728x90
March 27, 2008

Snacks on a Stick

by DreamTeamToni
full star full star full star full star empty star Rated by 1 member
7 Comments
Find more about dinner, inspired ideas

Whether having cotton candy at a carnival, hot dogs over a roaring campfire, or popsicles on a hot summer day, food on a stick is as fun as it is handy. So on days when I don't feel like cooking or need to sneak some good stuff past our middle son, who hates food combos like casseroles or stir-fry, we make our own food on a stick using kebab skewers.

Older kids love to build them, and perhaps I'm projecting, but I suspect the skewering aspect is cathartic for siblings. Perfecting their own kebab combos makes kids feel empowered and excited about mealtime.

Since our fussy eater will make only bread kebabs if left to his own devices, I set some limits. I make sure to offer choices everyone likes, but each child must pick one fruit or vegetable. Manners and that whole pointy stick thing mean I don't let the kids eat right off the skewers, but they still have fun sliding their tasty tidbits onto plates.

Try these ideas to make your own meals on a stick for your next indoor county fair. Multi-packs of bamboo skewers are easily found at most grocery stores. Obviously some foods work better than others here; experiment with different combinations of foods.

  • Breakfast Kebabs French toast, sausage, and strawberries, pineapple, or peaches, with maple syrup for dipping

  • Lunch Kebabs Cold cuts (cubed or folded), cubed cheese, grapes, and hunks of crusty bread or bagel, with a sweet honey mustard for dipping

  • Salad Kebabs Cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper slices, grapes, cubed cheese and turkey, with low-fat ranch dressing for dipping

  • Dinner Kebabs Hot dog slices, pieces of bun, cherry tomatoes, and pickles. The dipping sauces? Ketchup and mustard, of course!

  • Dessert Kebabs Strawberries, kiwi, and cubed angel food cake or marshmallows. Don't forget the chocolate dipping sauce.

    One safety note for young children: Hot dogs should be cut lengthwise rather than into "coins," and grapes and cherry tomatoes can go on kebabs whole but should be cut into quarters after removing from the skewer. For more information, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics web site (www.aap.org) and search for "choking prevention."

    Have any kebab favorites of your own? Click the comments link below to share ideas.

    • Member Comments On…

    Snacks on a Stick

    300x250
    Please log in ...
    Close
    You must be logged in to use this feature.
    Become a member

    Thank You!

    Thank you for helping us maintain a friendly, high quality community at Family.com. This comment will be reviewed by a community moderator.

    Flag as Not Acceptable?

    We review flagged content and enforce our Terms of Use, in which content must never be:

    See full Terms of Use.