Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Healthy Valentine's Snacks: What's Hap-pinning

I am all about celebrating the holidays. You can take an ordinary day and make it so special by taking a few extra minutes to spruce things up. Now that the holiday season has come and gone, winter can feel a bit ‘blah’. That is one reason that I love Valentine’s Day! While it may be a Hallmark holiday, I don’t know how you can go wrong with pink, glitter, and the extra reminder to let those around you know that they are loved!
Of course, Valentine’s Day is also a holiday involving lots of candy, extravagant meals, and EXTRA LARGE boxes of chocolate. While I love chocolate as much as the rest of the world, I also limit my indulgences and make things like chocolate roses and boxes of sweethearts a special treat, rather than a regular occurrence. Just because you don’t give into a sugar craving does not mean that you can’t celebrate the day of love, though!
Heart Shaped Cutouts
Cookie cutters come in a variety of sizes, and they can be used for much more than just cookies! Slice a cucumber into coins, cut strawberries in half, and use the cutter to bring a lot of fun with little work! This can be done with just about any fruit or vegetable, including tomatoes, squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew melons. Do a bit of food prep on the weekend when you have more time to get all of your cleaning and slicing of these fruits and veggies done. Then, when you get home from work and school during the week, whip out some mini cookie cutters and turn simple sliced veggies into fun, exciting Valentine’s treats!
We whipped up this fun snack after my little guy’s afternoon nap, and opted for cucumbers, strawberries, red peppers, and mangoes.
strawberries and cucumbers preslice
strawberries and mangoescucumbers and pepperscucumbers and peppers 2valentines fruit cupjackson fruit cupjackson fruit cup 3
Fruit Notes
It can be fun to slip a little note into your child’s lunchbox, so they know that you are thinking of them throughout the day. Why not spice things up a bit, though, and move that message from the napkin to the meal! Cutie oranges, bananas, and anything with a removable peel can be a super fun way to send a valentine’s message to the ‘Cuties’ in your life! Or, if you are willing to take things up a notch, invest in edible food markers (found at craft stores and other major retailers) and write on any fruit your heart desires!
bananas and orangesoranges and bananas 3
These Valentine’s snacks are simple, easy, and can be accomplished in a matter of minutes! It doesn’t take hours and lots of prep to bring festivity to a holiday. A few minutes is all it takes to bring a little bit of love and nutrition to the V-Day table!

I can't wait to see what everyone else is up to today! Linking up with HollyJenn, and Jessi!

10 comments:

  1. These are the sweetest ideas! I love the fruit cutouts! And the notes is such a good idea! I never thought of that! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes

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    1. Thanks! Super easy and quick, I will totally be that embarrassing mom writing notes on the foods I send in my kid's lunchboxes one day ;-)

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  2. omg those fruit cutouts!! if only my little harper would eat more fruit, i would be all about that! or if my hubby would ever let me pack him some lunch..bad habits about always buying his lunch. ugh!

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    1. Jackson LOVES fruit, but may have refused everything but the strawberries..fortunately my 21 year old sister was super excited and ate up all of the mango! Trust me, I try to serve up variety but I have a picky toddler and a picky man-child on my hands, too! :-)

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  3. These are such cute ideas! I love the fruit cutouts. :)

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    1. They were seriously SO easy, I thought veggies like that would be super fun tossed in a salad or served as appetizers for adults, too :-)

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  4. This is the best thing I've seen all day! I love fruit!

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  5. These are both super cute and super easy ways to be festive for Valentine's Day!

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  6. Everything is cuter when it's cut into a heart! Great idea!

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