-+*Celebrate Cinco de Mayo, or a warm summer day, with our fresh Piña Colada Smoothie! This recipe takes advantage of the natural sugars found in pineapple and mango, instead of adding extra unnecessary sugars. Pineapple Fun Facts Pineapples are formed by many flowers whose fruitlets join around the fruit’s core. There is a lot of read more »
-+*Instead of Taco Tuesday, spice up your week with Flauta Friday! Here are some fun facts about the history of flautas: Flauta is Spanish for flute, and flautas got their name because they look like small flutes. Flautas and taquitos are often mistaken for one another. Taquitos are typically made with corn tortillas and are read more »
-+*Hunter Zampa holds a title that many young chefs only dream of: youngest teen Chopped champion. In case you aren’t familiar with Chopped, it’s a Food Network show that requires chefs to cook three different courses (appetizer, entree, and dessert) using a variety of mystery ingredients given to them right before they are allowed to read more »
-+*Earth Day, April 22, is a great opportunity to help children understand how food, from production to consumption, impacts the Earth. Understanding how food affects the world we live in will help us to waste less and eat more sustainably. Here are a couple examples of how food impacts our environment: We use a lot read more »
-+*Whether you have a baby in your home or a toddler, Fruit and Veggie Cubes are a great way to ensure that your children get plenty of fruits and veggies! When making Fruit and Veggie Cubes you have a couple of different options: — Puréed Ice Cubes, made by blending, are great for babies or read more »
-+*Change up your snack or meal routine with our Cheese Fondue! While you might think you need a fancy fondue set to enjoy this snack, that’s simply not the case. You can create a fondue experience for your family using tools you already have including a saucepan, and skewers or straws. We love fondue because it read more »
-+*Can you name a red vegetable? Or an orange vegetable? Playing the vegetable color game is a great way to explore new vegetables with your kids and to practice the colors of the rainbow. “Eating the rainbow” is the easiest way to encourage kids to eat or to try a variety of fruits and vegetables read more »
-+*It’s no secret that kids love finger foods. Not only do these Mini Lentil Sliders and Baked Jicama Fried make an easy and delicious vegan meal, but they are also the perfect finger foods for any lunch or dinner! Lentils are quick and easy to prepare, and have a number of health benefits: The fiber in read more »
-+*Annika Coffman is a lot like any other seventh grader. She goes to school, has homework, participates in after-school activities like gymnastics, piano lessons, and cheerleading. However, unlike many children her age, Annika was also the runner-up of a Food Network competition show because of her talent and passion for baking. Annika sent in her audition read more »
-+*St. Patrick’s Day is all about the greens! We love taking advantage of natural greens when celebrating this holiday, so we’ve created a delicious Zucchini Spaghetti with Kale Pesto. Not only is this green spaghetti a gluten-free alternative to regular pasta, but it’s also low in calories and high in fiber. If you decide to read more »
-+*What’s your favorite kind of pie? Apple? Cherry? π? On 03.14.15, Pi Day will be celebrated around the world. If you aren’t familiar with Pi Day, it’s a day many mathematicians and scientists celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi). And it’s a great excuse to eat pie! Pi Day is particularly special this year because on read more »
-+*Worried that your child isn’t getting enough greens? This Healthy Shamrock Shake is the perfect way to sneak all-natural greens into a tasty treat that’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Thanks to the spinach in this shake, it’s full of fiber, which helps you feel full and provides you with a number of heart-friendly vitamins read more »
-+*Does your family ignore the bananas that start to get speckled with brown spots? Waste no more! The brown, mushy bananas don’t look very pretty, but they are as sweet as sweet can be and perfect for banana bread. If you are a banana bread lover, and can stash half of the loaf away before read more »
-+*As “Top Chef’s” Season 10 runner-up, it’s safe to say that Brooke Williamson is a Chef that we’d love to have in our kitchen. While Brooke has been named a culinary mastermind by numerous media outlets, her life isn’t just about food — it’s also about family. Brooke owns three LA-area restaurants with her chef-husband read more »
-+*Whether it’s for an awards season viewing party or your little super star, these Star Cinnamon Crisps will become an instant winner at your next party! This is an easy recipe that can be baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Eat them on their own or use them as an ice read more »
-+*Surprise your children with a little extra love this Valentine’s Day! We’ve compiled our favorite Valentine’s recipes, making it easy to fill your kitchen with love this Saturday. For an appetizer or snacking: Tomato Caprese Flowers Yields: 2 dozen Ingredients: 1 pint grape tomatoes 1 (16 ounce) container of fresh marinated mozzarella balls 1 read more »
-+*Free of any unnecessary added sugars, homemade jams are a healthy and versatile snack. Spread this delicious Raspberry Jam on toast, crackers, or use it to fill our Heart Tarts! Print Raspberry Chia Seed Jam Serves: 1 cup Ingredients 4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries 1 tablespoon chia seeds ½ teaspoon lemon zest Honey to read more »
-+*There’s no denying it — awards season is in full swing. Whether you’re watching The Grammy Awards on Feb. 8 or The Oscars on Feb. 22, a popcorn bar is a fun and healthy way to add some excitement to your watch party. Dress your air popped popcorn up with spices, dried fruits, and nuts read more »
-+*There’s no denying cupcakes are both cute and tasty; however, they aren’t always healthy. Here in the Foodstirs Test Kitchen, we used whole wheat pastry flour, carrots, and applesauce to make wholesome, moist cupcakes that are delicious, cute, and healthy! These are the perfect treats to celebrate National Carrot Cake Day, Feb. 3, or any day! read more »
-+*Surprise your children this Valentine’s Day with a lunch box full of love! We’ve created some simple and healthy lunch box ideas to inspire you to create lunches beyond that delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich this month.
-+*Snacking and the Super Bowl go hand in hand, but it’s not always easy to find healthy, easy, and kid-friendly snacks to satisfy the munchies during the big game. These 3 recipes are our favorites for snacking during the Super Bowl because they are simple, delicious, and even entertaining! For an appetizer or snacking: read more »
-+*Hosting a Super Bowl party? Cookies are the perfect, no fuss, dessert! To wow your guests, we took an ordinary oatmeal cookie and changed it into a delicious Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Football Cookie! They are chewy in the middle, crispy on the edges, and will disappear in a blink of an eye. Do you want read more »
-+*Popcorn is the classic snack to munch on when watching movies or your favorite sports team. This year, we wanted to mix things up and offer a simple recipe that will be the new favorite snack food at your next party or movie night! We swapped out popcorn with, dare I say, cauliflower! We roasted read more »
-+*Instead of eating store-bought granola bars when you’re on the run, create your own homemade version with this simple recipe. Not only are these granola bars vegan but they are also gluten free! These are very easy to make with your kids and safe in case they sneak a bite of the “dough!” Print Vegan read more »
-+*Edible arrangements are always fun to surprise someone that you love! This floral bouquet is simple and it only take two ingredients — tomatoes and cheese. Serve them family style in a beautiful bouquet or plate them individually on your child’s plate. This is definitely a fun way to eat tomatoes! Kids Can Help: Count read more »
-+*There’s nothing like receiving a special valentine from a friend. It’s a simple, yet meaningful, reminder that there’s someone you can always count on. For a limited time, our Brownie Popsicle Kit comes with a bonus heart cookie cutter so that you can create delicious Brownie Heart Popsicles to share with friends and family! Follow the read more »
-+*Pizza night is always a family favorite! Last month, we shared how to turn your ordinary pizza into festive snowflakes! This time we are flouring our surface, rolling out the dough, and making heart calzones! What better way to show your family love by making hearts filled with gooey cheese and vegetables! We kept this read more »
-+*For many chefs, young and old, cooking is an outlet used to share passion, knowledge, and a love of food. This is certainly the case for Jack Witherspoon, a 14-year-old chef who has had quite the journey with cooking. After Jack relapsed from Leukemia in 2006 he started cooking and has since published his first read more »
-+*Hosting a family-friendly New Year’s Eve party? Wondering what to serve the kids? Instead of juice boxes, try something simple and festive which will make the kids feel extra special! Sparkling water and fruit is a perfect combination to toast in the new year. There are some pairing suggestions listed below, but feel free to read more »
-+*What is better than filling your home with the scent of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven? This recipe takes two classic recipes, baked apples and pie, and creates a more healthful version of apple pie that is low in fat and high in fiber. Not only are they a healthy dessert, these mini read more »
-+*Winter days can be long and difficult to get through if there isn’t enough to do around the house. This festive fruit tree is the perfect activity to help keep children (and adults) entertained and healthy on even the dreariest of days. A completed Holiday Fruit Tree also makes the perfect host/hostess gift or it read more »
-+*Christmas is fast approaching and children are out of school. Are you looking for an easy and festive holiday smoothie that you can quickly make for an afternoon snack? This recipe is a healthy twist on an ice cream milkshake, but without all of the added sugar. Instead, we added a date, which is loaded read more »
-+*Hanukkah is a time that brings families together, sharing traditions, songs, and games! Most of the delicious food shared during this holiday is fried, commemorating the miracle of the Temple oil that burned for eight days. But if you are looking to cut slightly back on calories this year, while still enjoying the delicious fried read more »
-+*Does pudding bring back childhood memories of one of your favorite desserts? It’s time to rediscover the child in you with this easy and healthy vegan chocolate pudding. No cornstarch or cooking is necessary for this recipe. This decadent, silky pudding is made with avocado! That’s right, blending together avocado and chocolate creates pure indulgence read more »
-+*Creating beautiful frosting designs on your cookies doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, it’s very simple. Using the 100% plant-based food dye included in your Dreidel Cookie Kit and a toothpick, you can create designs on your dreidel cookies that will wow your friends and family. To create these gorgeous swirled designs, create read more »
-+*Did you know that making pizzas is an educational and healthy food craft for kids of all ages? Just by making dough from scratch, kids can learn about food science — how yeast makes dough rise! They can also develop fine motor skills by simply squishing the dough around. What about nutrition? If you have read more »
-+*It’s chilly outside and making a batch of hot chocolate for your kids as an after school treat will warm them up and put a smile on their faces! This decadent recipe uses dark chocolate and milk rather than coco powder and water, creating a creamy delicious drink. The kids will probably not appreciate the read more »
-+*Thanksgiving is just a few days away! If you are still looking for an appetizer, try serving something light, such as vegetables and dip. I know veggies and dip are so cliché for an appetizer, but for this holiday, you don’t want your guests filling up on snacks before the big dinner! To make this read more »
-+*While Thanksgiving always brings to mind food and family, it might also bring to mind the voyage of The Mayflower. If your children aren’t old enough to have learned about The Mayflower in school, creating these sailboat straws with them is a good opportunity to teach them about the Mayflower’s journey, eventual settlement at Plymouth read more »
-+*Food crafting with your kids creates family traditions, memories and festive decorations for the table. Apples are a favorite fruit among children and what better way to win them over than to dip them in caramel! As a parent, you can feel good about making these caramel apples with your kids. Crabapples are like miniature read more »
-+*Looking for a special addition to your Thanksgiving feast? These adorable, tasty, little pumpkin rolls will definitely draw admiration from your guests. This recipe has a handful of steps, so get your little kitchen helpers ready to “roll.” It’s craft time with bread dough! Your Kids Can Help by: Stirring the pumpkin mixture. Measure out read more »
-+*Now that Halloween is over and it’s getting chillier outside, finding new and exciting indoor activities is becoming more and more important. When looking for new activities, don’t look past the little things. Simple hard-boiled eggs can be transformed into a budding artists’s palette or just a great way to get your children excited about eating read more »
-+*Snacks will always be a part of every child’s day whether it’s at school, home, the park, a party, or a play date. Instead of heading to the store to stock up on packaged crackers before these gatherings, try baking your own, or even have this as the activity! You will feel good about offering crackers read more »
-+*It’s the final count down to Halloween. Carnivals and school parties are filling up the days, and candy and sugary treats are everywhere to be enjoyed. Controlling the amount of sugar your child eats during Halloween is always a difficult parenting task. Kids will want to sort, trade, and eat some of their trick-or-treat candy read more »
-+*Fall is the perfect time to teach children about farm-to-table fruits and vegetables. A visit to the pumpkin patch can inspire your entire family to get creative with pumpkins. When children realize they can do more with a pumpkin than just carve it, they will be inspired to taste new autumnal recipes. Other than the teaching read more »
-+*Ooey, gooey, spooky deliciousness! S’mores are not just for making around a campfire. Did you know that you can roast marshmallows in your oven? With the weather changing and it being a little chillier outside, it’s a lot faster and easier to make s’mores in the oven without all of the effort of building a read more »
-+*Surprise your kids by turning their lunch into a box of ghouls this Halloween! It will only take a little bit of planning, but a lot of imagination! Start by taking their favorite type of sandwich and add eyes to instantly turn it into a monster face. Make their sides more fun to eat by creating read more »
-+*Squeak, squeak, squeak! Are those bats flying around or are the kids getting excited for Halloween! Here is a healthier twist on bonbons. Instead of ice cream, freezing fruit, like bananas, can satisfy your bat teeth! Here is a fun and simple treat that can be made with your kids. Kids can help by: Quarter read more »
-+*Eggs in a hole, eggs in a basket, eggs in a nest. These are all of the different names for eggs cooked with toast. Eggs are nutritiously rich in protein and are quick and easy for any meal. As Halloween approaches, creating a one-eyed monster with your kids for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, is one read more »
-+*Excitement is starting to fill the air. Kids are dreaming up costumes and getting their trick-or-treat bags ready. Halloween cannot come quickly enough! This time of year is fun for all of us and what better way to share the excitement than to be creative with your kids in the kitchen. Pretzel dough is easy read more »
-+*As apples start to come into season, I am reminded how I grew up learning to make applesauce with my mom. Every Fall we would pick apples from the tree in our backyard and if it was a good harvest, we would have baskets upon baskets of apples. You can only eat so many raw read more »
-+*Kids are back in school, but summer isn’t officially over. If you still have zucchinis growing in your garden and you can’t bare to grill another zucchini, try baking these delicious vegetable chips. They will satisfy any salty, crunchy craving that you or your family may have, plus, they are convenient and easy to make! Kids read more »
-+*Smoothies are nutritious, kid-friendly meals that are perfect anytime during the day and are portable when you are on the go! I know most school mornings are busy trying to get everyone out the door on time and so breakfast ends up being forgotten or grabbing a cereal bar that can easily be eaten in read more »
-+*End summer fun with a delicious green bean salad. For a quick timesaver, use canned chickpeas and cook the green beans and quinoa one day ahead. Even the kids can help with this recipe! Kids can help by: Rinsing the chickpeas. Snapping the ends of the green beans. Whisking the lemon juice and olive oil. read more »
-+*While buying pre-made hazelnut spread is convenient, making your own allows you to know exactly what’s going into it. This Vegan Hazelnut Spread, created by Dr. Zelana Montminy, is the perfect compliment for any back-to-school snack. Not only can you dip your favorite fruits into it for a delicious chocolate-hazelnut coating, but you can also create read more »
-+*If your children love lasagna as much as Garfield the Cat does, then you’ll definitely want to bake these Lasagna Cups! Whether you make them on National Lasagna Day, July 29, or any other day of the year, they are sure to be a hit. Ingredients: Vegetable oil cooking spray ½ chopped onion 1 pound ground read more »
-+*We recently grew a slew of giant zucchinis in the Foodstirs garden. While there are a ton of light and healthy summer recipes you can make with zucchini, my mother’s zucchini bread recipe was the first thing that came to mind. My mom and I would make this recipe together when I was little, and read more »
-+*There’s nothing like a good, healthy twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie, and thanks to Mandy Fayne, writer of the blog Healthfull Ever After, we have a delicious Granola Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe to share with you. This recipe uses Jolly Oak Granola, which is an all-natural granola that comes in four different flavors. Jolly Oak has read more »
-+*Fourth of July is just around the corner! With the kids out of school and summer in full swing, you may be in the need of some last-minute, quick and easy ideas to make your Fourth of July sparkle. These Fourth of July Sparklers are an extremely easy food craft that your children will love. read more »
-+*If you’ll be cheering on the U.S. Men’s National Team in their World Cup match against Portugal tomorrow, June 22, we’ve developed the perfect food craft for you to create with your kids before or during the game. Go USA! Ingredients: 1 box of Rice Krispies (You can also use Cocoa Krispies or any other non-puffed crispy read more »
-+*I am very excited to write for Foodstirs! I love to write, share healthy and delicious recipes, and talk about food! With summer around the corner, cookouts are a MUST! To ease into summer fun, here are 3 quick, healthy, and delicious recipes to start the season right! My first recipe is for my Watermelon read more »
-+*I cringe at the thought of all the sugar and artificial flavorings in food nowadays. Being a new mom, health freak, fitness professional and cookbook author, it’s pretty obvious there was no way I wouldn’t be making my own baby food for my daughter. So far she’s had oatmeal, sweet potatoes, bananas, avocados, apples, carrots, zucchini, butternut squash and read more »
-+*It can be hard to find delicious recipes when someone in your family has food allergies. Luckily, Tina, who is better known as Traveling Mama, has shared six mouth-watering brownie recipes on her blog that don’t compromise taste for safety. Two out of the six recipes are perfect for kids with allergies, but are so read more »
Returning to our kitchen?