Healthy Valentine’s Treats for Kids
Shanthi Appelo, MS, RD
| 2 min read
Every February we are sure to find grocery aisles filled with heart-shaped chocolates and candy for Valentine’s Day.
While it’s fine to enjoy those favorite sweets every once in a while, consider these healthy ways to spruce up your child’s Valentine’s Day lunch or as a fruit-based dessert.
Fruit and vegetable cutters in heart shapes are available at many grocery stores and online retailers and are great tools to make these treats.
Bento Box Lunch
Combine pinwheels made of a whole wheat tortilla, veggies such as lettuce and avocado and a protein of choice with heart-shaped vegetables and a dipping sauce. Hard vegetables such as bell peppers of various colors, cucumbers and celery are the easiest to cut and dip.
Edible art
Cut strawberries and pineapples into heart shapes using a fruit/vegetable cutter. Take it from me and avoid bananas and kiwis as these are too soft to cut and may disintegrate when it comes time to dip in the chocolate. Place on safe spears and dip in melted chocolate. White chocolate chips with red food coloring was used for this bouquet. To reduce the amount of chocolate, consider half dipping fruit and leaving some undipped. When chocolate is set, prepare a glass with colored tissue paper on the bottom and arrange sticks. Voila!
Safety note: make sure to use spears for the fruit that are safe for children to use. Popsicle sticks and lollipop sticks that have a soft edge are safer choices.
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Photo credit: Shanthi Appelö
