One of the best parts of summer in the Pacific Northwest is the abundance of fresh produce and seasonal ingredients available to play with. It’s a great time to introduce kids to new foods and ingredients, connect them to where their food comes from, and teach them to create delicious meals and snacks with their own two hands and a little imagination.
As you dig into the kid-friendly culinary creations featured in this article, remember that collecting ingredients from local farmers markets and makers can be an enriching part of the experience. It’s an opportunity to help kids understand where their food comes from and why it matters. At the local farmer’s market, they can talk with vendors and farmers, ask questions, and learn more about the origin behind the food. Plant the seed of curiosity!
Bringing kids alongside you to learn how to shop and make a few easy snacks and recipes teaches them skills they can take with them wherever they go!
Here are some kid-friendly snacks and recipes to get you started:
1. Rainbow Fruit Skewers: Pick up a combination of familiar and new fruit options from your local farmer’s market. Be sure to choose something for each of the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) for maximum visual delight! Rinse and prep your fruit selection and carefully push pieces of fruit onto wooden or bamboo skewers. Kids can play with different color combinations and patterns to their hearts’ content. Store in ziplock bags and take them along on picnics, road trips, and long days at the ball park. What a great way to get the little ones to make their own snack and squeeze in a few more fresh fruit servings this summer!
2. ‘Smore Mallows: Melt some chocolate in a double boiler on the stove top or in the microwave until smooth. Skewer a large marshmallow and gently dip and roll in the melted chocolate. Then, roll the chocolate-covered mallow in crushed graham crackers (or shredded coconut, pecans, toasted sesame seeds, or toffee bits). Allow the chocolate to cool before devouring. Enjoy directly from the skewer for a campfire-adjacent ‘smore experience anytime this season. All the ‘smore flavor, no fire required.
3. Personal Cheese Boards: Using small cutting boards, bamboo or paper plates, each family member gets their own personal “board” to work with. Set out your standard cheese board ingredients - a variety of cheeses, meats, crackers, pickles, a few fruit and veggie options- and be sure to include items your kids generally gravitate toward for snacking. To make it fun, set a timer for “decorating” and when time is up, everyone can take a turn explaining what they chose to include on their board and what they love about this snack. This is a great way for kids to learn how to assemble something in a thoughtful way, and get them comfortable with making their own food.
4. Snackle Boxes: You may have seen these tackle-box-like food storage containers making their way around the internet. Similar to the Personal Cheese Boards, Snackle Boxes are a great ‘choose your own adventure’ snack that travels incredibly well! It’s also a fantastic way to clean out your pantry! Start by grabbing all the dried and fresh ingredients you’d like to offer. If you have one box per child, they can fill each container with their choice of snacks. If you have one box for the entire family, each child may have a set number of compartments they can fill with their favorite snacks. Added bonus of the Snackle Box: You won’t need to trolly as many containers while on the go and the variety can help keep kids from snack boredom. Win/win!
5. Make-Your-Own Pizza: Making pizza dough ahead of time or scooping some up at the market makes this hands-on family dinner an easy way to get kids cooking! Prep your veggies, meat, and cheese toppings and put them out in individual containers for your kids to choose from. Consider challenging them a bit by having them select an adventure topping that they wouldn’t usually choose. Having a bit of extra dough on hand for re-do pizzas is helpful in case they don’t like their new ingredient. Side note: If you don’t want to deal with actual pizza dough, try using tortillas or English muffins as the “crust” and baking them in the oven or air fryer just as you would a traditional pie, adjusting the bake time as needed, for a surprisingly simple and delicious way to make pizza night a hit.
Wherever this summer takes you, bringing kids alongside you at the market and in the kitchen is a great way to spend quality time and build their skills and confidence in being able to create something delicious on their own.
Bringing kids alongside you to learn how to shop and make a few easy snacks and recipes teaches them skills they can take with them wherever they go!