Color Changing Lemonade Slushies
4 tsp. Blue pea flower tea
2 C. Boiling Water
2 C. Lemonade
Steep tea in water for 8 minutes. Strain into 2 C. measuring C.. Pour tea into ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Place tea cubes in blender and crush. Add ½ C. crushed ice into a glass. Pour ½ C. lemonade over ice.
Layered Finger Jell-O
For each colored layer:
1 3 oz package jell-o
1 pack or 1 T. unflavored gelatin
1 C. boiling water
For the white layer:
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 packs or 4 T. unflavored gelatin
2 C. boiling water
Mix each jell-o color separately in containers. Let stand till room temperature, stirring occasionally. Mix up white layer and also let stand till room temperature, stirring occasionally. Pour first color into 9×13 dish. Refrigerate till firm. Put 1/3 of white layer in next. Refrigerate till firm. Repeat till done. If all mixtures are at room temperature, it takes only about 7 minutes to firm up each layer so you can add the next one. Do not make the Jell-o as directed on the package. Make each package as directed above – for each package of Jell-o, add 1 package or 1 T. of gelatin and 1 C. boiling water. I was skeptical about the taste but when I carefully sliced into it this morning, I popped an end bit into my mouth and was pleasantly surprised.
I am not 100% sure what American Children will eat frosting/jam on bread with cheese and nori. But its cute!
Rice
Teriyaki Beef
Purple Potato
Tomato
Carrot
Kiwi
Rice
Tortilla
Bell Pepper
Bite Size Bees
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
2 T. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 C. confectioner’s sugar
3/4 C. graham cracker crumbs (about 12 squares)
1 square (1 ounce) semisweet chocolate (or just use store bought icing)
1/3 C. sliced almonds, toasted
paper plates
Cream the peanut butter, butter, and sugar until smooth. Add the graham cracker crumbs and mix well. Chill dough. Shape into 1†ovals. Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for one minute or until melted. Transfer the melted chocolate to a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in one corner of the bag. Make stripes on bee bodies. Add almonds for wings and poke a hole with toothpick for eyes.
Snowman Cookies
Nutter Butter cookies
Vanilla Almond Bark (half a package made 13 cookies for me)
M&Ms
Orange Tic Tacs
Black Decorator Icing
After melting the Almond Bark for 90 seconds, I used a spoon to help cover the cookies when I dipped them. The spoon helped to get them on the foil too, since I didn’t want fingerprints. I didn’t put the Tic Tacs or the M&Ms on until I finished dipping all of them – I wanted the Almond Bark to set a little bit. As for the icing, I just squirted some in a ziploc bag and cut the tip just a tiny, tiny bit.
Popcorn Ball Topiaries
1 bag (3 oz.) light butter microwave popcorn, popped
1 C. jelly beans
1/4 C. butter
1 bag (10 oz.) marshmallows
Combine popcorn and candy. In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in marshmallows. Reduce heat to low; cook until marshmallows melt and the mixture is smooth, stirring frequently. Pour over popcorn, stirring gently to coat well. Coat hands with cooking spray. Shape mixture into 2-inch balls. Insert sticks. Allow to cool before inverting in pots filled with candy. Makes 16 to 20.
2 Pieces of Bread
Butter
Sliced Cheese
6 Pretzel Sticks
5 Raisins
Hazelnut spread
Banana
Strawberry
Blueberry
Fruit Leather
Pancake Batter, homemade or store bought
Cocoa
2 Chocolate Chips
1 Marshmallow
1 Strawberry
1 Clementine
Nutella
2 Pieces of Bread
Tuna
3 Carrots
1 Pretzel Rod
1 Twizzler String
Gold Fish Crackers
Blue Jell-O
1 Clementine
Heart Sprinkles (optional)
(This is never going to stay like this if you were really packing a lunch. You need filler for the sandwich side, and that yellow? Yikes, what a mess. Easy lunchboxes aren’t leak proof. I have several small boxes of different types to fit into the various wells of our multitudinous lunch boxes.  And I would probably exchange the crackers for little fish cut from carrots; I have a cutter for that. It’s way carb / sugar heavy)
Pancakes
Mandarin Oranges
Strawberries
Blueberries
Frosting or Nutella or Chocolate Syrup – Piped
1/2 C. Mayonnaise
2 tsp. Spicy Mustard
2 tsp. Honey
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
3 tsp. Vinegar
2 Black Olives
1 Cracker
1 tsp. Mayonnaise (To make the eye)
Bagels
Crunchy Peanut Butter
Banana
Blueberries
Strawberry
Oatmeal
Strawberries
Blueberries
Banana
Fruit Syrup (mouth) or Raisins
Mandarin Oranges
Blueberries
Cheese
Pancake Mix or Recipe
I Hard Boiled Egg
Turkey Bacon
4 Strawberries
4 Green Grapes
1 Dark Grape (or Blueberry)
1 Clementine
1 Banana
Black Grapes
Green Grapes
1 Mini Marshmallow
1 Raisin
Mini bagels
Cream cheese
Two apples – one red, one green
Banana
Chocolate chips
Two strawberries
Mini circle cutter (optional)
1 Babybel
2 Raisins
2 pieces of whole wheat bread (sandwich of choice)
2 Baby Carrots
Pretzel Spoons or Mini Pretzel Twists
1 Pretzel Rod
Kale Chips (or you could use green grapes)
Pancakes
Strawberry
Blueberry
2 Candy Eyes
2 lg. Eggs
1 ¾ C. Milk
¼ C. Oil (or melted butter)
2 tsp. Honey
1 tsp. ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Baking Soda
1 ½ C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/8 tsp. Salt
Cooking Spray or Butter
2 pieces Cooked Turkey Bacon
1 Banana
3 Blueberries
Preheat waffle iron. In large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, honey, cinnamon and baking powder until well combined. Add in flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk just until large lumps disappear. Spray or butter your waffle iron and griddle to the directions of your waffle iron manufacturer. Keep warm under foil until all are cooked. To decorate a waffle, cut two slices from a banana for eyes. Add blueberries for pupils, and a blueberry for a nose. Cut the rest of the banana in half and place to resemble tusks. Finally, lay the bacon over the bananas to make a moustache.
Chicken Pancakes
Pancake Mix (or favorite homemade recipe)
1 Strawberry
1 Hard Boiled Egg
1 Piece of Turkey Bacon
1 Orange Slice
Granola
1 Chocolate Chip
Start out by pouring your pancake mix in a pan on low heat making a large pancake. Cut around the edges in the shape of a chicken. Cut out the tail & wing from the scraps using kitchen scissors. We cut slices from 1 strawberry for the top. We used an orange slice from the beak. We cut a piece of turkey bacon for the feet and waddle & a chocolate chip for the eye. We place granola at the bottom & then placed the hard boiled egg on top.
Pancake Mix
Cocoa
1 Marshmallow
Chocolate Chips
Start out by making your pancake mix according to directions. Pour a little bit of the mix into a small bowl. This will be the baby. Pour a little bit of cocoa in the rest of the mix. Pour your chocolate pancake mix into a pan on low heat making 3 medium size pancakes & 1 small pancake. Use the small pancake for the head. Use one of the med. pancakes for the body. Cut another one in half & place that on top. This will create the pouch. Cut out the other features like the ears, tail, etc.. Using kitchen scissors with the other half. We cut the feet & hands out the last pancake using round cookie cutters. You can also just use your kitchen scissors. Cut a marshmallow in half for the eyes. We used chocolate chips for the face, hands, & feet. Pour the rest of your regular pancake mix in the pan & make a small circle. Cut out the baby kangaroo & place in the pouch.
1 cup milk (any kind of milk will work)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups brioche, French or sandwich bread (cut into 2 inch cubes)
1 tablespoon butter or oil
16 strawberries, stems removed
2 bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch coins
8 wooden skewers
In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, honey and cinnamon. Dip the bread cubes in the milk mixture to coat each side. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the bread for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Skewer the French toast cubes, strawberries and bananas and serve with maple syrup for dipping.
1 chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 C. water
1/4 C. vegetable oil
1/4 C. applesauce
2 large eggs
30 flat-bottom ice cream cones
1 can (16oz) frosting (any flavor)
candy sprinkles
Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, mix together cake mix, water, oil, applesauce, and eggs until smooth. Fill each cone with about 2 1/2 T. of batter. Place upright cones about 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet or muffin pan. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes. Cool completely. Soften frosting in the microwave on HIGH 10 seconds. Stir, then spread evenly over cupcakes. Place sprinkles on top, if desired.
2 Wilton Mini Ball Pans
1/2 Duncan Hines Yellow cake mix, 1/4 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk
red liquid food coloring
yellow liquid food coloring
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 cinnamon stick
6-12 fresh peppermint leaves
12 whole almonds
One batch Buttercream Frosting
Ice cream or sorbet, optional
Raspberry sauce, optional
How to Make and Assemble:
You will only need 1/2 of a Duncan Hines yellow cake mix to make 6 Peach Cakes. Mix according to package directions- 1/2 cake mix with 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, and 12 drops yellow food coloring. Divide evenly among the 12 greased mini rounds- about +1/4 cup batter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 2 minutes in pan then remove to wire rack. If you have one pan this can be done in two shifts!
While cakes are baking make the buttercream frosting and add about 12 drops of yellow food coloring to get a bright yellow. Set aside.
In two separate lidded containers, add 1/2 cup sugar and 12 drops yellow food coloring to one and 1/4 cup sugar and 6 drops red food coloring to the other. Cover each container and shake vigorously until the coloring is fully incorporated. Let the children do this! If there is clumping, break up with a fork and continue shaking. You should have a lovely bright yellow and a nice deep pink. You will have leftovers.
Break the cinnamon stick into small stems by taking a pair of scissors and placing the point into the hollow center of the stick and cutting. You will get both big and small bits, use the prettier pieces.
Frost the flat side of six mini rounds, being sure to get the frosting very think along one edge. Place another mini round on the frosting and press together forming a peach. Run your finger or a small spoon along the frosting to make an indentation that mimics the crease on a peach.
Dip each “cheek†of the peach into the pink sugar. I am calling each “fleshy†side of the thick portion of frosting the cheek. Then roll the rest of the peach in the yellow sugar without covering the pink portion. Roll the frosting portion in the yellow sugar as well. At the top of each peach, place a piece of cinnamon stick and a peppermint leaf. Arrange in a pretty bowl or on a platter. Decorate with more mint sprigs if desired.
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup beet puree
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Whisk all ingredients until smooth. Butter griddle or frying pan on medium heat. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup drop batter on pan and cook until brown on both sides and cooked through. Serve warm with butter and warm maple syrup.
Circle Cutters
Sandwich Filling
Carrots
Lettuce
Cheese
Candy Eyes
Meatballs
Peanuts
Pineapple
Cantaloupe
1. Make Easy Flavored Kool-Aid Frosting
Stir a package of Kool-Aid into a can of vanilla frosting.
2. Frosting for a Jello Cake
Fold in a pack of Kool-Aid into a container of thawed whipped topping. If the frosting tastes a little too sour, add in a little sweetener to taste.
3. Make Kool-Aid Lip Gloss
To make a fruity lip gloss put a small amount of petroleum jelly into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir some Kool-Aid in, enough to make it the color you desire. Add a little sugar, then, place the bowl in a microwave oven for about five or six seconds, just enough to soften it.
4. Make Sand Art With Kool-Aid
Draw pictures on paper, spread a thin layer of Elmer’s glue over one part of the picture. It’s better to start at the top of the picture and work down. Sprinkle Kool-Aid over the glue and press it down gently. Shake off the excess powder off, and go on to the next color.
5. Temporarily Dye Your Hair With Kool-Aid
In a glass bowl mix a packet of Kool-Aid with a teaspoon of corn starch and just enough water to make a paste. Apply the paste to clean, dry hair and let set for five minutes, rinse the paste out.
6. Make Spooky Party Decorations
Just place some dry ice- don’t touch it with your hands!- into a glass, and pour a packet of any flavor Kool-Aid into it. Kids will watch with fascination as the dry ice and Kool-Aid bubbles and mists.
7. Make Kool-Aid Clay for the Kids
Mix together 1 cup of flour, a 1/4 cup of salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar and a pack of Kool-Aid in a pan. Stir in 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat stirring until the mixture thickens, remove from heat and let it cool. Knead the Kool-Aid clay until smooth. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until use.
8. Remove Chlorine From Your Hair
Use Lemonade flavored Kool-Aid. Pour a little Kool-Aid in your hand, then add shampoo and lather up. Let the Kool-Aid/shampoo set on your hair for fifteen minutes before you rinse it and then shampoo out well. (and we drink this??)
9. Kool-Aid Water Colors
Pour Kool-Aid into ice cube tray, one compartment per color. Stir 1 tablespoon of water into each compartment; stir until the powders are completely dissolved.
10. Tie Dye with Kool-Aid
You can dye any cotton item such as tee shirts, socks, bed sheets, towels, as long as it is cotton. The article you want to tie dye must be clean and dry. Pour each color package of Kool-Aid into an individual glass bowl. Stir an ¼ cup of white vinegar into each bowl; make sure the powders dissolve completely. Gather the fabric up in several places and secure with several rubber bands. Dip each bunch into a bowl of Kool-Aid. Leave the rubber bands in place and set aside to dry. Once dry, remove the rubber bands and spread it out so it can completely dry. Put it in the clothes dryer by itself and dry on high for 15 minutes to set the colors in.
11. Use Kool-Aid to Check for Toilet Tank Leaks (this is funny to me)
Lift the lid off the toilet tank and pour Kool-Aid into the tank. The darker colors work the best. Don’t flush the toilet! Just watch the toilet bowl, if you see the Kool-Aid float through from the tank, then you have a leak. The test can take fro 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the leak.
12. Removing Rust Stains
Remove rust stains on your driveway by mixing unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid with just a little water and scrub. (see #8)
13. Cleaning the Inside of your Dishwasher
Dump a packet of unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid into the soap dispenser, run the wash cycle. Removes stains and hard water deposits.
14. Dyes for Easter Eggs
Mix a packet of Kool-Aid in a cup with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and ½ cup of water
15. Kool-Aid Stands
Send the kids out to sell and play–they can sugar up other people’s kids.:)
16. Decorating Cookies
Use in place of colored sugars, just sprinkle a little across the top
17. Science Project with Plants
Place a stalk of celery in water with Kool-Aid in it to demonstrate how the Kool-Aid is drawn up into the stalk with the water.
18. Coloring Flowers
Place carnations, daisies or any white flower in water with Kool-Aid in it and watch the flowers turn colors.
19. Demonstrate a Non-Newtonian Substance
Mix equal parts cornstarch and water that has been colored with a pack of Kool-aid. Mix with fingers and observe that this substance fluctuates between solid and liquid.
20. Shower Prank (look out, Gourmet Dad!)
This is a simple prank. All you have to do remove the shower head from your shower and pour in the kool-aid packet into the shower head. NOTE: Make sure you are not the next one to take a shower.:)
As a side note:
A dab of toothpaste on a damp paper towel cleans up stubborn Kool-Aid stains off both skin and countertops.
Yield:
Calories:
Fat:
Fiber:
From the Kolbialka Family @Â http://kobialkafamily.blogspot.com/2008/10/jack-o-lantern-pancakes.html
 color-filled fun with my World’s Best Pancake recipe.
I drew these (I felt very artistic doing this!)
And filled them with orange and green batter.
 Spooooooooooooky!
 And Yummmmmmy.
 They were scarey, spooky, yummy fun!
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Your favorite pancake batter (or simple recipe below)
Chocolate Chips (blueberries, raisins or craisins can be used as well)
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Spread pancake batter in blobs on griddle heated on medium-high heat. Don’t worry too much about the shapes, just make sure they aren’t circles. Place two chocolate chips, pointy side down, on the pancakes for eyes and another chocolate chip for the mouth. Cook until bubbles form, flip pancake and cook for an additional 30 seconds-1 minute on the other side. Remove from pan and serve!
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Basic Pancake Batter
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2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 T.p. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. milk
3 T.p. oil
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Mix all together. Pour 3 T. batter in skillet. Brown on both sides until batter is done.
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1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 slices American cheese, chopped
1/2 package (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells (about 18 shells), cooked and drained
baby carrots, olives, red bell pepper, small pickles and cheese slices for decoration
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 13×9 inch baking dish. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook until onion is tender. Add beef, then cook and stir about 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, salt and black pepper. Spoon mixture into cooked shells, then place in prepared baking dish. Cut carrots into very thin strips. Cut small slit in each olive and poke one end of thin carrot strip into each olive for “eye.” Cut red bell pepper into fang shapes. Slice pickle lengthwise to make tongue shape. Cut cheese slice into zigzag pattern for teeth. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until hot and remove from oven. Decorate as desired with olive and carrot eyes, bell pepper fangs, pickle tongue and cheese teeth. Serve immediately.
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/3 C. chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 pound ground turkey
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Mexican type stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 ounces) chili beans in mild chili sauce, undrained
1 C. corn
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 package (8 1/2 ounces) corn muffin mix plus ingredients to prepare mix
2 C. Taco flavored shredded cheese, divided
green and red bell pepper, pickle slices, pimiento pieces, chopped onion, chopped black olives and carrots for decoration
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Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, then cook until crisp tender. Stir in garlic. Add turkey and cook until turkey is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Stir in chili powder and oregano. Add tomatoes with juice and cook for 2 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with spoon while stirring. Stir in beans with sauce, corn and black pepper, then simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions and stir in 1/2 C. cheese. Spread half of turkey mixture in prepared casserole; sprinkle with 3/4 C. cheese. Top with remaining turkey mixture and 3/4 C. cheese. Top with corn muffin batter. Decorate with assorted vegetables to make monster face. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until light golden brown. NOTE: If desired, you can make this pie cute instead of creepy by creating a simple Jack O Lantern face with bell pepper cutouts.
¼ cup reduced-fat cream cheese (tub)
¼ cup Hidden Valley® Ranch Light Buttermilk Salad Dressing
½ cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
½ each: red, green, yellow bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup grated carrot, finely diced
5 slices fresh tomato
1 tube (7.5 ounce) refrigerator buttermilk biscuits (10 per tube)
1 egg yolk, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
flour for dusting surface and rolling pin
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Suggested decorations for flying saucers:
Grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Sliced black olives
Multi-color bell peppers – cut into shapes like stars, half moons, zig-zags
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Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl mix the cream cheese, Hidden Valley® Ranch Light Buttermilk Salad Dressing, mozzarella cheese, diced bell peppers, and carrots until well combined; set aside. Open the biscuits and separate. Sprinkle flour over a clean dry surface. Take a rolling pin, and roll each biscuit into a 4†circle. Using a pastry brush, brush some of the egg yolk mixture around the edge of each circle. Spread a heaping tablespoon of the cheesy-ranch mixture onto five biscuit circles, then put a tomato slice on top. Place one of the remaining biscuit circles on top of each filled circle. Stretch the top circle to completely cover the bottom circle; press around the edges with the tines of a fork to seal. Use a spatula to place each of the flying saucers onto a greased baking sheet. Decorate the tops of each flying saucer with sliced veggies – use your imagination to create fun designs. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Transfer the flying saucers to a wire rack and let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
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2 slices white bread
2 slices whole wheat bread
Peanut butter
Jelly
1 1/2-inch star cookie cutter
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Make two PB&J sandwiches by spreading peanut butter on one slice wheat and one white piece of bread. Then spread jelly on one wheat and one white piece of bread. Make one wheat sandwich and one white bread sandwich. Carefully use mini cookie cutters to cut puzzle pieces out of white and whole wheat sandwich. Swap the whole wheat shapes with the white, and then press them into place.
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tsp garlic paste or one crushed clove of garlic
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp onion salt
12 oz package of spinach fettuccine noodles (or other long noodles that are either green or brown, like whole wheat noodles)
1 container of cherry tomatoes
1 package of pre-made puff pastry or can of Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations (basically unscored crescent roll dough)
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You will also need a bird cookie cutter
Combine the butter, garlic, basil, oregano and onion salt together, and stir into a garlic butter paste (yum.) Next, roll out your puff pastry or crescent roll dough and cut out as many birds as you can fit (with my cookie cutter and the Pillsbury dough, I got 10 birds out of it). Place them on an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet. Spread the garlic butter on the top of the birds as shown. You won’t use all of the garlic butter, save the rest for the pasta. Bake the birds according to the bread package directions. Check them early, as I baked mine for about 11 minutes and the package called for 13 minutes. The smaller your birds, the less time they need to bake. Cook the spinach fettuccine according to the package directions. Drain and toss with the remaining garlic butter and salt to taste. Place the noodles onto your plate and spread out the noodles a bit to make a well in the center. Place your cherry tomatoes and baked garlic bread birds into the “nests†and enjoy!
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Even the most finicky little eater won’t be able to resist these pretty sandwiches. To make them, use large cookie cutters to cut bread into fun shapes like the star, flower, and hand pictured here. Then spread on natural peanut butter; instead of jelly, top with dried cherries, golden raisins, or sliced dried apricots. Tuck the sandwiches into children’s lunch boxes or serve them at a party. There’s no doubt kids will eat them; the question is how many, and which finger will they bite off first?
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Apple Cup
Cut an apple crosswise, about one-third of the way down. Scoop out the flesh with a melon baller. Using a lemon stripper, carve the child’s first initial into the flesh. Rub the cut areas with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning, then fill the cavity with chicken salad. Refrigerate inside a plastic container.
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Pita Bread
Zip up an everyday lunch by experimenting with various breads, such as pita. They come in many flavors and can be filled with everything from tuna salad to fresh vegetables to chicken. Olive breads or sweeter breads add flavor to old standbys like the peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich.
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Cookie-Cutter Sandwich
Add a playful twist to standard sandwiches by cutting them, once assembled, with large cookie cutters. Stars, flowers, diamonds, and hearts are all delightful shapes, especially for kids who like the crusts cut off.
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Crunch Caterpillar
This crunchy creature is an ideal treat even for children with an aversion to eating greens. Slice a cucumber crosswise into discs about 1/2 inch thick. String them, slightly apart, onto a flexible drinking straw. To complete, give your caterpillar a plump cherry-tomato “head.”
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Pre-Peeled Orange
Oranges are a lunchtime favorite, but they can be tough for little hands to peel. Help out by doing the following: Slicing the tip off the orange top, then scoring the peel downward using a knife. Do this at four points around the circumference of the orange. Then, gently peel back each “segment,” leaving the orange skin attached at the bottom, so it can be easily removed later.
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Frozen Juice Box
Make sure juice stays cold after a long morning in the classroom by keeping juices boxes in the freezer. Once frozen, simply pop one into your child’s lunch box as he sets out for school and it will melt by lunchtime.
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Cereal Bracelet
Send a special note from you to school by stringing Fruit Loops or Cheerios onto an elastic string, then tying to make a bracelet. Attach a message such as “Have a great day” to the bracelet, then pop the tasty jewelry into the lunch box
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Thick circular slices of grapefruit (with peeling removed)
The separated sections of an orange
Two slices of kiwi
Bing cherries or strawberries or kumquats
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Wash all ingredients with care before cutting them. Use a thick circular slice of grapefruit as the base of the “sun.” Use the separated orange sections for the sun’s rays. Cut crosswise slices of kiwi for big, round eyes. Use a Bing cherry or kumquat or strawberry for the nose and a curve of cherry or kiwi or strawberry for the smile. Â Your youngsters will love creating their own suns from the ingredients you prepare or teaming up to make a community platter!