Berries, Jam and Muffin Fun with Kids

  “Kuplink! Kuplank! Kuplunk!”  It’s the sound of late summer berry picking in Robert McCloskey’s“Blueberries for Sal” where Sal and her mother meet Little Bear and her mother bear on the same blueberry hill. The moms mistake each other’s children, but all ends well.

  Berries are perfect for young children. They are the right size to pick, count, and eat. They are little, but packed with vitamins and minerals.  If children are wary of vegetables, try offering berries.

 Picking Berries

  Berry picking is a great way to get the family outside and let children munch as you gather some to take home. They can combine their pails for blueberry snacks, pies, pancakes and muffins or place a bowl next to plates at any meal. Then talk about what animals like to eat berries. There are many fiction books about berries.

  You can have a little economics lesson. Discuss how food gets to our grocery stores and why berries are expensive. What people bring berries to market like farmers, pickers, truck drivers, packers, and grocery store employees?

  Show children how to freeze hand -picked or store bought berries. Spread them flat on cookie sheets so they do not touch each other and place in the freezer.  When they are hard, transfer them to freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer.  These easy snacks will not clump together. 

  Kid’s Freezer Jam

  Children can smash some berries and add a few drops of honey for fresh jam, cream cheese, and a bagel. 

Freezer jam takes only 30 minutes and can have little sugar. This jam uses pectin, a natural thickening agent found in and around plant cell walls that helps bind those cells together. Jars can be kept in the freezer for a year or refrigerator for three months. Low sugar freezer jam recipes are found on premium pectin for less or no sugar needed packages in the canning aisle and surejell.com.

Kids’ Muffins

For easy blueberry muffins you will need 1 cup soy milk, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar set aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix 2 cups flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. In another bowl  ix ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar, ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add a little zest of lemon, if desired. Stir the flour mixture bowl into the sugar mixture bowl. (You may want to save some of the flour to coat the blueberries.) Pour in the soy milk and vinegar curdled mixture. Stir. Finally, fold in the blueberries gently and place in 25 muffin papers in a muffin pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve cool 

                

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Marketing Fruits and Veggies to Kids

Salsa: New Approach to Eating Fruits & Veggies

 “Yum. Here are some fruits and vegetables,” says adult to child. Young child’s mouth is sealed shut. “Let’s eat some salsa you helped chop up! Yummy!” Magically the mouth may open up with a smile. Not convinced?  Give salsa a whirl.

   Sometimes when families are encouraging small children to eat fruits and vegetables amiably we need a new approach. There are three nutritionists’ suggestions to follow:  make the pieces small, thick salsa style; include children in the preparation; omit the spice or onions in the salsa.

Versatile Salsa

   Salsa is sauce in Spanish which means it can go on something to add interest and flavor, but young children like it as a stand- alone, as well as, on top of something.

  Fruit salsa is generally an easy choice for young children.

Make a Fruit Salsa

 Make sure the children are standing on a sturdy surface and use plastic or table knives for chopping. Here are some possibilities: strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, pitted Bing cherries, mangoes, peeled apples, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, peeled peaches, whatever is in season. The salsa should store for a day. Add fresh banana pieces before serving.

   Older children or adults can cut the larger fruit into peeled pieces and younger children, the ones we want to convince, can cut the larger pieces into small ½ inch squares.

  Mix the juice of half or less of a lemon and 1 Tablespoon of strawberry jam together and stir into the fruit. The salsa can be served with buttered toast or an English muffin or a side of Cheerios.

    If you have time, make some cinnamon tortilla chips in the oven. Set the oven at 375 degrees.  Butter the tortillas and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and sugar. Place on a cookie sheet and use a pizza cutter to cut into triangles or squares. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes or until they are light brown. When cooled, children can spoon salsa onto the chips.

  If you need a rainy day activity, turn the salsa making into a cooking show by recording on your phone.

Not So Spicy

Fresh Produce Works Best for Fun & Nutrition

 Vegetable salsa is a little trickier because young children may not like  the texture or taste of vegetables yet, but it is worth a try. Start with very small tender zucchini, black beans, cooked corn, shaved carrots cut into tiny squares, and tiny pieces of chopped lettuce. Add a little salt and eat with toast or homemade tortillas with no cinnamon. If the vegetables need to be a bit softer sprinkle with water and put the mixture in the microwave for a few seconds. Tomatoes, onions, and peppers are often a problem so that probably knocks out tomato salsa for a while. For more see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com; wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons; Pinterest, and Facebook.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Parfaits Perfect After School Snacks

more than just a fruit treat!!

Are you looking for recipes to make with children or
they can make themselves? Parfaits are the perfect choice for any age because they are naturally simple, slightly messy, and taste really great. It must be the variety of colors and textures, too. They can be eaten for an easy after school snack, a meal, or dessert.
   Parfaits have mostly nutritious ingredients that children like. They are made by layering yogurt or pudding with fresh or thawed frozen fruits and berries and topped with something crunchy.
Creamy Snack
  The next time you go shopping have parfait
ingredients in mind. Look for low fat vanilla, plain, or strawberry yogurt. Greek yogurt is the best because it is very creamy. Fage is one kind that has a 0% fat and tastes very creamy and fattening, but it is not. It is not sour like many other plain yogurts. This yogurt also comes with higher fat contents, if desired.

Children can help look for fresh or frozen berries like blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries.

Shop together for yogurt, berries, fruits

They can help pick out fresh or frozen peaches, plums, grapes, pears and bananas to cut into small pieces with a table knife. Children may also like to add a layer of raisins or craisins.
  Parfaits look most delicious in a see through plastic glass. Start with any ingredient and add colorful layers. Repeat the layers to make a beautiful, nutritious work of art.
  Top with a layer of something crunchy like Cheerios, granola, cookie or graham cracker crumbs. Sometimes they might add a little whipped cream and a cherry for a special occasion.
  If the parfait is not eaten at one sitting, it can easily be stored in the refrigerator. Only the crunchies may not be so crunchy, but still tasty. Children especially like to eat them with a long handled sundae float spoon.
  If you don’t mind a little chocolate surprise, add a bit of chocolate syrup or chocolate chips. A tiny spoon of peanut butter can be a fun surprise among the other textures. Check for allergies first though.
Yogurt Pudding
  As long as children are not allergic to it, peanut butter is a go-to protein ingredient for after school snacks.  Children can make an easy peanut butter pudding by mashing one banana cut into chunks, adding ½ cup Greek yogurt, and ½ cup peanut butter. Mash the banana with a fork or potato masher. Mash in the yogurt. Mash in the peanut butter. Better yet, with adult supervision combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate or just eat immediately.     
 photos: Fran Darling, fdarling foto; sketch: Mark Nowicki

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest