School’s out for the next three months. If you have children at home, you know the two most often uttered phrases of summer vacation. Two phrases that tax your patience and exhaust your creativity. They are “I’m bored” and “I’m hungry.” Wouldn’t you love one solution to satisfy both complaints?
Fun foods will keep children–or adults!–busy, and have the added benefit of providing snacks at the end. Try some of these recipes. Most of them require minimal, simple preparation, but all of them please.
YOGURT POPS...Good and good for you!
- 20 oz. fruit with juice
8 oz. yogurt
6 oz. juice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
- Combine all ingredients in blender.
Pour into bathroom-size paper cups.
Let set in freezer.
Add sticks and freeze completely.
Peel away paper cup to eat.
Be creative–mix or match juice, fruit, and yogurt flavors. Banana, banana-orange, strawberry, berry-lemon. Go wild!
BANANA POPS...Perfect on hot days and they’re mostly fruit, right? So enjoy them without guilt.
- 4 bananas
6 oz. (1 cup) chocolate morsels
1 tbsp. vegetable shortening
Optional: Toppings such as chopped nuts or coconut
- Cut bananas in half crosswise.
Insert a popsicle stick in each cut end and freeze.
Melt morsels over hot (not boiling) water, then stir in shortening.
Coat each banana half with chocolate.
Optional: Roll immediately in topping.
Wrap each pop in aluminum foil or seal in freezer bags and store in freezer.
COOL CORN
- Shuck an ear of sweet corn and...eat. Yes, eat it raw. It’s crunchy, juicy, cold and sweet. And one of your daily vegetable portions.
QUICK DONUTS...Okay, so they’re near the top of the food pyramid, but they are yummy.
- 10-count roll of buttermilk biscuits
Melted butter
Sugar
Cinnamon
- Bake biscuits according to package instructions.
Mix sugar and cinnamon to taste.
Coat biscuits with butter.
Roll in cinnamon-sugar.
TRAIL MIX...Your mix can be as nutritious or naughty as you like.
- Your imagination will be your guide for ingredients, but here are some suggestions:
- Peanuts, Nuts
Raisins, M&M’s
Chocolate chips, Dried Fruits
Rice crackers, Chow mein noodles
Mix and eat!
PUPPY CHOW...Nutritious? No. Delicious? Definitely!
- 1 stick of butter
1 cup peanut butter
12-oz. bag of chocolate chips
12-oz. box of Crispix cereal
1 lb. powdered sugar
- Melt butter, peanut butter, and chocolate chips in large pot.
Stir in cereal until well coated.
Pour sugar into a large brown paper bag.
Add cereal mixture and shake.
Store in air-tight container...if there’s any left to store!
NACHOS...Maybe it’s silly to include a “recipe” for nachos, but I don’t want you to forget this reliable fun food.
- Tortilla chips
Taco sauce or salsa
Shredded monterey jack and/or cheddar
Optional: onions, olives, jalapenos, refried beans, browned ground beef, etc.
- Spread chips on a large microwave-safe plate.
Sprinkle liberally with sauce and cheese.
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