11 Cold Snacks for Hot Summer Days

By: Foodlets

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Photo by: Marshall Troy ©2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Marshall Troy, 2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

For my money, nothing beats a piece of fresh fruit for an instant snack this time of year. But when I want to kick it up a little, add a new flavor or incorporate a few veggies into a meal other than dinner, these are my go-to summer snacks. Each one is cool, refreshing and kid-tested to boot.

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Let the Kids Assemble Themselves

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How can you go wrong with layers of sweet strawberries, crunchy granola and creamy yogurt? Yum, yum and yum!

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Picasa

FN_Frozen-Fruit-Cups

Photo by: Marshall Troy ©2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Marshall Troy, 2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

This idea sprang up last year when my garden started bursting at the seams with cucumbers — and we’ll do it again every year. Just set out any combination of meats and cheeses and let the kids mix and match between crisp slices of “bread.”

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Mix one part ranch dressing with one part plain yogurt for a better-for-you dip that comes together in seconds. Then fill the bottoms of small drinking cups. Set out a veggie tray and ask the kids to design their own palm-sized collection of crudites.

Stay with me here. This is one of those recipes that looks fancy and seems too sophisticated for kids, but only one of those descriptions is true (hint: it’s the first one!). If you can dice up a few tomatoes, slather on the olive oil and tear a little basil, you can make a fresh and delicious toast topping your kids will ask for all summer long.

Drained white beans from a can are the base of this surprisingly addictive dip. Add a little olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice and you’ve got a nutritious dip served for pennies.

Make-Ahead

This is my kind of recipe: Chop up a little fruit, throw it in a freezer-proof cup, freeze and serve. I love Ree Drummond’s idea so much that I’m already planning to whip out my muffin pan just so I can make more of them! An even dozen should do it, right?

Pull out your blender to make the sweetest, smoothest and most-luscious ice pops of the summer. It takes only a dash of real cream to take these frozen treats to the next level, and it’s called amazing.

This one works especially well when you’re traveling or out for the day. Nothing is more refreshing (or harder to make a mess out of) than popping an ice-cold grape into your mouth. P.S. Sliced strawberries, blueberries or raspberries are also excellent contenders for this on-the-go snack.

Prep on the Fly

Just in time for blueberry season, this simple smoothie packs a cool and refreshing punch, thanks to frozen bananas and the one ingredient you might not have thought of.

This one’s so simple that it’s more of an idea than a recipe, but don’t let that fool you. Your kids will devour these crisp and juicy jicama slices, featured in Food Network Magazine, and ask for more.

If you’ve ever been in the South, you may have heard of this one. Still not sure? Consider this threefood-ingredient cheese spread a protein-packed snack you’ll feel good about serving, and one your kids will love. #eatitanywhere

Charity Curley Mathews is the mom of four small kids who live for their two snacks a day. She’s also the founder of Foodlets.com, a site that’s part simple recipes featuring fresh ingredients and part parenting advice she wishes she’d had all along.

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