Healthy lunch snacks for kids

As parents we know how important it is to make every bite count for our growing kids.  Even when my kids are snacking (which they do all the time), I try to find foods that are still packed with nutrients, yet fun and delicious at the same time. Some of my kid’s favourite anytime snacks are GERBER® Graduates Puffs and GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melts.

GERBER® Graduates Puffs are nutritious snacks made with whole grains and real fruits.  Both my boys actually prefer to eat GERBER® Puffs as a snack just about any time of day, and with 5 flavours to choose from: strawberry apple, banana, peach, sweet potato and vanilla, even fussy kids can find a flavour they like.

GERBER® Puffs is specially made for toddlers and melts in mouth which aids digestion. Moreover its tiny star shape and texture enable your child to exercise their pincer grip which helps build their fine motor skills and encourages independent eating. Best of all, GERBER® Graduates Puffs contains 8 vitamins and minerals and has no preservatives, artificial colouring or flavouring, so it is a great snacking choice for kids of all ages.

Another nutritious and yummy product by GERBER® that both my boys absolutely love would be the GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melts. They are made with real yogurt and fruits and they come in two flavors – strawberry and mixed berries. I usually buy one packet of each flavour and mix them together to create my own combination.

They contain no artificial flavours, no preservatives and no artificial sweeteners. GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melts contain live and active cultures, which helps in digestion for your child.

GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melts are easy to chew and swallow. It dissolves fast in your child’s mouth. Moreover, unlike eating normal fruit yogurt from a container, GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melts are freeze-dried whipped yogurt and fruit, which make it easy to take along with active kids on the go, hence no mess. By eating Yogurt Melts, your kid enjoys a healthy lunchtime and the double nutritional goodness of yoghurt and fruit.

GERBER® has always been a source of nutritious foods for many generations of kids worldwide. Since my kids are usually out and about and always hungry, I pack some bite-size, nutritious GERBER® snacks in my bag. This way I know that when my kids want something to munch on, instead of getting a bag of chips from the vending machine, they can still get a nutritious snack on the go.

Although, GERBER® Graduates Puffs and GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melts are delicious straight out of the packet, here are some quick and easy, fun recipes you can make at home using your GERBER® snacks that both kids and adults can enjoy.

GERBER® Graduates Puffs Banana-Cranberry Treats

Ingredients:

3 cups GERBER® Graduates Puffs (banana flavour)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup dried cranberries
100% Gerber Apple Juice

2 ½ cups mini marshmallows, or 20 large marshmallows

Directions:

1. Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan.
2. Slowly add the marshmallows to the melted butter and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted.  Remove the mixture from the stove.
3. Add In the Gerber® Graduates Puffs. Stir until well coated.
4. Add in the dried cranberries

5. Use a buttered spatula to evenly press the GERBER® Graduates Puffs marshmallow mixture into a small square dish.

6. Let it cool and set for about 30 minutes.

7. Cut into squares or use your favorite cookie cutter shapes to serve.

GERBER® Graduates Puffs Vanilla Trail Mix

Homemade trail mix is a great addition to any healthy kid’s lunchbox, especially when you are adding in vitamin packed and nutritious GERBER® Graduates Puffs.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup GERBER® Graduate Puffs – Vanilla flavor

¾ cup peanuts

½ cup almonds

½ cup cashew nuts

¼ cup sunflower seed

½ cup raisins

¼ cup banana chips

¼ cup cranberries

¼ cup dried pineapple & papaya mixed

* Omit any of the nuts or dried fruits based on your child’s preferences.

Directions:
(1) Combine the GERBER® Graduate Puffs, nuts and fruits in a large bowl.

(2) Store in an air-tight container.

Strawberry GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melt Applesauce Cookies

Ingredients:

Gerber® Yogurt Melts (2 per cookie)

¾ cup Gerber® 2^nd Food Applesauce

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 ¼ tsp. vanilla

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp baking soda

Optional Coating:

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 160° C (325° F).
2. Mix together the butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
3. Add in the GERBER® 2^nd Food Applesauce and vanilla to the butter mixture, until well-combined.
4. Gradually add in the flour and mix until all the ingredients are well blended and makes a dough.

5. Form balls out of the dough using your hands.

6. Optional: Roll the ball of dough in the sugar & cinnamon mixture.

7. Place the cookie dough ball on a cookie sheet and make a small indentation in the middle of the cookie using your finger.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cookie is golden brown.

9. Remove the cookies from the oven.

10. Place the first GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melt in the center of the cookie facing downwards.

11. Place the second GERBER® Graduates Yogurt Melt on top of the first Gerber® Graduates Yogurt Melt facing upwards.

12. Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack.

Article by Neetu Mirchandani