Fun Fruity Sweet Treats

Recently on “The Rachael Ray Show,” host Rachael Ray asked White House chef Sam Kass some questions from Twitter followers. And I was one of them! I was “another Rachel” who had a question about healthy treat options. Chef Kass responded that since kids like fruit, it is always a good choice. Here are ten ideas for making fruit the star of a sweet snack or dessert.

Yogurt Pops

Hip hop artists The Alphabet Rockers, sing about math, friendship and healthy eating. And they have a great recipe for Yogurt Pops too. These cool treats combine yogurt and berries, with a pretzel as the stick!

Fruit and Nut Butter

On her blog, nutritionist Jae Berman suggests fruit, a little nut butter and a couple of crackers as a great afternoon snack. Kids can dip apple slices in nut butter, and then into chopped dried fruit or nuts too.

Drinkable Fruit

The Twin Chefs like to drink their fruit! Their Orange Lassi combines fruit, yogurt and cinnamon into a sweet smoothie these young chefs love.

Baked Apples

Here is an easy Baked Apples recipe from Blog Appetit, that can be baked in the oven or toaster oven, or even steamed in a microwave.

Berries & Sorbet

Sorbet and berries make a complete dessert. Raw or grilled fruit, such as peaches, pineapple or cantaloupe, along with vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt or chilled make a nice combo too.

Easy Ice Cream

One ingredient Banana Ice Cream is easy to make. Frozen banana slices are blended in a food processor. A handful of nuts and a few chocolate chips, or any other ingredients, can be blended in as well. The add-ins give a nice crunch and texture.

Fruit Crisp

A fruit crisp can be made by baking chopped fruit topped with a little brown sugar, cinnamon, oats and butter.

Applesauce

Warm homemade applesauce is a comforting treat, and easy to make. Berries and cinnamon add some extra flavor.

Fruit Kabobs

Fruit on a skewer is fun, since everyone loves anything on a stick! They can be served with yogurt dip, melted chocolate or caramel.

Yogurt Parfait

Yogurt combined with sliced bananas or strawberries is a filling snack. Toppings can include brown sugar or honey, dried cranberries, nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut and chocolate or butterscotch chips.

The natural sugars in fruit make it a food that is easy to enjoy when expecting something sweet. Showing kids that fruit can be made into new dishes will also get them excited about trying new fruits, and get them to enjoy fruits they already love in new ways.

Rachel Teichman is the founder of OOGIAH, an online resource for Jewish families who are moving or traveling throughout the US. The site includes a blog full of creative ways for families to cook, craft and play together. Rachel has also edited the SF Bay Area family events calendar for Red Tricycle, along with writing about family-friendly restaurants. She is a mother of two, and she loves to bake scones! You can find out more about her here.

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