Classroom Halloween Party ideas. What is a fruit mask?

From the very first day that I brought our son home I have worried about the nutritional health of our children. When they were infants I worried if breast milk was enough, when they were toddlers I worried about fortified finger foods and when they started school I stressed about simple snack time offerings. Schools made it a rule that homemade goodies were not allowed and parents, like myself, were left to choose only what the grocery stores have to offer which are refined, quick and for the most part sugar laden and unhealthy choices. I decided to make a list of unrefined snack ideas that can spruce up the Holiday party. I started with Halloween and came up with a list of seven unrefined, healthy Halloween classroom party ideas.

These seven tantalizing treats can be made by the children in a classroom setting with minimal mess or prep time. They are filled with vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and calcium that are sure to keep the festivities going in a healthy and unrefined way.

Apple Costumes

Is that a bat in the classroom? No it’s an apple with a funny mask! This Vitamin C and fiber packed treat will keep those choppers chewing. Printout the free printable and wrap those washed red or green apples. These masks will make the whole fruit mysterious and appealing! To print out the apple masks click here to takeyou to the down loadable sheets.

Banana Ghost Pops

Where does a ghost go to take a swim? Well vanilla yogurt of course! Take half of a peeled banana and place the cut end on a Popsicle stick. Press the pointy side of two small chocolate chips into the banana to make the eyes. Frozen bananas with chocolate chips make this treat especially chilling. Using the Popsicle stick dip the banana ghost into a serving of low-fat vanilla yogurt. These potassium rich ghosts swimming in a sea of calcium and protein make a super hero snack. Click here to see them on our Pinterest page! 

Swamp Water and Bugs on a Raft

Nothing says swampy like green or brown juice! Mix 100% grape juice with 100% orange juice or purchase Green Machine juice by Naked brand for an authentic swampy effect. Maneuver the swamp on a rickety raft made of apple slices with a layer of nut butter and topped with raisins and/or chocolate chips. Serve raft and water separately.

Sangre Salsa Dip

Little vampires can’t resist the temptation to dip precut carrots, celery, baked blue corn chips or pretzel sticks into Vitamin C rich tomato salsa.

Mummy Unwrapped

Some mummies just don’t have it together. Take string cheese and peel the strands off and layer them in a whole wheat tortilla. Garnish with a tablespoon of hummus and matchstick carrots. Roll together all of the ingredients in the tortilla and enjoy this protein rich and whole grain ancient inspired spooky snack.  

Witch Mix

Bring out the cauldron to mix together these fall favorites including Pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, dried edamame or dried peas, nuts, raisins, dried cranberries or apricots. This good witch mix will serve up vitamins, minerals and protein in a healthy blend.

Clementine Pumpkins

Small oranges, like Clementine’s or Cuties, can be eaten with ease by little hands. Peel the pumpkins and stick a 2 inch celery stick down the center of the pumpkin.

 

When it comes down to it, children like to play with their food, maybe even more than they like the bright colored, sugar filled character dressed candies, cakes and cookies. This year say goodbye to the wicked witch that brings in the artificial colors, chemicals and supped up sugar foods and say hello to the nutrition fairy that wants only healthy alternatives to ease the crazy holiday season.

R.I.P unhealthy classroom snacks.

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How do you eat your eggs? The dietitians husband loves the unrefined egg.

I have always had a love/hate relationship with eggs. I love the fact that they are a healthy addition to the diet, easy to make and full of high value protein, antioxidants and vitamins all packed into 70 calories. The nutrients in eggs contribute to weight management, enhanced brain function, muscle strength and eye health. I just personally, don't like them and I attribute my dislike to a sea sickness episode in my late teens. Eggs have gotten a bad name for themselves over the years because of the amount of cholesterol that each has in it. Each egg has 187 milligrams of cholesterol, which except for shellfish and organ meats is one of the highest containing cholesterol foods.  We as animals make our own cholesterol and otherwise we mainly ingest cholesterol by eating other animals or their byproducts such as dairy and of course eggs. If you have an issue with high cholesterol I would recommend to not go overboard on eggs, but if you are an active healthy person, especially kids, 2 eggs a few times a week should not be a problem. And, to eliminate the majority of the cholesterol just eat the white of the egg and not the yellow. You will still get the protein benefits. 

Now back to the question at hand, how do you eat your eggs? 

My dad always made omelets with vegetables, my mom liked them fried or scrambled, my step dad would marinate his eggs in ketchup and prior to my boating illness I would cover up the eggs with cheese and tomato salsa. One of the first things I learned to cook was scrambled eggs in the microwave. 

Here are a few additional unrefined ways that we cook eggs now:

1. Fried in coconut oil.

2. Take 2 eggs, scramble them and pour them onto a hot waffle iron. 

3. Souffle them. Scramble the raw eggs with a tablespoon of milk, add vegetables or lean meat, pour into a cupcake pan prepped with spray oil. Cook at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. 

4. Hard boiled (always an easy addition to salads and sandwiches). 

5. Poached eggs. I add poached eggs to a Bok choy, garlic, pasta and vegetable broth dinner for the family. 

I have had a strong desire to read Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham to our 4 year old daughter lately, I think it is because I have an innate desire to try the incredible edible egg again. I'll let you know how it goes but in the mean time don't be afraid of the egg, try them for breakfast, lunch or dinner for an extra burst of unrefined protein and vitamins!