Summer Time Fun!

Are you enjoying your summer? Ready for it to be over and the kids to go back to school yet? I didn’t think so, me either. I am enjoying the lazy days of summer...wait a minute, I don’t have very many lazy days now that I think about it. Who ever came up with that phrase obviously didn’t have kids, a garden and all that goes along with making sure it’s all cared for.

Summer days for our family means work in the garden, harvesting fresh produce and enjoying the fruits of the season. It also means grilling, picnics and fun snacks for the kids. Do you remember how fun summer was when you were a kid? Most of you, I’m sure remember the ice cream man coming around....is that still something that kids get to enjoy these days? We live out in the country where that is unheard of. :)

Are you looking for fun snacks for your kids that just scream summer? So many easy options are out there, are you still stumped? I know sometimes the options can be overwhelming and often seem like too much work on a busy day. They don’t have to be.

What kid doesn’t love a popsicle? Tired of the sugar loaded frozen treats? Why not make your own. My mom used to freeze juice in ice cube trays with a tooth pick stuck in them. My kids would laugh at me...no offense mom. :) Granted my kids are older and expect a snack that’s bigger than an ice cube.

Try putting yogurt mixed with fruit and maybe some honey into a plastic cup or even a paper cup. Cover it with plastic wrap, secure it with a rubber band and stick a popsicle stick into the middle. Freeze this for a few hours. When your kids want a snack, pull them out of the freezer, run a bit of warm water over the cup to loosen and pop out a tasty frozen treat.

Use a smoothie recipe and do the same thing. My kids love smoothies, a frozen one would be even better! Don’t you think?

Another great summer treat is jello! Have you ever eaten jello with your fingers? No, I have not spent too much time out in the sun today, I am serious! Finger Jello has been a summer treat for my family since I was a kid. You can make it in any flavor you want, even out of fruit juice. One idea I’ve had lately is to try adding pieces of fruit to it, haven’t tried it yet, but it is an idea I’ve had rolling around in my head. If any of you try it, let me know how it works out.

Fresh melons always make a tasty treat on a hot summer day. So do frozen grapes and blueberries. Haven’t tried them? Oh, they are so refreshing on a hot summer day! You don’t want, obviously, to feed this to small children because of the danger of choking, but your older kids will love them. By the way....so will you!

While sweet fruit makes a tasty snack, so do veggies! Try having carrot sticks, celery, broccoli, peppers, cheese cubes and any other tasty bites around. Letting your kids have something to dip them in will make the snack more fun that you’d think. My kids love to have celery with peanut butter or cream cheese. If peanuts are a problem, try one of the other “butters” like almond or sun butter. Even hummus makes a wonderful, healthy snack. Not quite what your kids are into? How about just having a bowl of ranch dressing?

There are endless possibilities for your kids and you to enjoy at snack time. Think “outside of box”...literally! Avoid the boxed snacks, let your kids enjoy some of the fresh flavors of summer. You may find that they enjoy fresh fruits and veggies. That may be a pleasant surprise to both you and them. :)

Enjoy summer’s fresh taste!