10 Sensational Summer Snacks

The summer months are hot…and there’s no better way to cool down, than with a glass of icy cold water and a delicious and healthful summer snack. “Snack” may sound like a ‘bad word’, but if selected wisely, snacks can add some really good nutrition to your day.  The following snacks contain essential nutrients, fiber, lots of vitamins and minerals, and will help to keep you hydrated too. These snacks are sure to delight the entire family, from kids to grandparents, there is something here for everyone to enjoy!

1. Wash a bowl of seedless grapes; put the grapes in the freezer for about an hour. Poke colored toothpicks into the grapes to serve.
2. Homemade juice popsicles. A traditional favorite for all age groups.  Simply fill a popsicle mold or an ice tray with your favorite 100% fruit juice. Cover the ice tray with clear plastic wrap and poke a toothpick through the plastic into each square. Place the tray into the freezer until the popsicles are frozen solid.
3. A twist on an old favorite – fruit n’yogurt pops!  Use your popsicle mold to create delicious and nutritious treats by blending fruit, non-fat yogurt and some fat-free milk together in a blender, and then pour into your popsicle molds and freeze!
4. Fill mini ice cream cones with yogurt, and top with berries.  Poke holes in an egg carton to stand them upright.  Place in the freezer until ready to serve.
5. Peel a banana and cut it in half. Insert popsicle sticks into the cut ends. Dip the bananas into yogurt or melted chocolate, and then roll the bananas in chopped nuts or crushed whole grain cereal. Place the bananas on a small waxed paper-lined baking sheet and set the sheet into the freezer for an hour or so. Fun to make and even more fun to eat!
6. Spread a layer of frozen yogurt over graham crackers (similar to an ice-cream sandwich) and put in to the freezer until snack time. It is a delicious and nutritious warm weather snack.
7. Fruit Smoothies!  Freeze the fruit in advance.  Peeled bananas, sliced peaches, and berries are refreshing treats on their own, or simply put them into the blender, add fat-free yogurt and/or fat-free milk, and a few ice cubes.
8. Slice Watermelon into thin sections, and then use fun shaped cookie cutters to create delicious works of art!
9. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice-cream!  There are lots of fat-free and low-fat varieties available.  And buying them in pre-portioned pops or cups will help to keep the calories in check.  Look for ice-cream pops that are 100 calories or less for a perfectly acceptable summer indulgence!
10. Chocolate covered strawberries… dip some fresh juicy strawberries into a fat-free chocolate  pudding cup!   This is a great way to get the antioxidants from the berries, and the calcium from the pudding, all in a delicious snack that feels like a real treat!