Spring Fruits & Vegetable Recipes to Help Your Child Eat Better
During the spring, certain fruits and vegetables blossom the most. There are several ways parents can introduce their children to eating better by incorporating these simple nutritious recipes into their daily meals.
Breakfast
Strawberry Waffles: Since children already love waffles, adding fresh strawberries to the batter will add a healthy and sweet taste.
Ingredients
- 1 cup-flour, whole wheat
- 1 ½ teaspoon-baking powder
- 1 teaspoon- baking soda
- ½ teaspoon-salt
- 2 cups strawberries
- 4 medium egg
- 2 tablespoon-honey
Directions
- Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda salt.
- In a blender, add strawberries (with stems removed), eggs and honey. Blend until smooth, then add to dry ingredients and whisk together.
- Add the batter to preheated waffle iron. Cook for about 3 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve with fresh strawberries and added whip cream to your liking.
Did You Know: Peak season for strawberries is during April through June. These beautiful red fruits have benefits of Vitamin C. They can improve eye care, the immune system and relief from high blood pressure.
Lunch
Carrot Shaped Veggie Pizza: This easy recipe looks delicious and will be fun for your children to help make.
Ingredients:
- 1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (8 rolls)
- 8 ounce tub Philadelphia veggie cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped carrot
- ½ of head of broccoli
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- Whole milk or egg white
Directions:
- Use a pizza wheel or knife to cut the crescent rolls into carrot shapes.
- Bake crescent roll carrots for (7-10 minutes) until golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
- Divide the veggie cream cheese and spread it on top of each carrot.
- Sprinkle finely chopped carrots over the triangle part of the carrot then add broccoli to the top.
- For more information on how to do this recipe here are visual images to guide you.
Did You Know: Carrots have benefits in weight loss and can be linked to lowering cholesterol levels and improve eye sight.
Dinner
Broccoli Mac and Cheese: Children love mac and cheese and adding broccoli will give it a healthy new taste. Introduce children to fresh veggies by add them to their favorite meals.
Ingredients:
- Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner original 7.25 oz.
- Fresh washed broccoli
Directions:
- A large pot of salted water and boil macaroni.
- Stir the macaroni; cook (7-8 min) or until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Drain, do not rinse.
- Return to the pan and add 2 tbsp. margarine or butter
- ¼ cup fat-free milk
- Wash broccoli and cut into small pieces
- While macaroni is still warm stir it softly into the heated mac and cheese.
Did You Know: Broccoli is a good source of Vitamin A to make your eyes strong and Vitamin C to help your immune system fight to keep you healthy and Potassium to help your heart and muscles.
Dessert
Kiwi Popsicle: This neat snack is easy for children to make and enjoy the sweetness of a frozen kiwi.
Ingredients:
- 4 kiwis, peeled and cut
- ½ cup apple juice or grape juice
Directions:
- Puree kiwi in a blender until the green flesh is pureed and black seeds are intact.
- Add apple juice to the mixture and mix well.
- Fill the popsicle molds and place them in the freezer.
Did You Know: Kiwis contain Vitamin C which is a good source of protein and fiber. It helps with digestion and trouble sleeping.
Crystal Maciel, CFA Intern
Crystal is interning with the Children’s Foundation of America this spring as she completes her bachelor’s degree in sociology at Cal State San Bernardino. She has earned an associate’s degree in child development at Chaffey College and plans to continue her education with a mater’s degree in social work. Crystal’s career goals are to advocate for children, support families in need of assistance and to help children cope with problems in everyday life. Crystal’s work experience includes care of children toddler to 5 years of age and has worked for three years with children and adults with disabilities. In Crystal’s free time, she enjoys going to art galleries, sewing, gardening and painting.
Birthday in a Bag
The Children’s Foundation of America strives to provide an opportunity for every person to help children heal, learn and thrive. That is why we were so excited to hear from Michelle Panos, who learned about Birthday in a Bag, and made it a reality for foster youth.
Michelle got the idea after visiting the Family-To-Family website, a nonprofit focused on hunger and poverty relief for families. She decided to take on the project in her own way to support children in foster care.
Being a school teacher, she sees the impact of coming from a lower income situation can make. Because of this, she was looking for an organization to get involved with that supports children in need.
“When I found out that the Children’s Foundation of America works with foster children, I was ecstatic,” she said. “I have had several children that were in foster care in my classes over the last few years so I thought that this was perfect.”
Who’s Birthday?
The Birthday in a Bag donation will be given to resource parents at Michelle’s local foster care office: Trinity Youth Services, Rancho Cucamonga. The donation comes at the perfect time when we are showing our appreciation for local foster parents during National Foster Care Month. Every little thing helps a resource family do everything possible to help a child cope from trauma experienced before entering foster care. We celebrate foster parents for opening their heart and their home to care for a child in need and we are so grateful for people like Michelle who want to help make a foster parent’s role a little easier.
What’s in the Bag?
Each bag includes birthday party supplies such as a poster, streamers, balloons, candles, cake mix, frosting, a present and a book! Michelle is an elementary school teacher and we are so glad she included a book for each child to read.
How to Help
There are many ways to help children in need! Some donate time by volunteering, some donate funds for scholarships or yearbooks and some have the desire to find a unique way that suits them best. All these efforts help make a difference in the lives of children who need to be shown a little compassion.
Have an idea like Michelle to help children in need? We’d love to talk to you! Call 1-800-KIDS-730 or email donations@trinityys.org.
Carrie Palmer, Development Specialist
Carrie oversees the day-to-day operations and staffing of the Foundation. Among her many tasks, she is responsible for seeking out and applying to grants for the Foundation as well as overseeing fundraising events and donations. Above all, Carrie’s focus is to identify and access resources in order to help children heal, learn and thrive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of San Diego in 2001 and a master’s degree in public administration at Cal Poly Pomona in 2005. Carrie enjoys spending much of her time with her family and, when given the opportunity, jumps at the chance to travel the world with her mother and daughter.