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3 Easy Ways to be the Coolest Snack Dad

popsicles

Many dads can teach kids how to do a perfect lay-up or field a ground ball, but how many can impress players and other parents by bringing healthy, kid-friendly treats to practice?

Here are a few snack ideas that will help you win the adoration of hungry kids who need a pick-me-up after ball games, dance practice or play dates:

It’s All in the Presentation

When it comes to kids, they often won’t eat something if it doesn’t look appealing. Draw a basketball on a mandarin orange or a volleyball on top of a prepackaged clear container of peaches, and suddenly everyone wants to try it.

Another idea is to put grapes in one side of a plastic zipper bag and baked cheese crackers in the other side. Clip the middle of the bag with a clothes pin and draw a smiley face on the pin. The end result looks like a butterfly, especially if you embellish the pin with a marker and chenille stem antennae.

Make It Fun

Kids love to eat creative treats, especially if the food looks like a cute animal or a shape they love. Use a cookie cutter to create fun shapes from pieces of watermelon. Then, slide the melon on a wooden stick, making a nutritious Popsicle.

You can also slide grapes onto a wooden skewer and, voila! A caterpillar. To complete the look, attach mini chocolate chips with a tiny dab of marshmallow cream to make a face on the last grape.

Offer Up a Surprise

Dip strawberries or blueberries into plain or vanilla yogurt and then freeze until solid. Kids will delight in finding the sweet fruit inside the frozen treat.

Another idea is to spread peanut butter on a whole-grain tortilla and top with sliced bananas and mini chocolate chips. Roll the tortilla up and slice into one-inch pieces. Serve with toothpicks for a geometrical treat everyone will love. To mix it up, you could use hazelnut spread instead of peanut butter.

Making healthy snacks for a group of kids can be intimidating for even the most seasoned parents. But these simple ideas can help anyone can become the coolest parent at the ball field, playground or dance studio.

Do you have any ideas for snacks? Let us know by commenting below.

Chelsea Adams

A former newspaper journalist, Chelsea Adams is a freelance writer specializing in health, wellness and lifestyles topics. A native Tennessean, she makes her home in Kansas with her husband and two daughters. Learn more about her transition from the mountains to the prairie at http://wichitawesome.blogspot.com.

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Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.

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A former newspaper journalist, Chelsea Adams is a freelance writer specializing in health, wellness and lifestyles topics. A native Tennessean, she makes her home in Kansas with her husband and two daughters. Learn more about her transition from the mountains to the prairie at http://wichitawesome.blogspot.com.

WellTuned provides inspiration and practical advice for healthy living.
WellTuned does not offer medical advice. Any personal health questions should be addressed to your doctor.

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