The winter months lend themselves to cozy indoor activities, like trying out some new recipes with the children in your care. Cooking together encourages little ones to explore and enjoy nutritious foods, and to use math and science skills as they help prepare a healthy treat. The following simple recipes featuring seasonal, winter produce are ideal for you and the early learners in your care to prepare and enjoy together.
One of the best ways to introduce little ones to all of the rich flavors of fresh produce is with a seasonal fruit salad! Cut up a variety of seasonal fruits, such as apples, citrus, pears, and persimmon. This recipe suggests adding texture and color with other types of fruits and cheese. Fruit salads are perfect for early learning classrooms because they are fully customizable and can be made with whatever fruits you have available.
Avocados are in season during the winter months, so it is the perfect time of year to turn them into a nutritious and tasty toast topper for children (and grown-ups too). The first step is to mash your avocados, by putting them into a bowl and squishing them using the backside of a fork or a potato masher. The children in your care will enjoy helping with the mashing process! Next, spread your mashed avocado onto sliced whole grain bread. This recipe can be made by using just bread, smashed avocado, and some sea salt. Or, you might invite little ones to add fun toppers to their toast, like cheese, lunch meat, or sliced tomatoes.
A simple way to enjoy fresh, seasonal winter citrus is to make homemade orange juice! All you’ll need are several oranges sliced in half, a citrus squeezer (like this affordable option), and a large pitcher. Invite children to take turns squashing the orange halves onto the juicer to make the juice. It’s a great sensory activity, with the children getting to feel the oranges in their hands, use their hand muscles to squeeze out the juice, smell the fragrance of the citrus as it is juiced, and then enjoy drinking their homemade juice!
This easy-to-prepare recipe is based on kiwi, a seasonal winter fruit. There are just three ingredients: plain greek yogurt, peeled and chopped kiwis, and some honey. Invite the little ones in your care to help prepare their yogurt cup by scooping in the yogurt and fruit, and then squeezing a drizzle of honey on top!
