Eats & Reads: The Very Best Pumpkin!

For our pumpkin theme, one of the books we enjoyed was The Very Best Pumpkin by Mark Moulton.  A small portion of the story depicts various people coming to Pumpkin Hollow Farm trying to find the perfect pumpkin for their particular needs (decoration, prize pie making, etc.).  The main character in the story, a young boy named Peter, helps them to do just that!  :)  This is a very cute book with beautiful illustrations and well worth a snack along those same lines!

Why I Like This Book:

I love this sweet story which follows a boy who faithfully tends a lonely pumpkin he finds on his grandparent's farm and which tells of the friendship which develops between himself and his new little neighbor.  The book's tea-stained style illustrations are a beautiful complement to the text as well!  :)

NOTE:  Later this week, I plan to post about an art activity my daughter and I did together to go along with the story.

Snack Details:

Main pumpkin - cream cheese and brown sugar dip (colored orange) with Nutella details and fruit roll up vines sitting on a patch of peanut butter "soil" (peanut butter for dipping or just eating straight).

Muffin cups # 1 & 3:  mandarin "pumpkins" with pretzel stems.  I found the cute idea of using mandarins here:  http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/2011/10/muffin-tin-monday_16.html

Muffin cup # 2:  orange slice "pumpkin" with pretzel stem.

Details:  Nutella wording and mini candy pumpkins.

Linking to:
http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/
www.letkidscreate.blogspot.com
www.makingtheworldcuter.com

http://www.delicateconstruction.blogspot.com/
http://www.singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/
http://www.abcand123learning.com/
www.amommysadventures.com
www.tatertotsandjello.com

Eats & Reads: The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree

Today begins a new type of post that I hope to come up with at least once or twice a month:  Eats & Reads.  These will be snack or lunch related posts that go along with a book we have read or are currently reading!  :)

This past week, we thoroughly enjoyed the book "The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree" (see link below) during our "Apples" theme.  I decided I just had to make something fun to go along with the book, and it HAS been a while since I posted one of these (snack/lunch ideas), so here you go!  :)

What it looked like before my daughter began the seasonal transformations below...

SPRING!

SUMMER!

AUTUMN!

WINTER!

SIDE NOTE:  I love the craft/activity we made to go along with this book as well and will be posting it later in the week with some other apple related activities.  :)

Why I Like This Book: 

I love how Gibbons portrays the seasonal changes, not only with the tree itself but in Arnold's activities and wardrobe as well.  I also enjoy the subtle tie that Arnold has with this tree - it seems to be his special spot for playing, imagining, etc.  Perhaps it speaks to the child in me....  :)

Snack Details:
Tree Trunk: peanut butter and apple butter sandwich with Nutella details. Fruit roll-up tree leaves.
Muffin cup#1: string cheese flowers and celery leaf buds.
Muffin cup#2: cut up snow pea leaves and M&M red apples.
Muffin cup#3: carrot and dried cranberry leaves for Autumn.
Muffin cup#4: marshmallow snow!
Wording details: Nutella



Linking up to:
http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/
www.gigglesglitzandglam.blogspot.com
http://www.craftyconfessions.com/
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/
http://www.sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com/
http://www.bearrabbitbear.blogspot.com/
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/
www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com
http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/
www.tatertotsandjello.com

Ice Cream Cupcakes!

Summer days will be over soon - why not have a small seasonal send-off and make ice cream cupcakes?  I'm sure I am not the only mom to think of this idea, but just in case you have never come across it before or thought of it on your own - here you go!  :)  

To make ice cream cupcakes you simply need to decide what ice cream flavors, mix-ins, and toppings you would like.  Just layer them into a firm cupcake mold (think of making a miniature layer cake), smoosh them down, and eat!  It is that simple and that delicious!

Linking up to:
www.houseofhepworths.com
www.somewhatsimple.com
www.whipperberry.com
www.lilluna.com

SNACK/LUNCH: Back to School!!!! :)

With the beginning of our homeschooling year, things have been a bit busy.  However, I really wanted to make a fun snack for "Back to School" so this is what I came up with.

Snack Details:

*Notebook:  peanut butter and banana sandwich with a thin layer of white cream cheese on top and chocolate details.

*Pencils:  american cheese with chocolate chip points, marshmallow eraser, and chocolate details.

*Muffin cup #1:  graham crackers with a thin layer of chocolate "blackboards" and cut up string cheese ("chalk").

*Muffin cup #2:  vanilla yogurt ("milk") - I wanted to add a straw, but we are apparently out of those so I will need to add that to my grocery list.  :)

*Apples:  small tomatoes with pretzel stems and slivers of green gummy for leaves.

*Lettering details:  chocolate - yummm!!!

Please note that not all our "fun" lunch/snacks are as healthy as our normal snacks are.  It is just nice to take a break once a week and get a bit more creative with some fun treats like the lunch/snack above.  :) 

Need some more "snack"spiration?  Check out the muffin tin mom website or Jill Dubien's blog!  :)

Linking up to:
http://www.sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/
www.nap-timecreations.blogspot.com

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SNACK/LUNCH: Summer Sun!

This lunch/snack (because what my daughter does not finish for lunch she will sometimes have for a snack later) was a fun salute to the summer heat (which isn't so much fun)...

Snack details:

Sun- American cheese slices surrounded by orange slices.  Carrots and strawberries compose the sun's rays.  Banana and blueberry eyes with a dried cranberry smile display this snack's cheery disposition.

Muffin cups 1,2, 3:  A fluffy "cloud" amid blue skies (a.k.a. blue muffin cups) show off yummy treats:  banana slices, blueberries, and a few marshmallows tossed in for fun!

Muffin cups 4,5,6 (NOT SHOWN) - Organic blueberry yogurt with more blueberries and marshmallows!

For more fun snack ideas, be sure to visit the muffin tin mom website and Jill Dubien's blog!  :)

Linking up to:
www.nap-timecreations.blogspot.com

SNACK/LUNCH: Cool in the Pool!!

This lunch was in honor of my daughter finishing up her swim class this past week!  Good job, honey!!  :)  (Sorry parts of it are perhaps a little sloppy - I was in a hurry - busy week!)
BTW - apparently some people are having trouble viewing/becoming followers.  I am not sure why the following thing shows up sometimes and not others - I am not that technically savvy.  :)  HOWEVER, I have noticed that on my computer, there is a "follow" button at the very top of the page next to some other buttons and that seems to work.  So if you were wanting to become a follower (which is so sweet - I am honored), you might try that.  :)  If that fails - let me know and I will see what else I can find out.  :)

Snack Details:

Girl in pool floating on her back:  peanut butter sandwich with strawberry cream cheese on top.  Chocolate chip sunglasses, fruit roll-up mouth and hair and swimsuit flowers.  Chocolate used for hand and feet details.

Water:  blueberries.

Muffin Cup 1: organic blueberry yogurt with chocolate heart details.


Muffin Cup 2: "pool noodles" - carrots and sugar snap peas.


Muffin Cup 3:  orange life jackets with chocolate detailing.
 
Muffin Cup 4: life preserver mini bagel with fruit roll-up stripes.


Garnishes:  melted chocolate lettering.

For more cool snack ideas - check the out the muffin tin mom website or Jill Dubien's blog.

Items used to make this snack (muffin cup link should take you to a place where you can order the different colors):


Linking up to:
http://www.makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com/
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/
http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/
www.tearosehome.blogspot.com
www.smilemontsers.blogspot.com

SNACK: Munch Your Lunch!

This was actually more of a snack than a lunch, but the words "MUNCH YOUR LUNCH" just seemed to fit.  :) 
Snack Details:

*Alligator:  Cucumber with skin on (yes, we eat our cucumbers that way sometimes!  Just wash well!) and a chocolate chip eye.  Blueberries for water.

*Sun:  American cheese.

*Muffin Cup Flowers:  Carrots.  Stems are made from cucumbers.  Leaves are snow peas.

*Muffin Cup Sky/Cloud #1:  Mayo for dipping.

*Muffin Cup Sky/Cloud #2:  String cheese circles.

*Words:  Melted chocolate.

NOTE:  The link below will take you to a site where you can purchase red, blue, or other colored muffin cups.  I would have posted a direct link to blue ones as well but could not find a direct link showing the blue color.

For more neat snack ideas, visit Jill Dubien's blog and the muffin tin mom blog!



Linking up to:
www.sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com
www.makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com
www.delicateconstruction.blogspot.com
www.dittledattle.blogspot.com
http://nap-timecreations.blogspot.com/
http://allthingzrelated.blogspot.com/
http://whipperberry.com/

Decorate Your Own Wedding "Cake" (a.k.a. english muffin) Snack!

With all the wedding shower craziness still on my mind, I remembered how much my daughter had wanted to help with the shower cakes - so I decided to make her a little "cake" of her own which she could decorate for her snack.  The "cake" was three layers of english muffin and her decorating bag was filled with strawberry cream cheese.  I should have taken a picture of the final masterpiece because she really did do a lovely job!  :)

Snack Details:

Wedding Cake:  english muffins (top two circles I made using circle cookie cutters).

Muffin Cup #1 (top):  cucumber flowers

Muffin Cup #2 (3 o'clock):  raspberry jam/preserves

Muffin Cup #3 (bottom):  kiwi flowers

Muffin Cup #4 (9 o'clock):  apple flowers

Garnishes:  blueberries and strawberry cream cheese swirls/flowers

Not Shown but part of snack:

Muffin Cup #5:  string cheese bows

Disposable decorating bag with tip cut off and filled with strawberry cream cheese.  (Could also do something similar with jam or peanut butter.)

For more amazing snack ideas - check out the muffin tin mom website or Jill Dubien's blog!  :)


Linking to:


http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/
http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/
http://delicateconstruction.blogspot.com/

Stars and Stripes Snack - Happy Fourth of July!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!  :)

Stars and Stripes Snack Details:

**Star in the middle is a star cookie cutter with blueberries inside and star strawberry on top (you should be able to find star cookie cutters in different sizes at your local craft/kitchen store or find some online - see links below for an idea of what is out there).

** Muffin cup #1 (12 o'clock) - cottage cheese

**Muffin cups #2 and 4 (3 o'clock and 9 o'clock) - strawberry pieces

**Muffin cup #3 (6 o'clock) - slices of string cheese (the stripes of the snack)

**Garnishes:  star strawberries and string cheese circles with blue stars drawn on top with a food marker.

For more fun snack/lunch ideas check out these creative mommas!

http://meetthedubiens.blogspot.com/

http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/

By the way:  I could not find a direct link to the blue muffin cups that I have, but the link for the red below should take you to a place where you can switch colors if you wanted the blue.  :)

Linking to: http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2011/07/this-weeks-cravings-37-linky-party.html

The Sweet Ballerina Snack

Don't you love getting packages in the mail - the good kind with fun things inside that you ordered with a birthday or Christmas gift certificate?  Weelll, the delicate pink muffin cups you see in the snack above were part of said wonderful package.  :)  They were practically begging me to be part of a ballerina snack as soon as they left the box.

Pink baking cups:  "Pleez, oh pleez, Michelle!  We have leeved (lived) for dees (this) moment!"

I am thinking their accent was definitely French.  Anyways, who am I to refuse talking pink muffin cups?  So without further ado, I give you "The Sweet Ballerina Snack":

**Leotard:  peanut butter sandwich with strawberry cream cheese on top.  The bows on the leotard are made from canadian bacon.

**Muffin cups #1 and #3 (sides of "tutu"):  strawberry banana yogurt

**Muffin cup #2 (middle of "tutu"):  canadian bacon

**Pink Fluffy Stuff:  cotton candy.  Please forgive the clumpy look of it -  my vision was for the puffy, wispy kind.  I quickly learned that cotton candy doesn't necessarily stay nice for long periods of time and definitely not when moisture is added (like when you touch it with wet fingers).  It just seemed to fit the fluffy tutu idea so well, I had to give it a try.  Although it didn't turn out quite as "tutu-y" as I had hoped, I think my daughter didn't care so much what shape it was in when she ate it and enjoyed the unexpected little treat. (The stuff we bought at the store had some blue cotton candy mixed in which is why some of it might have  a slight blue tinge here and there.)

**Garnishes:  strawberry hearts, string cheese flowers with red center added using a food marker, kiwi fruit leaves.

**Not shown are muffin cups #4 and 5:  bananas and string cheese

Dress Up Doll Snack

If you have a daughter then you know how much little girls love to play dress up!  Why not carry that passion right into snack time with a dress up doll theme.  Simply cut out little shapes from fruits and veggies for her to use when making her "doll" fancy.
Snack Details:
* Dolls (there is another doll shape underneath in case my daughter wanted to decorate a second doll) - flour tortilla with strawberry cream cheese spread.  Chocolate eyes, strawberry mouth, cheese hair.
* Muffin Cup #1 (top) - cranberries
* Muffin Cup #2 (top) - pear flowers
* Muffin Cup #3 (bottom) - avocado flowers
* Muffin Cup #4 (bottom) - strawberry flowers
* Garnishes - chocolate words and vines and blue fruit roll up flowers

Links to some items I used below - you should be able to find most in a craft or food decorating/kitchen specialty store.  If not - there's always online shopping.  I could not find a link to the exact girl cookie cutter I used, so I just posted a couple of links to some cute ones I found.  :)

And of course, if you would like some more "snackspiration" - check out these two blogs: http://www.meetthedubiens.blogspot.com/ and http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/

Linking to:  http://paisleypassions.blogspot.com/2011/07/fun-w-food-friday-linky-party_15.html

Hello Summer! Good-Bye School...

Sooo, my daughter informed me that she would like for me to make a school for her next snack.  Out the window again went my snack plans because I cater to the whims of my children (not really - but in this case, I thought about it and decided I could make it work with an "End of the School Year" snack theme).  Now, I know you must be thinking - end of the year?!  That was weeks ago!!  Well my friends, not for us.  We have had a full year of expected and unexpected delays in school (medical, travel, etc.) so we are just finishing up now.  One reason I love homeschooling - very flexible!!!  :)
Okay, enough about our lives and more details on the snack itself:
SNACK:
School - apple, graham cracker door and roof, cheese bell.
Muffin cup #1 - blue jello stars - because of her star work and effort this year :)
Muffin cup #2 - blueberry yogurt with another "jello star sticker".
Garnishes:  chocolate letters, cheese suns, fruit roll-up and pretzel trees.

SUPPLIES:
I bought the muffin cup liners on Amazon (see link below).  The circle cutters you can probably find at any hobby or craft store that sells cake/cookie decorating items or buy online (see link below).  The spoon was part of a set I purchased at Hobby Lobby so I am not sure where else you could find one.  I tried to find something similar online and found myself drawn into the world of amazing baby and toddler spoons (who knew there were so many cool kinds out there?  I had to stop myself from looking before my links were longer than my post!) so I posted some links below to some neat ones I found as well.  :)

HEADS UP:  Tomorrow, I will try to post a cute craft my daughter and I made for hanging in her room!  Come back and take a look!!  :)

Turn That Frown Upside Down - Smile!!!

My daughter was not feeling that well today and needed some cheering up.  Thus, my original snack idea went out the window, and I started afresh with a new theme - "Turn That Frown Upside Down - Smile!"  The idea was to give her a bunch of different "smiles" with which to replace the frown on the little girl's face.
You gotta love those snacks with a double purpose - cheer the heart and strengthen the body with lots of vitamins.  I hope it does the trick and kicks this cold/allergy/or whatever it is, good-bye!!!
Details:
Face - peanut butter and banana sandwich with strawberry frown, banana and chocolate chip eyes, fruit roll-up hair and bow.
Cup of smiles #1:  mandarin oranges
Cup of smiles #2:  kiwi slices
Cup of smiles #3:  nectarine (hmm, or maybe it was a peach) slices
Garnishes:  chocolate words and avocado "smiles"

For more snack inspiration, check out the muffin tin mom website or Jill Dubien's blog under Fun Food Friday.  :)

HOMESCHOOL - Alphabet Snack

This week we are finishing up an alphabet book we began around the beginning of this school year.  It is a pretty neat book and I hope to post one or two pictures of it later this week.  Thus, to go along with that "theme", I made my daughter an alphabet snack/lunch!  Here are the details:
ABC apple - apple with the appropriate parts carved out.
Letters around plate edges - melted chocolate piped out of a decorating bag.
Muffin cup #1 - graham cracker letters (carved these carefully with a knife - not too hard actually).
Muffin cup#2 - yogurt with remaining chocolate letters on top.
Muffin cup #3 - peanut butter for dipping.
Exclamation mark garnishes - fruit roll-ups.

For more inspiration, check out the muffin tin mom website or Jill Dubian's blog www.meetthedubiens.com.  (I believe I have these links posted under Homeschool - helpful links and sites).

A Lunch Fit for the Birds!!

This was a lunch I made for my daughter in honor of our bird theme this week and utilizing silicone muffin cups!  :)  Want more inspiration for future lunches?  Take a look at the submissions on the Muffin Tin Mom website (http://www.michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com).  AND/OR here's a mom that does an awesome job of serving up snacks/lunches with a HUGE dose of creativity:  http://www.meetthedubiens.com/ (click on the Fun Food Friday link and prepare to be amazed!).  I hope to come up with further fun lunches and snacks of our own to go along with themes throughout the year so keep checking in to see what we whip up in our kitchen!  :)  Lunch details below.

Lunch Fit for the Birds:
Bird head - peanut butter and jelly sandwich with fruit roll up eyes (and berry in the middle) and a cheese slice beak.
caterpillars - fruit roll up and details added with a food marker.
Ant - grape
Food to feed our baby bird (and tot) - blackberries, cut up carrots, and grapes
Garnish - cheerios

Baby/Toddler Food - Muffin Tin Mom

Who says you can't always play with your food? (Well, in all honesty - my husband and I find ourselves saying that often enough.)

But I think that even an adult might be tempted to hop these bunnies into the carrot patch amid the spinach grass - and of course take a dip in the pond (mayo tinted blue with food color)! My daughter loved this for a snack and had no trouble coming up with stories where bunnies feasted on carrots and bathed themselves.

Muffin Tin Mom is a wonderful website to get one's brain churning with ideas of how to make lunches and snacks a bit more exciting and manageable. I believe most moms submitting ideas on the site use muffin tins. I chose to use compartmentalized containers instead while others may use divided trays, silicone baking cups, etc. You get the picture - why use just a simple plate when you can divide and conquer, right?

Here's the link: http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/search/label/Muffin%20Tin%20Monday

Toddler Food - www.wholesometoddlerfood.com

In keeping with yesterday's post, here is another awesome site very similar to http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ but geared more towards the bundles of energy we call "toddlers".


Here's the link: http://www.wholesometoddlerfood.com/

Informative, great recipes, and sample menus for your tot - what's not to love?

Michelle
Head designer for "The Nature of Grace"

Baby food - www.wholesomebabyfood.com

"Solid food stage."


Are there any words more exciting or more terrifying to a mommy than these? Well, potty training and teething come to mind so I guess there are... ;) But for the sake of this post - let's just stick with the awe surrounding the solid food stage, shall we?


What do I feed my baby, how much, when do I feed them, how often, what's healthy, what's not.... and the list goes on. As mommies, we are so excited to see our little ones grow - but ooohhh, the messy road of nutrition we must travel to reach each new milestone. Let's face it - we want our babies to learn and become independent one day, so they are going to need proper nutrients to get there! Fortunately - there are wonderful people out there (bless you, wonderful people!) who are happy to help and even design websites to guide us (so we can spend those precious minutes we saved by not having to search for all this info online - to wipe up faces, clean off trays, wash fingers, mop the floor, and then get ready to start the process all over again).


http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ is one of those awesome sites! It is absolutely full of wonderful information, advice, how to cook and store your own baby food, nutrition information, feeding suggestions, RECIPES - hey, they even have a few menu ideas and schedules! Talk about doing the legwork for you! :)


Not convinced - okay, here is an example. Click on one of their fruits and veggies - like asparagus. It lets you know when it is recommended that a baby try asparagus (including suggestions for babies with digestive issues), gives you nutritional information about asparagus, what to look for in good asparagus when you are purchasing it in a store, suggestions on how to cook and store asparagus for your baby, piles of recipes for your baby with asparagus being in them, and even suggestions for foods good to mix with asparagus!


I don't know about you - but I am SOLD on this website. Definitely a "bookmarker"... :)


Stay tuned for more posts later this week regarding more fun food sites for your baby or tot! :)