School’s out and fun meals are the name of the game for summertime! When the kids don’t have to run for the bus with a squishy PBJ in a paper bag, there’s plenty of opportunity to enjoy preparing and sharing healthy food together. You don’t have to be a gourmet cook to whip up a buffet or cook out. With some easy recipes and a little imagination, your summer meals will earn rave reviews!

Food can be tricky business with kids. Some won’t eat potatoes because they’ve touched carrots, and anything green usually meets locked jaws and a big frown. When my children were growing up, making faces out of food was a hit. Below is a family favorite from my own childhood. I vaguely recall that a Betty Crocker recipe inspired it. I call it Peach People.

Peach People

Ingredients
half of a peach or apple, cored (peeling is optional)
1 stalk celery
peanut butter or cream cheese
1 grape
2 round carrot slices
1 round whole-wheat cracker or circle of whole-wheat bread
margarine or mayo
3 raisins or dried cranberries
1 small strip red bell pepper or pimento

Preparation
Place the halved fruit face down on a luncheon plate to make the body.
Cut celery into four pieces for arms and legs. Remove as many strings as you can.
Fill celery with peanut butter or cream cheese and arrange in arm and leg positions around fruit body.
Slice grape in half lengthwise for feet and place one at each end of the celery legs.
Place a round slice of carrot at the end of each arm for hands.
Position a round cracker or round cut bread above the fruit for the head.
Spread margarine or mayo on the cracker or bread
Make a face on the cracker or bread with two raisins (or dried cranberries) for eyes, one for the nose, and a bit of red bell pepper or pimento for the mouth.
Dream up your own Peach People variations and surprise your children with a special breakfast or lunch. For a fun party activity, have each guest make one.

BBQ Trends

For healthy barbecuing, try ground turkey breast, instead of beef, for hamburgers. Season meat to your liking, form patties, and spray both sides with cooking spray. Be sure to cook to an internal temp of 180º. Use the same condiments as you would for beef. Serve turkey burgers on a whole-wheat bun for exceptional nutrition.

If your family enjoys vegetables, make veggie skewers. Marinate bite-sized broccoli and cauliflower florets, carrots, onions, cherry tomatoes and pineapple in your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing for at least 30 minutes. Place on skewers and grill. Brush frequently with marinade, and brown to your liking, for a delicious side dish. Cubes of extra-firm tofu, or cooked chicken or beef can be marinated and skewered with the veggies for a tasty entrée.

For dessert, you’ll need marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers to make gooey S’mores. For this old-time favorite of scouts and campers, take two graham crackers and a small piece of a chocolate bar. Toast a marshmallow until golden brown and make a marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker sandwich. Yum!

Pancake Station Breakfast

Build a little fun into each day. Start with a breakfast the kids help make, instead of the usual rushed bowl of cereal or toaster food they grab on their way to school. Get out your holiday cookie cutters and set up a pancake making station. Use a whole-wheat baking mix. Provide fruit add-ins like blueberries, bananas and strawberries, and maybe a few chips like peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch. Thoroughly spray cookie cutter edges with cooking spray, and carefully place them in a greased, heated pan. Slowly pour in batter. When batter sets and bubbles form, carefully remove hot cookie cutters using a butter knife and an oven mitt. Flip pancakes and brown until golden. Offer a selection of toppings like fresh fruit, nuts, raisins, fruit juice, yogurt, pure maple syrup and honey. Serve with a cool glass of almond milk and this breakfast’s a hit!

Impromptu Picnic Lunch

Make summer special by breaking out of the usual routine. A tuna sandwich takes on a special flavor when it’s eaten with mom or dad on a blanket in the backyard. Follow up with a story or game for a memorable afternoon.

Have Lunch will Travel

Keep those lunch boxes handy for trips to the park and the zoo. Why pack a giant picnic hamper to lug across a ball field, when everyone can carry his own supplies? Tuck a cloth napkin or dishtowel into each box for a placemat at lunchtime. I like to include a tiny plastic bottle of hand sanitizer in a zipped bag, as well.

Salad Central Dinner

Your family members will enjoy preparing their own custom-made dinner salads. Surprise them by creating a fixings station just like in the restaurants. Start with a large bowl of mixed field greens, spinach, kale, romaine, or whatever type of healthy greens your family enjoys. Remember, the darker the leaf, the greater the nutrition. Provide bite-sized veggies like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber, radishes, beets, olives and peppers. Cubed leans meats, cheeses, tofu, hardboiled eggs and nuts are excellent sources of protein for your salad selection. Purchase or prepare dressings that your family enjoys, and round out the display with a crusty whole grain loaf of your favorite bread, and cream cheese or margarine for spreading. For dessert, a fruit salad, gelatin or sorbet will round out this healthy, light summer dinner. To quench their thirst, freeze a tray of lemonade ice cubes to serve in decaffeinated iced tea or grape juice. Add a leaf or two of fresh mint for a real treat!

Great Ideas

Here are three resources for planning exceptional meals for your family this summer. Have a wonderful time!
1.) Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Meals for Kids, by Pillsbury Editors

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2.) Hosting a child’s summer birthday party? See the Birthday in a Box "Save It" article on BBQ Party Ideas to plan a lively BBQ-themed event!









3.) If lunch recipes like “Cold Peanut Soba Noodles with Chicken,” sound good to you, then check out the Food Network article 20 Kid-Friendly (and Healthy!) Summer Recipes "Save It" by Toby Amidor in Healthy Recipes, Kid-Friendly, July 13, 2013.

Here, you’ll find lots of nutritious, light summer fare the kids will love to help prepare and eat.

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