ cup. Serve with additional vegetables (½ cup total) to credit at snack.
for quick and easy-to-prepare fruit and veggie snack recipes that are fun for children to make and even more fun to eat! Garden Heroes® Fruit and Veggie Snack Recipes features step-by-step recipes that help make fruits and vegetables familiar and fun.
