Rice cereal coating gives kid-friendly Frozen Banana Pops a little snap and crackle
Teaching kids to cook and enjoy nutritious food is an amazing gift that parents can give their kids. Cooking together helps promote good nutrition and make long-lasting memories. To start kids on the path toward adventurous eating, we’re providing some tips for wise parents.
⬤ Take your kids grocery shopping. They’ll learn how to prepare menus, choose ingredients and select new healthy foods.
⬤ Ask kids to help you put away groceries. Explain why certain foods need to be refrigerated or kept in a cupboard. This presents you with a chance to talk about food safety.
⬤ Train children to unload the dishwasher or dish-drying rack. It’s a good opportunity to help them develop life-long organizational skills.
⬤ Assign and supervise small tasks. Let your children wash produce, measure ingredients and stir bowls. Allow them to tear lettuce or cut produce if they’re old enough. Safe cooking techniques will help them in the future. Plus, you’ll be making some good memories with your kids as you work near them.
⬤ Encourage taste testing to keep kids curious and involved in the cooking process.
Today’s recipe for Frozen Banana Pops is an easy way to get your kids involved in cooking. First, cut the bananas in half, then let your children peel them and insert the wooden stick. They’ll have fun rolling the bananas in yogurt and cereal before putting their treats in the freezer.
Our frozen-banana treat is full of potassium, an important mineral that helps muscles contract and supports healthy blood pressure. Greek yogurt provides protein and calcium for growing bones and strengthening muscles.
Bethany Thayer is a registered dietitian nutritionist with Henry Ford Health. For more recipes and health information, visit henryford.com/blog. For questions about today’s recipe, email HenryFordLiveWell@hfhs.org.
Frozen Banana Pops
Makes: 4/ Prep time: 15 minutes / Total time: 15 minutes (plus freezing time)
2 large bananas
1 cup non-fat strawberry Greek yogurt
1 cup crispy rice cereal
Peel the bananas and cut them in half, crosswise. Carefully poke a wooden stick into the cut end of each banana half. Place yogurt in a shallow bowl. Roll each banana half in yogurt, then sprinkle with crispy rice cereal. Put banana halves on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Freeze bananas for about 2 hours or until hard. Keep frozen until ready to serve.
From Henry Ford LiveWell.
110 calories (2% from fat), 0 grams fat (0 grams sat. fat), 25 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 75 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 41 mg calcium, 2 grams fiber. Food exchanges: ½ fruit, ½ milk.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Frozen banana dessert gets snap, crackle from rice cereal coating
