No matter what school looks like in your house these days, your kids are sure to wander into the kitchen at some point and say, “Can I have a snack?” Just for you, we’ve gathered creative ideas from online sources for some fun food that will bring on the smiles and satisfy the howling-growlies at the same time.
Clementine Pumpkins
These cuties are super easy, and you won’t feel bad about letting your children have seconds!
Ingredients:
Seedless clementine (or tangerine)
Narrow stalk of celery, washed and dried
Celery leaves, washed and dried
Instructions:
Peel the clementine and try to remove as much of the white pith as possible. Cut a one- to two-inch long narrow piece of celery and insert it down into the center of the peeled clementine. Arrange a few celery leaves around the top for the full effect.
Apple Ring-Things
Most of the time, we cut an apple into quarters and are left with wedges. But what if you cut the apple into thin circles, or rings? The possibilities are endless.
Ingredients:
2 of your favorite apples
Peanut or other nut butter
Chocolate-hazelnut spread
Cream cheese
Chopped nuts
Crushed cereal
Chocolate chips
Mini marshmallows
Fall-colored sprinkles/jimmies
Banana slices, blueberries, cantaloupe pieces, Cheerios (for ‘owls’)
Instructions:
Wash and dry the apples. Turn an apple on its side and carefully cut a thin slice off the top, where the stem is. Continue slicing until you have several thin rings. Remove the cores.
For apple ‘cookies,’ spread peanut butter on an apple ring and sprinkle nuts, chocolate chips, and crushed cereal on top.
For apple ‘donuts,’ spread chocolate-hazelnut topping or cream cheese on an apple ring and decorate with fall-colored jimmies or sugar sprinkles.
For apple ‘owls,’ spread peanut butter on an apple ring. Cut another apple ring into two thin wedge-shaped pieces and place on top of the peanut butter to form two ‘wings.’ Use banana slices to make ‘eyes,’ complete with a blueberry centered on each slice and adhered with a dab of peanut butter or cream cheese. Cut a small triangle of cantaloupe for the owl’s beak. Fill in the space below the beak with Cheerios for the body.
Sandwich Spiders
Not to be confused with spider sandwiches, these sandwich spiders are cute, healthy and delicious. What more could a hungry kid—and busy mom—ask for?
Ingredients:
2 slices of bread
Your child’s favorite sandwich fixings (sliced deli ham or turkey with cheese, peanut butter and jelly, etc.)
8 pretzel sticks
2 blueberries (or raisins or chocolate chips, or other ‘eyes’)
Instructions:
Prepare sandwich. Use a round cookie cutter or large drinking glass to cut the sandwich into a circle. Insert four pretzel sticks into the sandwich, between the bread slices. Use a dab of cream cheese or peanut butter to adhere blueberries, raisins, or chocolate chips on top as eyes.
Jack-o-Lantern Quesadillas
Need fun food, fast? These little quesadillas can be filled with whatever you have on hand since it’s really all about your “pumpkin carving” skills.
Ingredients:
2 small flour tortillas
Refried beans
Shredded orange cheddar cheese
Other fillings of your choice
Instructions:
Place one tortilla on a microwave-safe plate. Spread beans and other fillings on entire tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top. Place second tortilla on a cutting board and use a knife to “carve” out eyes and a mouth. Set on top of quesadilla fillings. Microwave until filling is hot and cheese is melted.
Trick-Or-Treat Caramel Corn
Plans to watch some football in October? This is the perfect snack mix!
Ingredients:
16 cups plain popped popcorn
5 cups miniature pretzels
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup salted peanuts
1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate pieces
1 cup candy corn
Instructions:
Heat oven to 200°F. Combine popcorn and pretzels in large roasting pan; set aside.
Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 18-20 minutes or until mixture comes to a full boil. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes or until small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a soft ball or candy thermometer reaches 240°F. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda.
Pour mixture over popcorn and pretzels; sprinkle with peanuts. Stir until all popcorn is coated.
Bake 20 minutes; stir. Continue baking 20 minutes. Stir in chocolate pieces and candy corn. Continue baking 5 minutes. Immediately spread onto waxed paper to cool. Store in tightly covered container.
