Vegetable swords

I often have a hard time to get my kids to eat their vegetables, let alone any vegetables when an adult isn't hoovering nearby watching.  I seriously doubt that my kids eat any fruits or vegetables I put in their lunches.  Well, until this year.  I got smarter.  I'm making them make their own lunches, and the rule is that they have to pick our their own fruit or vegetable.  So far so good.  It's also more fun to eat your vegetables if you can play with them.  I actually got my kids to eat cucumbers because I told them they could fight with these "swords".  These would be great to put in your kids lunch next week for "talk like a pirate day". 

 Click here for printable recipe.
Post by: Jen

Ingredients:

cucumbers
carrots

Directions:
Peel your cucumber however you'd like.  Slice into wide slices.

 Peel the carrots and then trim them on the sides so it is more square than round.

 Cut your carrot into half and then half again (fourths).  Each carrot will give your 4 carrot sticks.

 Now trim with a knife or peel the top 2/3 of the carrot to resemble a point.  Plus the top 2/3 of the carrot needs to be a little thinner than the bottom third.  You will have some carrot scraps that you peel/slice off.  Just toss them in a baggie and use them in a salad later.

 With your knife, poke a hole in the center of the cucumber slice.  Poke your carrot through it.

 Slice the carrot all the way through it until you have a little left over on the bottom for your "hilt"

 And now you have vegetable swords that might encourage your kids to actually play with their food and then eat it.

Other ways to get your kids to eat fruit and vegetables in their lunches.

If you have access to small baby food containers, they are a great way to send dips to school with your child.   Yes, you could buy those little Tupperware containers, but at least I'm not too concerned if they lose the baby food containers.  I have a friend who has a baby and I just ask her for the containers when she's done with them. I wouldn't recommend sending the glass jars to school.

 I have put PB/sunflower butter in this container and then sent in celery along with it.  I have also put ranch dressing in for sliced veggies.

I have also sent in sliced apples with Speculoos for dipping.  I bet you're wondering what Speculoos is and I'm here to tell you that it's the best thing since Nutella.  I was so happy to discover that you can actually buy it in Walmart under the name of Biscoff.  It tastes like a gingerbread cookie that is pureed into a spread.  Trader Joes also has their own version.  My kids are addicted to it.  Yes, it's a bit sugary, but at least my kids are eating some fruit in their lunches.

This is what you need to look for in the store.  It will be in the peanut butter section.  You'll thank me once you try it.