Say "Cheese!" Back-To-School Fun Ideas
Air Date: 9/2/2008

Filling our shopping cart with foods kids like to eat is often a challenge because they eat with their eyes first. If we don't entice them, they may wind up playing with more of their food than eating it.

My thought is why not "play" into that instinct to make mealtime fun? Recently, when I spotted packages of pre-cut slices of cheese shapes, it gave me an idea that will work with any brand or variety of cheese - sliced, blocks, whatever.

Imagine their reactions if we put out a selection of sliced cheese, maybe American or Cheddar or a flavored Jack cheese, along with an assortment of shredded, chunked and sliced fruits and veggies, pickles, olives, some sliced hard-cooked eggs and a loaf of their favorite bread. Then let their creative juices flow by having them assemble their own open-face sandwiches - I mean, fun faces!

You know sandwiches they make themselves with fun ingredients and fun faces are going to disappear! And the kids have a blast making and eating them, too. So once you've tested the waters with that, try making eye-catching edible boats you build by threading a toothpick with an apple slice, fresh mozzarella cheese ball, a grape tomato and peapod sails.

Of course, even something as simple as using a cookie cutter to make fun shapes out of cheese slices for snacking can be a blast! So say, "Cheese," and let the kids play along to become members of the Clean Plate Club!