I (Jess) used to work in public health with new moms and babies in a drop-in group. Each week we would teach the moms a new baby rhyme or song to sing. We would always remind the moms that they didn’t need pretty singing voices as their babies didn’t care and just loved to hear their mom’s voice!
I took that advice to heart and then SANG my heart out to my babies… much to my husband and his pitch perfect ear’s dismay!
The same goes for food art!
I will never win any prestigious awards for my food art (or rather attempts at food art!) but I still get rewarded with the best prize ever: the huge smile on my kids’ face when they see that I’ve made a “fun food!”
You don’t need to be a food art master and you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen crafting the perfect design. None of these Christmas snacks take more than five minutes to make. It’s a little extra time but it’s so worth it!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THESE CHRISTMAS SNACKS!
Food + Play = Learning to enjoy new flavours
An invitation to play and have fun is a great strategy for exposing kids to food! As hard as it can be, it’s SUPER important to not use any force or coercion to get kids to eat food they haven’t learned to like yet. You know why? I’ll let you in on a little secret….
All taste starts in the brain.
“Say what? Then what are those taste buds there for?”
Yes, our taste buds and sense of smell detect different chemical compounds…. but those are simply chemical compounds until our brain gets the signal that they’ve been detected in the mouth and interprets them! If your brain decides ahead of time that it will not enjoy a particular taste, it will create an unpleasant response. This is why it is SO SO important to remain neutral about food! Especially with those stubborn kids…. Oops, we mean, those delightfully wonderful, strong-willed, fierce, independent kids!
Christmas Snack #1: Snowman Bagel
How cute is this little Frosty fellow? Just like the classic way to decorate a real snowman, this guy has a carrot nose and raisin eyes and mouth! The best part though is the coconut “snow.” It’s so easy to sprinkle on but it sure takes the realism to the next level.
HOW TO:
- 1/2 a bagel or english muffin
- Cream cheese
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 carrot there will be leftover carrot
- 7 raisins
- Spread a layer of cream cheese on the bagel.
- Sprinkle with coconut.
- Cut 2 inches off the pointy tip of the carrot. Place in the bagel hole for the nose.
- Cut coins from the carrot and place on the bagel for cheeks.
- Grate strips of the carrot and create a hat.
- Press the raisins in to create eyes and a mouth.
- Cut the remaining carrot into sticks and serve alongside the snowman bagel.
Christmas Snack #2: Candy Cane Charcuterie
Did someone say char-CUTE-erie? Here’s a fun way to present a cheese string, pepperoni stick, and cherry tomatoes. This could even be a good activity to learn about patterns.
Warning: this snack is best for kids aged 4+ as the round nature of these pieces are a choking hazard.
HOW TO:
- Mozzarella cheese string
- Pepperoni stick
- Cherry tomatoes
- Slice the ingredients in 4-5 ½” pieces each.
- Slice a couple wedges out of the mozza and pepperoni sticks – you’ll use these to create the curve of the candy cane.
- Alternate ingredients to create a candy cane shape.
Christmas Snack #3: Tree Ornament Crackers
The beauty with these ornaments is you can decorate them with whatever ingredients you have on hand. I went the veggie route but you could also do more of a trail mix and top with nuts, dried fruit, cheerios, etc. Let your pantry be your guide! It would be fun to set out several ingredients and invite your kids to decorate their “ornaments” with the toppings they’d like on their crackers!
HOW TO:
- Round 2-3″ crackers like Breton
- Tzatziki or hummus or other dip
- Frozen peas, carrots, and corn, defrosted
- Bell peppers and cucumbers cut into very thin strips
- Small carrot coins
- Spread the dip onto the crackers.
- Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters and use for ornament tops.
- Decorate the ornaments with frozen peas, strips of pepper, small carrot coins, and sliced cherry tomatoes.
Christmas Snack #4: Moose Snack Bar
Is it a moose or is it a reindeer? We don’t know but we’re so in love with him! Jess saw this idea on Pinterest a while back and snapped a screenshot of it. We really want to credit the original poster but now we can’t find out who it is!
HOW TO:
- An apple (there will be leftovers)
- 1 rectangle shaped snack bar
- 2 two chocolate chips or candy googly eyes
- 1 raisin
- Cut the snack bar in half.
- In one half, cut out a little square shaped notch for the head to rest in.
- Cut the other half in half again.
- Cut one of the quarters into quarters (for the legs).
- Place the other quarter into the notch as the head.
- Place the cut-out notch as a tail.
- Arrange the quartered quarter as legs.
- Cut the apple in half, just shy of the core.
- Cut a slice out of the part without the core.
- Cut the slice in half and then cut out little squares in the cutside like the top of a fortress castle.
- Add chocolate chips or candied googly eyes for eyes.
- Cut a half circle out of another slice of apple and place as a snout.
- Cut the raisin in half and arrange as nostrils in the snout.
- Cut up the rest of the apple and serve alongside the reindeer.
Christmas Snack #5: Rudolph Graham Cracker
Graham crackers usually make their appearance in our homes around the summer (aka s’more season) when we’re out camping or sitting by a fire. But, we had to bring them out for this cutie. For the spread, you can use peanut butter, nut butter, or any other spread you’d like!
HOW TO:
- Graham crackers
- Peanut butter (or alternative)
- Pretzels
- Red or brown M&Ms
- Candied googly eyes
- Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on the graham crackers
- Add pretzels for antlers, M&Ms for noses, and candied googly eyes for eyes
Christmas Snack #6: Spinach Wreath
Salad is something that took a bit of time (aka years) for our kids to warm up to. If that’s the case with you, then it’s all the more reason to get your kids involved in making this wreath! You can truly use any green you prefer whether it’s spinach, arugula or some romaine lettuce. Jessica’s kids love a salad that she affectionately named “Dino Salad” so this is essentially it but in wreath style.
HOW TO:
- Fresh spinach
- Kiwis
- Can of mandarins
- Pomegranate arils
- Dried cranberries
- Salad dressing (not pictured)
- Arrange the spinach on a large plate.
- Peel and slice the kiwis into semi-circles and intersperse on the spinach wreath.
- Open and drain the mandarins – then intersperse on the spinach wreath. Arrange into a bow shape at the bottom.
- Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and dried cranberries.
- Invite your kids to enjoy some salad! Top with your favourite salad dressing. A creamy poppyseed or balsamic vinaigrette would be nice.
Planning a playdate? These snacks are sure to be a crowd-pleaser, so be sure to bookmark this post for easy access. We hope these holiday snacks add a sprinkle of joy to your season! They’re a fun way to spend quality time in the kitchen with your child while creating tasty memories together.
Speaking of play, did you know that kids learn best through hands-on experiences? Play fuels their imagination, development, and growth. That’s why we created the Hands-On Food Play e-guide, packed with 17+ simple, food-inspired activities to spark learning through play. Check it out in our shop and make playtime even more delicious!
