Seven Healthy Holiday Snacks
Switch up your holiday theme snacks this season! During the holidays kids get plenty of sugar and sweet treats, so try giving them a fun holiday snack that will make them smile and keep them healthy. This list of our favorite healthy holiday treats will give you some ideas for how to make this season festive, nutritious, and delicious at the same time!
Veggie appetizer wreath: Cut crescent roll dough into 8 sections per roll (without unrolling dough first). Arrange in a circle on baking pan and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, then let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing. Mix 8 oz. of cream cheese with ½ cup sour cream, add dill seasoning and garlic powder and spread mixture on wreath of rolls. Add broccoli florets, diced bell peppers, and chopped celery for color and create bow garnish with celery leaves or bell pepper slices. The perfect holiday party appetizer!
Snowman Pizza: On baking sheet roll out 3 round dough circles, small, medium and large, and overlap slightly in the shape of a snowman. After spreading either ranch dressing or alfredo sauce on dough, let children help sprinkle the “snow” mozzarella cheese and add either olives or pepperonis for buttons, eyes, and mouth. A half carrot or sliced red bell pepper works great at a nose, then bake at 500 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden brown.
Veggie Tree: Create triangle tree shape with broccoli florets, and fill in rest of serving tray with white cauliflower and border with baby carrots. Use cherry tomatoes as tree ornaments and sliced yellow bell pepper for the tree-topping star. Use half bell peppers in various colors to hold other veggie-dippers and center bell pepper to hold dip.
Strawberry Santas: Slice ends with leaves off of strawberries. Cut tips off strawberries and spray or plop whipped cream on large bottom section of strawberry, then replace the strawberry point as a hat. Dab whipped cream for buttons and hat topper, then use toothpicks and chocolate syrup to create the eyes.
Christmas Mini-Pizzas: Roll out dough and use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out shapes for mini pizzas. Spread sauce on each shape and then let kids “decorate” with mozzarella cheese, sliced pepperoni, and chopped green bell peppers. Bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted and dough is golden brown.
Fruit Tree: Create tree shape using sliced green apples and fill using green grapes. Let children “decorate” the tree with blueberries, raspberries, and red grapes. Get creative with other fruits to help decorate, too!
Snowmen Cheese Sticks: Simply decorate cheese sticks with pen to make eyes, nose, mouth, and buttons, then paper cut-outs for top hats and ribbon for scarves. An easy way to make an old healthier snack new and fun!
This list just a starting point, but getting creative about how to make your holiday treats healthy can be fun and beneficial for the whole family! Try something other than sugar cookies with frosting this season, and give a hearty, healthy treat to your little elves instead.