Three Festive, Kid-Friendly Treats

I may spend too much time on social media, but occasionally it does provide inspiration I can use in the real world. Recently, a friend’s mom shared an idea for Grinch Fruit Kabobs, while a baker I follow on Instagram shared the cutest Chocolate Reindeer Bark.

Although it wasn’t yet Thanksgiving, these Christmas-y ideas looked so cute and do-able that I made them both over the weekend. Even better? With a little help, your kids can be instrumental in throwing these fun treats together.

What’s your favorite holiday treat to make with kids?

Grinch Fruit Kabobs

My son’s favorite holiday film is the Benedict Cumberbatch version of “The Grinch.” So I knew he would love these! Except…I forgot he won’t eat bananas. Oops. 

Ingredients:
Green Grapes
Strawberries
Ripe Bananas
Mini Marshmallows
Toothpicks

1. Slice bananas and cut the ends off of the strawberries.
2. Insert a grape onto the toothpick, making sure it reaches one end. Next, insert a banana slice, followed by a strawberry. Finally, top your kabob with a mini marshmallow
3. Enjoy! (Make sure your kids don’t forget there are toothpicks in here! We used wooden ones, but it might be a better idea to use plastic toothpicks with a decorative end that could be grasped on one end, making it easier to eat.)

Reindeer Chocolate Bark

Although we still had a couple leftover M&M packets from Halloween, I didn’t think we’d find enough red ones for this recipe. But Candy Castle downtown has an M&M station, where you can pick and choose exactly what colors you want. Perfect! 

Ingredients:
12 oz. chocolate (the higher quality, the better. Although we used Hershey’s Special Dark, and it was still tasty)
Red M&Ms
Candy Eyeballs
Holiday Sprinkles
Pretzels

1. Melt chocolate, either in double boiler or microwave.
2. While the chocolate is melting, break the pretzels into antler-shaped pieces.
3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. When the chocolate is melted, pour onto parchment paper and smooth evenly, using a rubber spatula or something similar.
4. Before the chocolate sets–decorate! Make reindeer faces using pretzels, candy eyeballs and M&Ms, then sprinkle the whole slab of chocolate with sprinkles.
5. Place tray in refrigerator to help it set. Once set, cut the chocolate bark into pieces. If you want to give this as a gift, make sure you have some nice candy bags or other containers to put it in!

Obviously, this had to happen.

Nutter Butter Snowmen

I was inspired by the idea to make Nutter Butter Snowmen after my coworkers were talking about how they’re always required to make almond-bark-dipped Ritz Crackers around the holidays. If you want to find out why these are a holiday staple, simply melt almond bark and use it to cover Peanut Butter Ritz Crackers (festive sprinkles optional). However, I thought it would also be fun to use Nutter Butters as a base, since they’re perfectly snowman-shaped. A quick Google search led me to realize I wasn’t the first to come up with this idea, alas. But they’re still adorable!

Ingredients:
Nutter Butters
White Chocolate Almond Bark
M&Ms
Black or Brown Decorating Icing (the small kind used for drawing details)
Orange Decorating Icing (or small orange candy)
Mini chocolate chips

1. Melt Almond Bark in microwave or double boiler
2. Coat Nutter Butters in melted almond bark and lay on wax paper.
3. Before the almond bark sets, decorate. Use black or brown decorating icing to draw eyes and stick arms. Use mini chocolate chips for buttons (Variation: Use M&Ms for colorful buttons). Stick two same-colored M&Ms to the side of the “head” for earmuffs. Connect them using decorating pen, if needed. Draw on nose using the orange decorating icing or orange candy (this could be an orange M&M cut in half, an orange tic tac, etc.)
4. Place in refrigerator to help set.