ISO Nutritious snacks with a Christmas theme

shelhop

You helped me out at Halloween time...anyone got any ideas for healthy classroom snacks in December? These are for 5 year olds. The teacher is requesting something other than the usual cookies or candies. Something that looks like a snowman or a Christmas tree might be nice. I appreciate any help you can offer.

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If the mailman knew that my heart races when the UPS man comes by, would he still bring me freebies?

sharinbo

Here are a few ideas I found while surfing around:

Ornaments

1.cresent roll in a can (Pillsbury works best) 2.cream cheese/ sour cream mixed 3.broccoli pieces 4.cauliflower pieces 5.carrot slivers 6.red pepper pieces (for red color....some kids wont like it) Take out the crescent roll dough and cut ornament shapes. Cook the dough until light brown. Add the cheese mixture and top with vegetable pieces.

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take any Christmas cookie cutter we use Christmas trees or Santa and cut out two pieces of bread and then two pieces of bologna (or any other lunch meat) and make cookie sandwiches. it's a good idea if you have a party to use many different cookie cutters .

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Corn Flake Wreaths ½ C. reduced fat margarine 1 package (10oz, about 40) regular marshmallows 1 tsp. green food coloring 6 C. corn flake cereal red cinnamon candies or m&m's vegetable cooking spray

In large saucepan, melt margarine over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in food coloring. Add cereal and stir until well coated. Using ¼ cup dry measure coated with cooking spray, evenly portion warm cereal mixture. Using buttered fingers, shape into individual wreaths quickly. Dot with cinnamon candies. Yield: 16 wreaths

Microwave directions: Microwave margarine and marshmallows on high until melted, stir to combine. Add food coloring and follow above steps.

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Place a pineapple ring on each child's plate. Cut bananas in half and let each child peel his banana and place standing up in pineapple ring. Give each child a maraschino cherry and a toothpick to put on top of banana. You can put a raisin on top too. Now everyone has a Christmas candle
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Snowman Snack

Get rice cakes or popcorn cakes. I use the small carmel nut flavored popcorn cakes. Each child gets two or three. The student will spread cream cheese on the popcorn cake to make it white. Use plastic knives and soften the cream cheese.

Use raisins to make the eyes, nose and mouth. Use raisins to make three buttons on the Snowman's tummy. Eat and enjoy. This activity will give you a good idea if the children understand the parts of their face.
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Snowballs

Mix honey, powered milk and peanut butter. Roll into balls. Then roll in coconut
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REINDEER CHOW

1 Handful frosted shredded wheat= hay frosted with the snow of the North Pole

1 handful pretzle sticks= tender twigs

1 handful of raisins= dried berries

1 handful of red candies (M & M's)= fresh berries

1 baby carrot

Handful= child hand

Place above items in a zip lock baggie, shake up and enclose a note that says "Even Santa's Reindeer need a snack now and then, especially on Christmas Eve, please leave me out with the cookies and milk for Santa!"

Of course the children get to taste each item BEFORE sending home!

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Reindeer sandwiches

Cut the crusts off of slice of bread. Cut bread in half to make two triangles. Mix peanut butter and honey together and spread on one half of bread, then add top bread for sandwich. Add a cherry half for the nose, pretzels for antlers, and chocolate chips for eyes.

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Take mini-bagels (plain), spread with softened cream cheese (can be tinted green with food coloring), top with green sprinkles, holly sprinkles (can be found in some stores), or green-tinted coconut. They look like little wreaths. I have used this idea for K-2 room parties at school
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For a Christmas treat, we gave each child a sugar cone turned upside down on a paper plate. Each child brought a topping to school to share. They iced the cones with green icing and sprinkled the toppings on the cone. They then ate their "edible Christmas trees".

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Gingerbread Houses You need per child: A small sq. of cardboard and a lunch size milk carton. For them to share: white frosting with decorator bags and tips (frosting must be stiff), white coconut (flake), graham crackers, gum drops, licorice, m&m minis, any other fun candies! First, fill you bags w/frosting. Glue your milk carton, bottom on cardboard, with frosting. Then, glue on all sides of house with graham crackers and frosting to milk carton. Add two grahams at the top, angled, for a roof, and glue with frosting. Then let the kids have fun! They can use the frosting to glue candies on their house or card board to make a scene! If you want, this works well with a fairy tale unit, just after the story Hansel and Gretel. Or you can make a winter house, and add mini or jumbo marshmallows for snowmen, and pretzel sticks for arms. Best of all, the whole thing is edible! Or, the kids can display their gingerbread houses at Christmas like a tradition!
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Forever missing our baby boy. One hour in this world, always in our hearts. April 5, 2005