Your Child Will Learn
How to enjoy a fun and healthy snack
Here’s What to Do
- Invite your child to make a Silly Salad Face. Ask them what fruits and vegetables they’d like to use to make a face. Choose from the examples below or whatever else you have on hand:
- Fruits: Oranges, bananas, blueberries, apple sticks, raisins, grape halves, mango slices
- Vegetables: Cucumber, shredded carrot, lettuce leaves, cherry tomato halves, bell pepper strips
- Wash the fruits and veggies. Show your child how you cut them into smaller pieces they can use to make a face.
- Ask your child to use the ingredients to make a funny face on a plate. Let them rearrange the face as many times as they’d like.
- Eat your silly salad snack! If you’d like, serve salad dressing or yogurt as a dip on the side.
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Wash your hands together. Notice how the water feels on your hands.
ENGAGE
- “What fruits or veggies would you like to include in our snack? Here are some choices: bananas, apples, raisins, cucumber, carrots. Which of those sound yummy to you?”
- “Can you make a salad in the shape of a face? What should we use for the eyes?”
ENCOURAGE
- Don’t worry about the salad actually looking like a face- it’s more about the experience than the final product.
- If your child doesn’t want to eat the ingredients, that’s okay. Interacting with the fruits and veggies can help them learn to like them in the future (and you can save any uneaten food for later).
REFLECT
- “What part of making the salad did you like the best?”
Not Quite Ready
Younger children may have a difficult time choosing ingredients and waiting for them to be cut. Choose ingredients and prepare them before sitting down with your child.
Ready for More
Help your child cut soft ingredients (bananas, cucumber, etc.) with a dull butter knife.
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will be more open to trying new fruits and vegetables.
Time to Complete
20-30 minutes
Materials Needed
Fruit and vegetables, a plate, knife, (optional) salad dressing or yogurt