Getting kids to eat healthy is a challenge, epecially during the holidays. How about offering them one of these super-festive Thanksgiving snacks?

Apple Turkeys 

You know what’s better than turkey? Turkey with cheese, apples, and nuts. That’s right, and it’s super simple.

All you have to do is core an apple, slice it in half, and then face one half of the apple’s green or red skin toward you. The idea is that the inside of the apple is facing away, and preferably lightly coated in some lemon or lime juice to keep it from oxidizing. Save the other half for an extra “turkey.”

Then, take some deli meat of your choice (turkey is appropriate) and slice it in half. Each half slice should be rolled and pinned with toothpicks along the back of the apple, so it looks like feathers. 

Alternatively, you can use cheese sticks for this too — just sliced in half, both vertically and horizontally, so you get four “feathers” per cheese stick. Plenty of kids like a combination of meat and cheese in alternating order.

From there, add nuts of your choice (almonds work well) for the nose and eyes. Cacao nibs are a good choice for the eyes. Presto, kid-approved turkeys.

Pumpkin Cheese Bowls

There is nothing, I repeat, nothing better than a good cheese dip, am I right? Well, how about a cheese dip in a pumpkin?

And it’s easy too.

All you need to do is make a roux by blending 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1½ cups of milk. Simply melt your butter first, add your flour, whisk quickly and pour in the milk slowly. It forms a smooth base so you can add shredded cheese one handful at a time, melt it, and boom — cheese sauce.

From there, add your toppings, like sliced bacon, bell pepper, or smoked ham. Even chicken works. Mix well and pour into a carved, cleaned, baking pumpkin — the smaller ones from the grocery stores. Serve with chips and you’ll have at least two to four happy kids on your hands!

Four-Step Yogurt Strawberries

This is the perfect solution for moms looking for something simple, delicious, and a little lazy. It’s nothing festive, per se, but it is guaranteed (almost) to be loved by most kids. 

Plus, when the table starts getting full of heavy food, you’ll be thankful for these. They’re a real sweet treat you don’t need to feel guilty about.

Wash and dry some strawberries and slice them in half. Then cover them in vanilla yogurt and freeze them with plenty of space between. 

Once frozen, you can remove them from the baking sheet they’re on, and store them in a freezer-friendly container.

— By Jennifer Mendez

Jennifer Mendez is a content creator and Lynnwood resident who specializes in copy, graphic design and photography for her clients. Whenever she’s not creating something, she’s exploring new places to eat in the area.