Nibble Tray...Serve up Some Healthy Snacks

I need to go to the grocery store to buy more fruits, but today I gave the boys O's, raisins, Glutino Pretzels, Teddy Puffs, Pineapple, and a red delicious apple

A friend of mine didn't have a muffin pan so she used the muffin cups (great idea, huh?) and she served her non-food allergic daughter her lunch like this: turkey, sugar snap peas, string cheese, blueberries, and a couple animal crackers.

Nibble Tray

I love making sure my boys get a variety of healthy snacks throughout the day. Plus, they are not eating the same food (and a ton of it). I tell them they have to move on to the next muffin cup when they have eaten the one that they really wanted. It makes me feel good knowing that I am fueling their growing bodies with the right kind of foods. Plus, they don't keep asking me for snacks...they already have them.

You might be able to use this idea for your kids or even for yourself. A friend of mine implemented this idea at her house and even saw her husband grabbing some fresh blueberries and other healthy foods throughout the day because it was convienient. I find myself grabbing more healthy snacks if they are cut up and easily available. Be as creative as you want with the foods.

Here's what Dr. Sears says about Nibble Trays (I got to meet him back in October...it was so cool!). I share this concept when I teach my Wellness Workshops:

*Some of these options are would not work for food allergic children, but you get the idea :)

Offer a nibble tray. Toddlers like to graze their way through a variety of foods, so why not offer them a customized smorgasbord? The first tip from the Sears' kitchen is to offer toddlers a nibble tray. Use an ice-cube tray, a muffin tin, or a compartmentalized dish, and put bite-size portions of colorful and nutritious foods in each section. Call these finger foods playful names that a two-year-old can appreciate, such as:
apple moons (thinly sliced)
avocado boats (a quarter of an avocado)
banana wheels
broccoli trees (steamed broccoli florets)
carrot swords (cooked and thinly sliced)
cheese building blocks
egg canoes (hard- boiled egg wedges)
little O's (o-shaped cereal)
Place the food on an easy-to-reach table. As your toddler makes his rounds through the house, he can stop, sit down, nibble a bit, and, when he's done, continue on his way. These foods have a table-life of an hour or two.

Now, go get that nibble tray ready and feel good about the food choices your kids are making.

*Don't forget to leave water out for your kids so they can stay hydrated throughout the day.

*This is the teacher in me coming out...you are picking ALL of the choices (which gives you control), but your kids get to still choose which snack they want to eat first, etc. (this makes them feel like they have control). I LOVE THIS...everybody is happy :)