Let’s face it.  Kids are not impressed by the culinary terms we might find appetizing.  They are likely not going to be tempted by such dishes as, Toasted Almond Encrusted Tilapia, Lasagna Florentine or Savory Herb Roasted Chicken.  The best way to make eating healthy foods fun for kids is to give the food fun, kid-friendly names.

Instead of serving raw broccoli with ranch dip, give them “diving green haired trolls.” You can use cauliflower and call it “swimming snow people.” You can also refer to broccoli as “mini trees;” peas can be called “tasty little green balls” and green beans “yummy sticks.” You can serve them a “colorful clown face” by spreading a thin layer of light ranch dressing on a plate, arrange cherry tomatoes in the middle to form a clown nose, place slices of cucumbers for eyes with a halved cherry tomato in the middle for the pupils.  Use strips of red bell pepper for the mouth and arrange broccoli, bell pepper strips, carrot sticks or a combination around the outside of the top half of the plate to look like hair.

A lot of kids like to eat “ants on a log” which are raisins arranged on top of celery sticks stuffed with peanut butter.  These can also be made with cream cheese or a mixture of equal parts cream cheese and peanut butter.  The ants can be raisins, dried cranberries, yogurt covered raisins or cut-up pieces of other dried fruit.  It may not be quite as healthy, but a few chocolate chips also make great “ants.”

To make “apple smiles,” core an unpeeled apple and slice it into sixteen even wedges.  Spread one side of each wedge with peanut butter.  Line mini marshmallows along the skin side of each peanut butter covered wedge, then top it with another wedge, peanut butter face down, at an angle with the core sides of the slices together so it resembles a mouth with teeth.

You can make a variety of “fruit fries with ketchup” by cutting apples, pineapples, firm bananas or melons into French-fry-shaped strips then serve them with peanut butter, cream cheese or marshmallow fluff tinted with red food coloring.  “Veggie fries with ketchup” can be made from cut jicama, cucumber, zucchini, carrots, celery or bell peppers served with French dressing or ranch dressing mixed with red food coloring.

Get creative and think of some fun spins you could put on healthy foods.  You can even get your children involved; make a silly game of coming up with different fun combinations and names then surprise them later with their creations.