Natasha’s Favorite Things

Fun Food Helps Create Happy, Adventurous Eaters

Over the years, families attending my workshops, camps, and cooking classes have often asked where they could find the tools we used together. Some children enjoyed them so much that I often include a few favorites in my camp supplies.

These are some of my favorite tools to help kids eat fruits and vegetables, while making everyday meals more colorful, inviting, and fun. You certainly do not need special equipment to help your family eat well, but the right tool can make healthy food easier to prepare and much more appealing.

Crinkle Cutter

A crinkle cutter is one of the simplest ways to make everyday vegetables feel more interesting.

Buy a bag of rainbow carrots and turn the purple, yellow, white, red, and orange carrots into colorful crinkle-cut “fries.” They are perfect for lunch boxes, snack boards, veggie platters, and dipping into hummus or guacamole.

I have watched children and adults become far more interested in eating vegetables simply because they were colorful, cut into a fun shape, and ready to grab. Sometimes presentation really does make the difference.

Veggie Platter

A divided veggie platter is a useful foundation for building a family vegetable habit.

You can certainly pick one up inexpensively at a dollar store. I have purchased them by the dozen over the years for workshops and easy host gifts. Fill one with colorful vegetables and a favorite dip, and you have something that feels festive without requiring elaborate preparation.

Keeping a filled veggie platter in the refrigerator also makes healthy snacking easier because everything is already washed, cut, and ready to eat.

The Vitamix

My Vitamix is one of the most frequently used tools in my kitchen.

I use it for smoothies, soups, sauces, dressings, dips, and more. A high-powered blender is an investment, but for families who will use it regularly, a Vitamix can save considerable time and frustration. In addition, you can make your own smoothies and smoothie bowls, instead or purchasing them elsewhere.

My husband originally suspected it might become another expensive appliance gathering dust. Instead, he became a convert. Ours is used constantly and has earned its place on the counter.

Fruit and Veggie Cutters

Small fruit and veggie cutters are an inexpensive way to add creativity to meals and snacks.

Use them with English cucumber slices, thick carrot rounds, melon, apples, or other firm produce to create stars, hearts, flowers, and other shapes. They are wonderful for snack boards, lunch boxes, fruit and vegetable “lollipops,” and colorful platters.

You can even use larger cutters to make fun tofu shapes before roasting them.

When you need healthy food to double as an activity, these cutters can keep children occupied while giving them a chance to play with and explore new foods.

Everything is more fun on a stick!

For fruit or vegetable lollipops, edible bouquets, and colorful kebabs, keep bamboo skewers and lollipop sticks on hand.

Always choose an age-appropriate option and supervise younger children when using anything pointed.

Ready to have some fun? Start cutting, arranging, and creating.