Like adults, kids just wanna have fun when it comes to food. Give them a good (and healthy!) mealtime with these ideas from New York City-based nutritionist Keri Glassman.
Alphabet grilled cheese: Make grilled cheese with whole-wheat bread; then use a cookie cutter to transform your sandwich into a heart, star, or the first letter of your child’s name.
Creative roll-ups: Wrap pieces of cheese around carrot sticks or pieces of turkey around pretzel rods for fun twists on the same-old, same-old lunch. Bonus: This is one "recipe" kids can do themselves!
Ants on a log: Fill stalks of celery with peanut butter and sprinkle with raisins or dried cranberries for a fiber- and protein-rich snack.
Smiley burgers: Make hamburgers more appealing (and nutritious) by topping them with pepper slices as a mouth and peas for eyes. Serve the top bun on the side so kids can enjoy your artwork before taking a bite.
Mock sushi: Layer a whole-wheat tortilla with turkey, cheese, lettuce, and peppers. Then roll up the tortilla, cut it crosswise into sushi-style pieces, and see how cool it looks.
Baked potato bar: Give your child a cooled half-baked potato, and spread out toppings to pile on including plain yogurt or sour cream, chopped tomatoes, broccoli, and shredded cheese.