My son's preschool has decided to enforce the healthy snack rule for all preschool snacks and parties. We also cannot use any type of nuts due to allergies, and it doesn't have to be store bought. I would like to make something that the kids will really like, but I want something that is different than something they would have everyday at home. Can anyone recommend some fun "treats" I could make for the party?
What about good old ants-on-a-log. We used to love to eat those and to make them when I was a kid. Traditionally, they were celery sticks spead w/peanut butter and toped with rasins but now could you make them with Sunbutter to avoid allergies? Or cream cheese (but I guess that wouldn't work for dairly allergies).
Check out www.familyfun.com. I'm sure you'll get some great ideas there.
My older son's grade school has sort of a healthy snack suggestion, but they haven't been enforcing it and kids still bring cupcakes. If you compare the cupcake calorie info. to muffins or banana bread, the cupcakes are about the same anyway.
But anyway, I do have an idea. My other son's preschool had a birthday party yesterday and the mom brought fruit skewers that included (according to my 3yo) strawberries and marshmallows and I think apples. I thought that sounded kind of fun and different.
You could also do apple slices drizzled with caramel, or strawberries drizzled with chocolate.
Hi C.,
I have to second the little fruit kabob idea. I'm always impressed by those and they are so healthy. I think they are a bit different and parents will appreciate a healthy snack for their child. Maybe you could add a marshmallow to jazz it up? Kids seem to think it is rather fun to pull the fruit off of those too.
As a preschool teacher, I sure do miss those homemade treats as they are so yummy although I'm surprised your school allows them. DCFS states that all food must be store bought at our school. This way, we can be in control of the ingredients and check the labels due to all of the allergies. You don't have that control if things are homemade. And some children are just deathly allergic to things. I was told it was the sprinkles on the typical jewel and dominicks cupcakes as they are on the same conveyer belt as the nuts or something so we can't have them at school in our nut free rooms. And then we have the kids with the egg allergies so they can't have cake or cupcakes but some cookies. Man, its getting complicated since I started teaching 12 years ago.
You wouldn't BELIEVE the rise in food allergies and allergies in general with our students. I have children in my program that are allergic to dairy, nuts, eggs, wheat.. you name IT! Our school last year now provides the snack to the children and parents pay an annual snack fee. We eat a lot of fresh fruit which is great for everyone, including ME! ha. Those little debbie things are just toxic!!! but they are cheap and parents would buy them many times or not read the labels and buy things we couldn't pass out becuz of allergies.
I think if we start teaching the kids about healthy foods at an early age, its a good thing. ( I know, I love cake and cookies just like everyone else.. I do!)
Hi C.- I made pumpkin pancakes for my 1st grader's party (we actually used a griddle on site but you could definitely make ahead). They are healthy and yummy even without syrup. There are a ton of recipes out there if you google it, so you can find the one right for you
Good Luck
Beth
you could make a "fruit pizza" with store bought biscuit or croissant dough spread out on a pizza pan and baked. spread cream cheese over that and decorate with your favorite fruits...cut up strawberries, blueberries, bananas, etc. I did it as a class activity for my son's pre-k class and they loved it!
You could make orange or green jell-o and use pumpkin and witch cookie cutters. I don't know if that is considered healthy enough for your son's pre-school. Good luck!
Would popcorn balls be okay? You could wrap them in orange cellophane with pumpkin faces on them.
I agree with you that a treat now and then isn't so bad, but I guess they figure the treats should be given at home. Too bad for the kids.
D.
Even doctors and nutritionists agree that everything should be in moderation--so yes, I understand your frustration! I had to come up with a store bought, non peanut, non cupcake, treat for my daughter's birthday. It's hard!
Would they be opposed to caramel apples? You of course would skip the nuts. But you could make cute little faces on them with raisins? Instead of the massive caramel apples at the stores, you could make yours with smaller apples--and thus use less caramel than usual.
Good luck!
you may need to check and see if it has to be store bought we cannot make food at our pre school
Good morning C.,
I found a really cute recipe for my sons pre-school called apple bites - (Halloween apples)
1. Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.
2. Tip: If you're not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.
Have you thought about pretzels .
See Familyfun.com .
I hope this helps
K.
Hi fellow Cary Mom's Group Mommy! Your so luck you can make homemade treats, Maya's preschool doesn't allow it and I was so bummed!:( Yes, fruit skewers always a big healthy hit! I always love to make jello jigglers, they are not too bad?? I usually use cute little cookie cutters to make cute shapes. For Halloween I use orange jello and cut them into little pumpkins, X-mas green trees, Valentines day-red hearts and so on. Also always a big hit, but not the healthiest, is doing the "dirt" treat. Chocolate pudding into a little individual dixie paper cup and sprinkle crushed oreos over and then stick one gummy worm in the cup, to look like dirt with worms in it. Not healthy, but cute!
Hi there, for a friend's daughter's party last year i made homemade carrot cake w/ a low-fat (healthy'ish) cream cheese frosting w/ little skull faces in the frosting made from raisins. Everyone loved them and they were really cute. You can use tiny chocolate chips for the skull faces too, if that doesn't go too beyond the healthy rule :)
Hi C.!
In my son's class they had a treat where they put candy corn in each finger of a plastic (food service) glove and then filled it with popcorn. If they are totally against any sweets you can use carrot tips instead of candy corn. The kids thought they were the coolest thing!
