Creative Kid Snacks

make fun of lunch!

Easter Morning

by

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is, in my eyes, one of the singe most important events of all time.  On Easter, we celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, conquering sin and death, and paving the way for all who believe in him to have forgiveness and everlasting life.

After Jesus’ death, his body was placed in a garden tomb by a couple of his disciples.  Three days later, Mary Magdelene went to the tomb to anoint the body with spices and oil, and saw the stone rolled away from the tomb entrance.  As they entered the tomb, they saw an angel who said to them, “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” (Mark 16:6 NIV).

Resurrection day proved that Jesus was who he said he was.  The son of the most high God, able to defeat even death, so that we who believe may live!  Amen!

This Easter snack will help you to teach the story of Jesus’ resurrection to your children.  Read the story from Mark 16 or John 20, (or read it from the Children’s Bible – here’s the one we use), and then make this snack together.

Teach the story of Jesus' resurrection and the true meaning of Easter with this snack by creativekidsnacks.com
To make this snack, start with the tomb.  Slice an apple near the core on one side so you have a nice large chunk of apple.  Then slice that in half so that there is one round “stone” piece and another that looks like an empty tomb.  Easy!  Next, thinly slice a baby carrot and place the strips around the tomb to look like beams of light.  Add some celery grass underneath the tomb.  (After all, the tomb was in a garden)!

Next, slice a hard boiled egg in half to use as the angel’s body.  Carefully pop out the yolk of one of the halves and place it on top as the angel’s head.  Slice two small traingles off of the half of boiled egg you didn’t use for the body, and place those next to the body as arms (well, sleeves).  Add some pretzels as wings, and use a small almond for his smile and tiny brown sprinkles for his two eyes.  I normally use raisins for eyes, but this guy’s face was too small for that!

You now have a delicious, nutritious, and educational bible story for lunch.  Enjoy!

Teach the story of Jesus' resurrection and the true meaning of Easter with this snack by creativekidsnacks.com

If you enjoyed this Easter snack, check out our other biblical snacks like Jesus’ birth, Jesus on the cross, Jonah in the big fish, and more.

Come and Play at the Weekly Kid’s Co-Op

by

As moms, we are constantly on the lookout for great teaching tools and resources to use with our children.  I know I always benefit from seeing the creativity of others as they share lessons, activities, crafts, food, and more in their various blogs.  Mommy bloggers have become popular for a good reason: information is power.  Right, ladies?

The Weekly Kids Co-Op

The Weekly Kids Co-op is one of my very favorite such resources.  I have been linking my snacks to this link party for months now, and I am excited to be able to co-host it here at Creative Kid Snacks.

If you are a blogger, link up your kid related posts to share with all of us eager beaver mommas.  If you are a mom, take some time to look through all of the great ideas for teaching and playing with our kids.  Pin what you love.  Like I said before, information is power!

This party will take place every Thursday at Creative Kid Snacks.  You will find it hosted on several other blogs, but the days the party goes live will vary from blog to blog.

Get ready for all the great ideas!  Link, share, and enjoy!

Screen shot 2013-02-21 at 6.55.38 PM


Hello Kitty Lunch

by

Hello Kitty is a beloved character that I used to watch when I was a young girl, and who has now made a comeback.  My four year old daughter carries a bright pink Hello Kitty backpack to school with her every day.

With Hello Kitty‘s recent surge of popularity, we had a request by a Facebook friend to share some Hello Kitty inspired food.

Hello Kitty Lunch

Hello Kitty Lunch

Ingredients: 1 half bagel, 2 T whipped cream cheese, 2 blueberries, 1 slice banana, 6 thin slices apple, 1 strawberry, and 1 raspberry.

To create this easy and cute Hello Kitty, I used a half bagel spread with a thin layer of whipped cream cheese.  I cut a small section from the top to create her ears.  Next I added two blueberry eyes, a small banana nose, and thinly sliced apple whiskers.  For her bow, I sliced one strawberry in half for the two sides of the bow, and used a raspberry for the center.

That’s it.  A delicious and fun lunch with a great variety of wonderful fruit.

Here is another Hello Kitty Lunch we’ve created in the past.

hello kitty lunch

See the blog post about this Hello Kitty here.

And coming up soon I have a Hello Kitty Breakfast!  WooHoo!

(Sharing HERE)

Did you enjoy today’s snack?  Learn more about this blog here.

Porcupine

by

Who doesn’t love peanut butter?  A peanut butter porcupine is even better!  Make this snack for your peanut butter-loving child and he will be delighted to dip every part of the snack into the yummy peanut butter.

My girls love to make snacks that reflect nature.  Things that they see around them every day.  Some examples of our nature snacks include Solar System, Flower Garden, Dragon Fly, and others found here.

Pocupine peanut butter dipping snack

This guy is super easy to make and the kids love dipping everything in the peanut butter.

First, spread a tablespoon or two of peanut butter in the center of the plate.

Next, give him some spikes using mini pretzel sticks.

Cut several slices of banana into circles and slice two of those circles in half to lay flat on the plate.  Now place a head and a tail on each end of his body.  Add a tiny dollop of peanut butter for his nose, and break off a small end of a pretzel stick to stick into the banana for his eye.

Finally, add some celery as the grass he’s playing in, and you are done!

When I made this snack for my girls, They loved dipping everything in the peanut butter to eat.  This snack is definitely a winner!

Pocupine peanut butter dipping snack

Make sure to check out our other nature and everyday scenes snacks!

(I’ll be sharing this HERE)

Did you enjoy today’s snack?  Learn more about this blog here.

Peter Pan Party Ideas

by

It’s time for another party ideas post!  This time, we are helping Deena, who is hosting a Peter Pan / Pirate themed birthday party.

There are so many great ideas out there, and most of them are adorable, tasty, sweets.  I will share some of those ideas later in the post, but we are going to focus on healthier options in our party posts.

(By the way, if you are hosting a kid’s birthday party soon, share the theme and when the party is taking place on our Facebook page, and we will create a post tailored to you with at least 3 healthy, creative ideas for the party).

Peter Pan Birthday Party Food

Peter Pan Veggie Tray

The kids will love to nibble on this Peter Pan Veggie Tray.  Layer cucumbers in the shape of a green shirt with points at the bottom, just like Peter Pan wears.  Add celery for his legs.  I have 3 celery sticks on top of each other in this tray.  Roll several slices of turkey for his face.  Now, give Peter some shoes, arms, and hair using baby carrots as shown.  Finish with a blueberry eye and a smile.  I used summer sausage.  A sure hit!

Apple and Cheese Pirate Ships

Another fun snack to put out at the party are these easy apple and cheese pirate ships.  Slice an apple, then use a plastic toothpick (I get mine from the dollar store), and push it through a slice of colby jack cheese to look like a sail.  Simple and delicious!

Peter Pan Bagel Snacks

Try a “make your own bagel” station with sliced bagels covered with plain cream cheese.  Use cucumbers, thinly sliced carrots, ham, and olives to design your own pirate ship or Peter Pan bagel.

Not feeling adventurous enough to let the kids make their own during the party?  Serve this as lunch for your child the day before the party to build up the anticipation!

Place some pixie sticks in a mason jar and label them “Pixie Dust” – such an easy and cute idea!  You can try making your own by clicking the link in the caption or just buy some at the store.

More resources to plan a great Peter Pan Party:

Peter Pan Captain Hook Boy or Girl party via Kara’s Party Ideas

Swoon: Peter Pan Party Reveal Part 1

Swoon: Peter Pan Party Reveal Part 2

 

 

Best of luck with the party, Deena!  Remember to head over to Facebook and share YOUR upcoming party theme with us!

Birthday Party Ideas

Creative Valentine’s Day Snacks for Kids

by

Valentine’s Day can be such a fun day for the kids.  Why not make it even more special by showing your love to them with a creative snack or meal?  Following is some of my favorite Valentine’s Day food that you can serve all day.

6 Cute Valentines Day Snacks for the kids. Can't tell whether the oatmeal one or the apple one is my favorite!

Breakfast

Heart Warming Oatmeal

Heart Oatmeal 16 Cute Valentines Day Snacks for the kids. Can't tell whether the oatmeal one or the apple one is my favorite!

This is a fun and tasty way to start off the day.  Ever since I made this the first time, it has become a staple in our house!  Click here to see how we made it.

Valentine’s Day Pancakes

6 Cute Valentines Day Snacks for the kids. (Snack #3) Can't tell whether the oatmeal one or the apple one is my favorite!

If your child is a pancake lover, then give them a memorable pancake breakfast using heart shaped cookie cutters to make everyone in your family.  See how this breakfast was made here.

Lunch

 

The Giving Tree

Giving Tree Lunch (6 Cute Valentines Day Snacks for the kids. Can't tell whether the oatmeal one or the apple one is my favorite!)

Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to talk about real love and the ways people show it to one another.  Read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and make this adorable lunch to go with it.  See how we made it along with some questions to get your kids talking about love here.

 

I Love You to the Moon and Back

I love you to the moon and back

Here is another book-inspired lunch.  Check out our post about the message of the story and how to make the snack that goes with it here.

Snacks

 

I Love You

i love you snack (6 Cute Valentines Day Snacks for the kids. Can't tell whether the oatmeal one or the apple one is my favorite!)

Although I’m categorizing it as a snack, this dish is filling enough to be a lunch for some kids.  With refreshing strawberries, grapes, celery, and calcium rich cheese and yogurt, this dish says I love you in more than one way.  See how to make it here.

 

Valentine’s Day Apples

6 Cute Valentines Day Snacks for the kids. Can't tell whether the oatmeal one or the apple one is my favorite!

A super fun snack the kids will go nuts over is this simple apple snack.  Use a cookie cutter to slice apples into heart shapes, add some peanut butter and some crunchy cereal – and the kids won’t be able to contain their love for you!  See all the details about this snack here.

We hope you have a great Valentine’s Day!

Train

by

Does your child watch Thomas the Train?  Have you gone on a train ride for a fun family adventure recently?  We love to ride the train just to go a few towns over, as a fun way to get to a relatively nearby destination.  This past Christmas, we rode the train from our local station 3 stops down to go see a fabulous lights display in a nearby town.  We had a blast!

Let’s make a choo-choo train for lunch today!

Train Lunch from creativekidsnacks.com

I have been loving using wraps lately as an alternative to sliced bread.  I can cut it into neat, fun shapes and the girls love the texture.  We like these:

Wraps

These particular wraps contain more protein and fiber than many of the other brands available at my local grocery store.  I’ll take any protein boost I can get out of a typically protein-lacking item like bread (or in this case tortilla wraps).

To make the train

First, I made a wrap using fresh turkey breast and some mayonnaise.  I recently learned of an awesome home-made mayo recipe that I will try and implement in an upcoming snack and share here!Wrap Slicing to create a train

Once the wrap is made, I sliced in into two rectangular sections, then sliced a triangle out of the remaining portion.  This triangle will be the top of the top of the train.

Arrange the train on the plate as shown below, then add some wheels.  I used sliced baby carrots.  For the front window, I sliced a grape in half and then slice one rounded edge off to look more like a window.

Train Lunch from creativekidsnacks.com

I spooned a bit of cottage cheese to look like steam coming from our little steam engine.

To complete the look, add some pretzel sticks below the train to look like tracks.  A happy sun in the sky creates a happy choo-choo train.

Train wrap

Look how yummy this lunch looks for the kids!  It’s an adorable lunch that the kids will love to eat!

(I’ll be sharing this HERE)

If you liked this lunch, check out the other lunches that reflect everyday scenes: Helicopter, Kite, Solar System, Hot-air balloon, Stoplight, and House

The Giving Tree

by

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is one of the most poingant books about the nature of sacrificial love that exist for children.  In light of Valentines Day, I thought a lunch inspired by The Giving Tree was in order.

Giving Tree 1

Creating The Giving Tree lunch

Ingredients used:

Frozen or canned peas – about 6 oz

2 oz meat (pulled pork, rotisserie chicken, lunch meat, etc)

1 strawberry

1 slice of white cheese

1 pretzel

Thaw some frozen peas or use some canned peas and heat in a small glass bowl in the microwave.  Next, take some meat – I used leftover pulled pork, which was beautiful for texture, but you could use lunch meat, rotisserie chicken, or even sandwich bread – and form the trunk.  Before placing the peas on the plate, heat the meat in the microwave, about 30 seconds.  Remove the plate, add the peas to the top, and you have a beautiful tree that looks like the Giving Tree from the story.

Next, create the little boy.  I sliced a strawberry in half and sliced into it to create the shoulder straps and shorts.  Next, I took a slice of mozzarella cheese and made his hands, legs, and head.  I added a tiny currant (small raisin) for his eye, and made his hair out of several pretzel bits.

givngtree 2

Talking about LOVE using The Giving Tree Story

The Giving Tree has lots of implications about what it means to love.  It is quite interesting to find out whether your child picks up on these themes as you read the story.  Following are some before, during, and after reading ideas.

Before reading:

Ask your child ways people can show others that they love them.  (They might give you ideas like hug, give a gift, say “I love you”, etc.)

Ask your child how they know that you love them.  What makes them feel loved?  (This will indicate your child’s “love language”)

During Reading:

After reading the lines, “and the tree was happy”, ask your child why the tree was happy.

After reading the lines, “and the tree was happy.  But not really”, as your child why the tree wasn’t really happy.

After reading:

Discuss which character in the story showed love better.  Why?

Talk about how you love your child no matter what happens.

Ask how the boy could have shown love to the tree.

Think of ways your child can show love to others today.

Giving Tree 1

Have a wonderful Valentines Day.  If you need some other ideas for this special day, check out our “Heart Warming” Oatmeal, Valentines Day Pancakes, Guess How Much I Love You?, Valentines Day Apples, and I Love You yogurt snack.

(Sharing at Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons and Sun Scholars)

Heart Warming Oatmeal

by

Do your kids love oatmeal as much as mine do?  Fresh berry oatmeal or oatmeal with fruit preserves is even better, right?  Make a Valentines Day breakfast for your kids that they will love to eat!

Oatmeal is one of the best breakfasts for kids.  It keeps them full and has more protein than other grain-based breakfasts.  It’s something to feel good about feeding the kids.  What’s better, if you top it with some organic berry preserves (such as Costco brand), the kids will love you forever!

Heart Oatmeal 1

Step 1: Prepare Oatmeal and Strawberries

Cook oatmeal as directed and place into a bowl.

To create heart strawberries, slice strawberries in half from top to bottom so they lay flat.  Then, carefully slice a small “V” into the top center to look like a heart.  Use the little fruit hearts as a garnish to your dish.

Step 2: Create Jam Heart

Heart Oatmeal 2

Place several tablespoons of berry preserves into a microwavable container – preferably one from which you can pour later!  Microwave for 30 seconds.

Next, use a small heart shaped cookie cutter to help you make your heart.  Press the cookie cutter slightly into the oatmeal, then pour in your warm preserves, filling the shape.

Step 3: Remove cookie cutter and serve

Heart Oatmeal 3

Carefully pull your cookie cutter straight up from the oatmeal – leaving your beautiful heart-shaped jam in the center.

Congratulations!  You have now created a Valentines day breakfast full of flavor that the kids will love!

Take a look at our other Valetine’s Day Snacks

Valentines Day Pancakes

I love you yogurt breakfast

Guess How Much I Love You? Snack

Valentines Day Apples

 

P.S. – Also check out Super Healthy Kids’ Valentines Day Oatmeal for another great idea!

(Sharing HERE)

Valentines Day Pancakes

by

Valentines Day is almost here!  How about a sweet little breakfast for your Valentine?  Make these easy Valentines Day Pancakes!

valentines day pancakes 2

To create this little plate, simply prepare two medium or one large pancake on your skillet.  Next, take your heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out as many little hearts as desired.

Next, give the hearts a little personality, which is what we do on Creative Kid Snacks!  I used chocolate chips for their eyes, and a small slice of a strawberry for their mouths.  How sweet!

As a finishing touch, I added little whipped cream polka dots around the plate for a little something special for my little Valentines.

Valentines day pancakes 1

Enjoy!  (Sharing HERE)

Check out our other Valentines Day Food.

 

Guess How Much I Love You? Snack

 

Valentines Day Apples

 

I love you yogurt breakfast

 

 

Best of

Best Of

Copyright Note

Please feel free to use any of these ideas with your children at home, school, church, or anywhere you are inspired to make fun of lunch. If you would like to share a post on a blog or site, you may use one picture so long as you include a link to the original post. Please do not re-post the whole article or distribute printed-out content without written permission from the original author.

Grab our button!

Creative Kid Snacks Button