Food, Fun, And The Fourth Of July

Making your little one’s Fourth of July extra special isn’t hard to do. One easy way to make any child’s holiday super fun is to come up with some themed meal, snack, or dessert ideas! Holiday treats don’t have to be unhealthy and bogged down with heaps of sugar. There are many ways to incorporate healthful, delicious ingredients into fun, patriotic food ideas. Try these easy recipes for healthy holiday foods, and you’ll be sure to please your sweet little ones!

For babies 6 months or older who have started purees: 

Even if your baby isn’t ready for table foods just yet, there are many fruits and veggies you can use to make patriotic-colored purees! For rich hues of red, make a puree using raspberries, beets, or strawberries. For beautiful blue colors, use blueberries and blackberries to make a tasty puree. For a baby this age, you can even make a breast milk “popsicle” to give your baby a sweet treat for the holiday!

For babies 6 months or older who have started solids: 

For babies 6 months or older who have started some solid (table) food, there are a ton of options for creating a Fourth of July themed snack! Strawberries and raspberries can be cut up into bite-sized pieces, blueberries can be halved, and beets or white potatoes can be cut into chunks or slices. You can also make a Fourth of July “parfait” using whole milk vanilla yogurt and adding a few pieces of red or blue fruits to the top. 

For toddlers: 

Your toddler might appreciate a special holiday smoothie using blueberries to make the mixture blue, or strawberries or raspberries to make the mixture red. Blend frozen fruits with a little whole milk and some ice, and your toddler will have the perfect way to cool down during a warm holiday! 

You can also use cookie cutters to cut fruits, veggies, or sandwiches into stars and stripes! Some fruits that would be easy to cut into shapes are bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, pears, or mangoes. Some other foods that can be cut into shapes are carrots, baked potatoes, sliced cheese, and simple sandwiches. 

Does your toddler like snacking all day? You can make a Fourth of July themed, toddler-friendly trail mix! Get a sealable bag, and add cereal like Cheerios, dried strawberries, yogurt-covered raisins, and plain raisins, and your little one will be able to enjoy a special holiday treat!

For school-aged children: 

Older children can participate in creating fun holiday-themed foods! Getting kids in the kitchen often helps them make healthier food choices, and make them more likely to eat the healthy foods they help prepare. 

Create a Fourth of July cheese board using cut-up Jack cheese or mozzarella cheese, sliced strawberries, blueberries, red cherries, and yogurt-covered pretzels. You can substitute other fruits and vegetables as well – apples or watermelon would work just as well!

Your school-aged child might like preparing a layered dish such as a parfait. Parfaits are super easy to assemble and great for kids to help create! Have your child layer strawberry yogurt, Greek yogurt, blueberry yogurt, or vanilla yogurt in a cup with alternating layers of blueberries, strawberries, and pieces of cookies or granola. Top with a little whipped cream!

Your child can also create an American flag on a piece of toast! First, toast a slice of their favorite bread. Then spread a red jam, such as strawberry or raspberry, over the toast. Then line up three rows of blueberries in the upper left corner of the bread. Lastly, slice bananas into half-circles and place them in rows across the toast. 

However you choose to celebrate, making healthy choices doesn’t have to be impossible during the holidays! Although it is perfectly fine for children to have treats from time to time, holidays can be the perfect occasion to teach kids that eating healthy can be delicious and fun!