this was too easy! there wasn’t a ton of time before the girls would be home, but i couldn’t watch them grab another sugary snack from the pantry, instead of something that would refuel them well after a long day at school.

so i made some healthy selections for them from the fridge (hummus, red pepper, apples, kiwi, string cheese, + a yogurt drink) served up a few pretzels into a cute dish, poured some sesame honey almonds into another fun bowl + spread everything else out on the counter, around a snack board. then, i crosssed my fingers + waited for them to walk thru the door. during the month of october, we shared lots of fun, sweet + savory spooky-themed snack boards, so i didn’t want to assume they would love the spread here, but to my great joy…

this was all it took:

+ this is what they chose from the deconstructed snack board–no convincing required!

i could not be happier about this! i’m feeling motivated to continue making this effort afterschool often, if not every day. fortunately, we have the healthy choices in the pantry more often than not, so all it takes is this simple step of putting it on the counter in an interesting way + our kids can continue to form the habit of eating a healthy snack!

i’ve been offering veggies, hummus + pita from their earliest years so the foundtions are there but often there’s the reminder of how important it is to keep offering the good stuff. having a kitchen garden has been a tremendous aid in this effort as well! we’re on broccoli watch right now. i think, they just want something to eat that feels special. when it’s ready + waiting for them on the counter, even a sliced apple with cheese delivers the excitement.

real talk: they also had a bit of chocolate with their snack + i love that they asked, because life is about balance! they may not be fans of what’s served or choose well everyday + somedays call for a sweet treat–a cookie from henri’s or a sugary croissant. that said, seeing how they made their plates today, i know for sure any future efforts won’t be a wasted! bonus–is the time we get back (vs. the daily ask for “something sweet”) to share about how the day at school went + who doesn’t love that?! everyone wins.

cheers to a fresh, new year! here’s to making it simple + keeping it fun.

as always, this board is
TODDLER TASTED, PARENT APPROVED

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