Month: October 2022

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23 Healthy Halloween Recipes Plus Activities that Kids will LOVE!

Healthy Halloween Snacks

Move over huge bags of sugary candy, festive fun is more important than ever!!

Can the words healthy and Halloween really belong in the same sentence? According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they should! Healthy options are now more than ever! This research found that childhood obesity rose significantly during the pandemic, especially in children 5-11 years old. Whether the weight gain was a result of food choices or children being more sedentary, the gain was about 5 pounds which equals the weight increase from the past 20 years! This perfect storm of ready to eat and junk foods, meal fatigue and lack of activity during quarantine makes the focus on healthy holiday celebrations much more important this year. 

This article has been adapted from an article originally written for Dole Food Company.

While candy is a focal point for most kids, Halloween truly has a lot more to offer children — spooky costumes, magical activities and the opportunity to incorporate festive meals throughout the day. 

Celebrating the holiday season is not about taking any of that away, it’s about enhancing the Halloween experience while pumping up the nutrition in a fun way.

Melanie Marcus MA RD

And truthfully, with a little creativity, healthy Halloween snacks are sooo simple to make and they deliver a huge payoff because you kids won’t have sugar overload, or the inevitable crash afterwards!

Read on for healthy Halloween recipes and activities to enjoy the holiday in a healthy way.

Here are 23 recipes for the whole family to enjoy – without the added sugar! 

  1. Start your day with a breakfast that any monster would enjoy! These Mike Wazowski Fruit Stack served with yogurt are balanced and super fun!! My kids LOVED them!!
  2. Lunch time can be fun too!! Turn any sandwich into a spider sandwich with this trick – Cut your favorite sandwich into a circle using a large cookie cutter. Lay pretzel sticks between layers (4 on each side) to resemble spider legs! Use olives to create spider eyes on top! 
Dole Fruit Stacks
Dole Mike Wizowski Fruit Stacks
Ghost Bananas
Dole Ghost Bananas
Witching Hour Fro Whip!
Witching Hour Fro Whip
Crazy Eyes Snacks
Dole Crazy Eyes
  1. Another lunch alternative are these super cute Chicken Stuffed Roz Heads from Monsters Inc!
  2. Jazz up dinner with Pumpkin Stuffed Peppers. Turn your favorite stuffed pepper recipe into a jack o lantern of a meal by cutting out eyes and a mouth in your bell peppers before stuffing and baking! 
  3. Try this Witchy Dip for a fun halloween snack! Turn Dole avocadoes into a spooky delight by serving homemade guacamole in a shallow oval bowl. Top half the dish with blue corn chips to form a witch’s hat. Then add shredded carrots for witch’s hair, a mini pickle for a nose, olives for eyes and red pepper for a mouth! 
  4. A creative way to serve energy bites is to turn them into Bat Energy Bites! Take your go-to energy bite recipe and add two candy eyes, plus broken blue corn tortillas for wings for a festive treat!
  5. A go-to healthy snack are banana ghosts. Simply cut your peeled banana in half. Roll in yogurt and unsweetened coconut flakes then use mini chocolate chips for eyes and enjoy!
  6. Another banana based favorite are banana mummies! Wrap your banana in fruit leather and add candy eyes for a mummerific snack!
  7. If you’re little one loves PB&J, try making Dole Crazy Eyes. Start by thinly slice a baguette into ovals and spread with peanut butter. Top with a single banana slice and blueberry and use raspberry jam to create squiggly red lines coming out of the banana.
  8. A great way to get kids to eat their greens is by making Franken-smoothies! Take any green smoothie recipe and pour into a clear plastic glass that has been decorated to look like Frankenstien. So simple and so easy!!
Healthy Halloween Snacks for Kids
Yummy Halloween Snacks for Kids!
THK Frankenstein Kiwi
THK Kiwi Frankenstein
Healthy Halloween Snacks
Clementine Pumpkins & Monster Mouthes
Dole Meanies
Dole Meanies
  1. Another simple and fun snack are strawberry ghosts! Just take white chocolate and microwave at 10 second intervals (stirring in between) until soft. Then drizzle horizontally across your strawberries, finishing off with candy eyes! You can also use any other melted chocolate or dark chocolate that you like!
  2. Party guests will love candy corn parfaits. Just take small drink cups or clear cocktail cups and layer diced papaya followed with diced fresh pineapple and topped with your favorite cool whip, whipped cream or even vanilla greek yogurt for a protein packed version! Totally festive and easy! Try them at your next school party!
  3. Make Monster Mouthes with apple slices for lips, slivered almonds and marshmallows for teeth and strawberries for tongues! Super fun!!
  4. Another easy school snack are clementine pumpkins! You can leave them whole and use a black food marker to draw pumpkin faces. Go all the way by slicing small celery sticks to insert in the top for a stem!
  5. If you love cozy pumpkin spice flavor, you have to try Pumpkin Spice Sweet Potato Dole Whip! It’s autumn in a bowl 🙂
  6. Or check out this Witching Hour Fro Whip inspired by everyone’s favorite Sanderson sisters!
  7. I recently saw a dietitian create witches fingers out of Moondrop grapes which I thought was so cool. The grapes are naturally the shape of fingers and when you add an almond sliver for a nail, it couldn’t be more realistic!!
  8. Little witches brooms are simple to make with mozzarella string cheese! Cut the string cheese into 3 equal sized pieces and cut slices length wise about 2/3 of the way across each piece to make the bristles of the broom. Then insert a thin pretzel rod into the cheese!
  9. How about serving hummus in the shape of a pumpkin! To make “pumpkin” hummus, just take your knife or spoon to create a pumpkin shape and then top with a celery stick or cucumber log for a stem!
  10.  Another perfect way to get kids to way their veggies are with Green Slimesicles. Popsicles made with fruit and veg to give green slime a whole new meaning.
  11. Create a Halloween veggie skeleton! This one is easy- just use your imagination to create a skeleton with fresh cut vegetables! The sky is the limit! Use
  12. Serve up your greens with these intimidating Meanies! The concept will feature your favorite salad in classic Halloween style, and they’ll add flair to your table scape too!
  13. Wash everything down with a deliciously scary mocktail! These Sparkling Ghouls are complete with cranberry blood!!! eek
Dole Sparkling Ghoules

What to stock up on to make Halloween snacks a breeze

  • Toothpicks
  • Candy Eyes
  • Chocolate in various colors
  • Parchment Paper
  • Mini chocolate Chips
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Slivered Almonds
  • Black food marker
  • Clear plastic cups
  • Straws

Make a Halloween Pineapple Jack-o-lantern!

Nothing says Halloween fun like jack o’ lanterns!! But instead of using a pumpkin, why not use a pineapple! You can eat the inside and then create a fresh fruit centerpiece that everyone will be talking about!

Pineapple Jack O Lantern
Print

Pineapple Jack O Lantern

Carve a festive centerpiece for your Halloween season!
Author: Dole Food Company

Equipment

  • 1 Pineapple 5" wide and 7" tall
  • 1 serrated knife
  • 1 spoon
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 pineapple corer optional

Instructions

  • Cut the bottom of the pineapple off using the serrated knife, then cut around the inside edge of the pineapple, keeping the walls of the pineapple about 1" thick for support.
  • Use the knife and spoon to remove the pineapple flesh, including the core, until nice and clean. Place the pineapple flesh in a bowl to eat.
  • Using the serrrated knife, carefully cut out your face!
  • Place the finished pineapple on a plate and enjoy the look and taste of your creation!
  • when it gets dark, place a lit LED candle on the plate under the pineapple Jack-O-Lantern

October is truly an exciting time of year, and if you think about it’s more like a full blown Halloween season, it’s not just one meal or afternoon of sweet treats anymore. There are neighborhood Halloween parties, festive school lunches to make, halloween class parties, annual parades, and costume contests that make for the perfect opportunity to enjoy healthy treats. There will be plenty of sweets to enjoy, but be sure to offer healthier options too!

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How to Cut Papaya – Step by Step

Whole Papaya

While there are all different types of papaya or “pawpaw”, all of them are native to tropical regions such as Central and South America, Mexico, Hawaii. Local grocery stores near me carry Mexican papayas and the brand they had today was Chula Vista. They are large football shaped fruit, weighing about four pounds and are green when unripe. The inside can range from yellow to deep peach or bright orange flesh that has the texture of mango, with the sweet flavor of melon. They also have hundreds of black seeds inside which are normally removed, but don’t worry, they’re edible! Read on for how to cut papaya in different ways and why you want to do it!!

Table of contents

How to choose a papaya at the store

In addition to Mexican papaya, you may also see Hawaiian papaya in the U.S. Either way, they will most likely be green, so just pick one that is heavy for it’s size with clean, unblemished skin. Ripe papaya should have a sweet aroma and papaya skin should hold an impression when squeezed gently. Handle gently to prevent bruising. And beware, fresh papaya will continue to ripen at home. Peak season is late Fall through early Spring. Though, like pineapple, in the US papaya are available and ready to eat year round.

How do you know when it’s ripe?

When you get it home, it will likely need a few days to ripen to a nice yellow color. Unripe papaya is green and should be stored in a cool dry place. I remember my grandfather wrapping it in newspaper and leaving it on the counter in the cool laundry room to become ripe at room temperature.

Papayas are kind of like bananas, where they’re not so sweet when they’re green, but they’re really enjoyable to eat when they’re deep yellow, even slightly spotted.

Papayas are best enjoyed when they are 3/4 yellow. Overripe papaya may blemish and develop soft spots. If this happens, cut it right away.

How to ripen papaya at home

Store green papaya wrapped in newspaper or in a paper bag in a cool dry place for 2-3 days until it is no longer green, and is turning yellow. The more yellow and spotted the papaya, the riper it is. Once it is ripe, or turning yellow, it should be cut. It can be stored in the fridge to stall ripening, if you’re not quite ready to cut it yet.

What you need to start cutting

  • cutting board
  • chef’s knife
  • paring knife
  • spoon
  • optional: vegetable peeler
Slice in half the long way, then scrape out seeds.

How to cut your papaya

  1. Remove the paper from your papaya
  2. Rinse under cool running water.
  3. Using a sharp knife, cut the papaya in half, longways.
  4. Then cut off the ends of the papaya.
  5. Using a large spoon, remove the black seeds and discard, or set aside to add to salad dressings for a peppery bite!
  6. At this point you can use a melon baller to scoop out kid friendly rounds!
  7. OR I like to use a chef’s knife to cut into long strips, about 3/4 inch thick. For me, this is the simplest method.
  8. Then use a paring knife to remove the papaya skin along with any black spots
  9. Then I either serve in strips or cut into smaller pieces.

I’ve seen people remove the skin of the fruit with a vegetable peeler, but it can be a little cumbersome. If you want to remove the skin before cutting the fruit halves, I recommend turning the “papaya boat” or half, upside down so the flat side is on the flat surface of the counter top so the slippery fruit is more stable.

Slicing and dicing papaya.

What does papaya taste like?

Mexican papaya is firm and juicy, but not quite as intense as Hawaiian papaya, which are much smaller in size.

Papaya has a sweet taste similar to other melons and can have a musky flavor when overripe. If you don’t like the flavor of papaya at room temperature, you may like it chilled.

What do you do with papaya seeds?

The small round black seeds inside the papaya are actually edible! They have a peppery flavor and can easily be incorporated into salad dressings or marinades.

If that doesn’t sound good to you, compost them or discard.

How to serve papaya?

  • Chilled with a little lime juice
  • Chop it into a fruit salad with other tropical fruits such as mango and banana
  • Papaya salsa made with red onion
  • Use papaya halves as their own bowl! Fill them with tuna salad, fruit, yogurt or cottage cheese.
  • Add papaya to salad
  • Consider adding papaya to lunchboxes as an interesting and tasty addition
  • Add to holiday fruit baskets.
  • Add a papaya salad to your brunch spread
  • Pair with grilled meat and seafood for a pop of color and balance.
  • Add papaya to marinades to take advantage of their natural tenderizing properties
  • Cut a papaya to pair with food from Indian cuisines
  • Juice it or add to smoothies!

What flavors go well with papaya?

  • meat
  • poultry
  • smoked meats
  • avocado
  • chilies
  • lime
  • lemon
  • tropical fruits
  • coconut
  • ginger

How to store papaya?

  • Store in an airtight container for several days in the refrigerator.
  • Chunks can also be frozen. I recommend freezing them on a large sheet pan first. Then place frozen chunks in a zip lock bag, remove as much air as possible and then place back in the freezer for up to three months!

How does papaya fit into my macros?

  • Just like most fruit!
  • Make a mental note to fit it into your next regular or low macro days!
  • Portion it out into 1 or 2 cup servings for an easy grab and go lunch!
  • 1 cup : 16g Carb, 2g Fiber, 1g Protein, 1g Fat

Papaya Nutrition

Papaya is low in calories and rich in nutrients and has a lot of health benefits. List most fruit, they’re low in calories and a good source of fiber and other important nutrients.

Just one cup of pieces has…

  • 62 calories
  • 1g protein
  • .5g fat
  • 16g carb
  • 2g fiber
  • 29mg calcium
  • 264mg potassium
  • 53mcg folate
  • 68mcg vit A
  • 88mg vit C
  • 3.77mcg vit K
  • 2650mcg lycopene

And so much more!! 2

They’re high in vitamins A, C, K and folate, fiber and potassium!

They’re also rich in antioxidants carotenoids and phenols.

It also contains an enzyme called papain, which aids digestion.

Papaya was ranked first in a study that compared 40 different fruits for their Dietary Recommended Intake of nine vitamins, potassium and fiber.3

It’s combination of vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium make it a super heart healthy fruit.

Red flesh papaya fruit are a good source of lycopene which is an inactive source of Vitamin A that has been linked with reduced risk for lung, prostate and stomach cancers.1

References

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/papaya
  2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169926/nutrients
  3. https://www.amazon.com/Dole-Nutrition-Handbook-Longer-Healthier/dp/1605292958
Recipe/

Quick, Simple & Satisfying Weeknight Split Red Lentil Soup Recipe

Red lentil soup

I got home from Costa Rica last week the seasons had turned. It was chilly and windy and seemed as though sweater weather had set in. As I went through my pantry to get a few ideas for weekly meals – the bright split red lentils stood out at me. I got them at a European market on the other side of Charlotte over the summer, but now is their time! I saw a red lentil soup recipe from Trader Joe’s that is simple and easy… but I used it as inspiration to make this one, which is even easier and can be made on busy weeknights without much effort. If you’re in the mood for a hearty soup – READ ON!

Table of contents

Jump to Recipe

What do red lentils taste like?

They have a very mild flavor, even slightly sweet which makes them a good introduction to the lentil family for you or little ones!

Ingredients and substitutions

Split red lentils – aka red split lentils, these little guys cook up quickly so I don’t recommend substituting with other types of lentils such as brown lentils, yellow lentils or green lentils. You could, but the cook time will be longer, and the beauty is that it’s an easy lentil soup recipe for any weeknight. It has simple ingredients and doesn’t require a long cooking time to ensure everything is cooked properly.

I do suggest however, to rinse lentils in a fine mesh sieve under cold water. Run your fingers through the lentils to be sure small stones or other debris are not included.

If you can’t find split red lentils, plain red lentils cook quickly and will work just fine in this recipe!

Chicken broth – You can substitute with 32 ounces of vegetable stock or water and bouillon cubes if all else fails!

Mirepoix – This is my major shortcut. The original recipe calls for just onions, but can you ever go wrong with carrots and celery too? If I go to Trader Joes, during the winter, I always pick up pre-cut mirepoix. This way I can literally throw together a healthy meal that can be eaten right away or stored in the freezer for a quick meal. Alternatively, I could cut my veg the old fashioned way or blitz them in the food processor (but that’s less appealing because it’s more to clean).

Yellow or green squash – For me, these say “summer”, but they do add a nice texture to this soup, and obviously a lot of nutrition. You could leave them out or substitute with a few handfulls of baby spinach.

Can of tomato sauce – This helps contribute to that beautiful orange color, but if you don’t have them a can of diced tomatoes or even a few Tbsp of tomato paste will do. Tomatoes add umami to any dish, so don’t skip them!

Chicken sausage – This ingredient could be left out, but I think it adds great flavor plus lean protein! I opt for a variety with mushrooms, but any flavor you like will work well. Alternatively, you can add any of your favorite plant-based protein options just before serving.

Olive oil – You can use any neutral oil like avocado or canola, but olive adds great flavor. Use it if you have it. Butter will work too!

Salt and black pepper – This is obvious, but my secret ingredient is Seasonello. I love this stuff and I’ll have to dedicate an entire post to it. It’s an Italian seasoning salt that makes every dish feel homey to me. I highly recommend buying it as a seasoning pantry staple.

Chicken Sausage
TJ's mirepoix

How to make hearty red lentil soup?

Jump to Recipe

Using a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add mirepoix and zucchini. Let it cook until translucent.

Next add the sausage. Let it cook until browned. Then add remaining ingredients including lentils, stock, tomato sauce, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until lentils are fully cooked through.

Variations

You can easily improvise with this recipe and add anything from sweet potatoes to coconut milk to deepen the flavor. Indian spices, curry and fresh ginger are great additions to this soup!

You can also make a smooth version by reserving your sausage after cooking. Then simply use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it yields a smooth creamy consistency. Sometimes it is worth the extra step, but other times, I want something that has a little more texture.

You’re probably wondering if you can make this in an instant pot. And you probably could. Just be sure to cook your vegetables well and brown your sausage before adding the rest of the ingredients. But it won’t save you that much time, this recipe can be done in under an hour.

Can I make this dish vegetarian?

You sure can! Leave out the sausage- don’t worry you’ll get plenty of protein from the lentils! And of course, swap in your favorite vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth.

What to serve with red lentil soup?

  • Crusty bread or pita
  • Side salad
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime juice

How to store leftovers

After you let the soup cool, I recommend dividing into 4 equal portions in 1/2 quart containers. I love to re-use to-go containers here! Once they’re in the fridge you can store in an airtight container for 4-5 days or label and freeze for another day. The portion sizes are hearty and it tastes even better the next day!

What else can I make with red lentils?

While I haven’t tried all of these… I think they’re worth experimenting with to use up your bag of lentils!!

Nutrition benefits

Just 1/2 cup serving of these red lentils have 358cal, and 24g protein. That’s equal to the protein you’d find in any poultry, meat or seafood serving! It also delivers an important source of 11g fiber 7g iron, 650mg potassium, 48mg calcium, 59mg magnesium, 3.6mg zinc.1

Fiber is a superstar in this dish. Each serving provides 12 of the 25-35 recommended grams of fiber you need in a day. Fiber helps keep us regular and helps support blood sugar control and cholesterol levels! We should all be aiming to reach recommended fiber intake daily.

Protein is the last nutrient I’ll call out for this recipe. With 41g per serving, you can be sure you’ll feel satisfied after eating this soup! The lean protein and fiber combo won’t leave room for any cravings in-between or after meals. Let me know if you try it!

How does this recipe fit into my macros?

NFP for red lentil soup

I like to divide this recipe into 4 portions. If you like smaller portions, I’d recommend dividing into 6 equal portions.

With 4 portions you have 470 calories (which fits well into my macros as a hearty meal). It has 13g fat, 48g carbs, 12g fiber and 41g protein! It’s ideal for a regular macro day!

Easy red lentil soup
Portioning out my red lentil soup!

References

1 https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174284/nutrients

Thanks for reading along with me! Check out these other articles that may interest you!

Easy red lentil soup

Easy Split Red Lentil Soup

This super fast, protein packed recipe can be made any night of the week in under an hour!!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Servings 4
Calories 470 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 quart mirepoix
  • 1 each zucchini, chopped about 1 cup
  • 1 package chicken sausage I like TJ's mushroom
  • 1 cup split red lentils
  • 1 can tomato sauce 14oz
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Add 2 tsp olive oil to large Dutch oven. Add mirepoix and zucchini and sauté until translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken sausage and let brown slightly.
  • Then add lentils, tomato sauce and chicken broth.
  • Bring everything up to a boil and then down to a simmer for about 40 minutes.
  • Once everything is cooled, divide into 4 equal portions. I like to use pint containers for easy meal prep lunches!

Nutrition

Calories: 470kcal
Keyword plant forward, protein
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Easy weeknight meals with Dole Sheet Pan Starter Kits!!

Dole Sheet Pan Dinner

To say life with kids is hectic, is a complete understatement. Between school, work, sports, birthday parties and family visits there is always something going on – and I think moms everywhere will agree with me, time for meal planning is precious. So in the spirit of sharing things that are too good to be true…read on for my experience with these Dole Sheet Pan Starter Kits.

So in the spirit sharing things that are too good to be true… read on for my experience with these Dole Sheet Pan Starter Kits.

Ever since culinary school, I loved roasting. My culinary school partner in crime, Tracy, observed early on, that there’s nothing I loved more than a good roast – or anything that can be made in the oven. And what’s not to love? It’s an easy, hands off, clean way to get dinner on the table using a conventional sheet pan. So when Dole came out with a new line of sheet pan starter kits I was ecstatic. There are three popular flavors, including French Onion, Homestyle Roasted Herb and Lemon Parmesan flavor varieties. They include a combination of ready-to-roast vegetables including red potatoes, whole baby carrots and broccoli florets or green beans, plus a delicious seasoning packet. All you need to do is add your favorite choice of protein to the fresh vegetables and roast for 30-35 minutes.

Dole Sheet Pan Dinner

And if you’ve been getting recipe inspiration online (AKA Pinterest trend data), you know about the growing sheet pan meal trend. It’s everywhere.

Sheet pan dinners make for easy cooking and even easier cleanup!

So on their own, these unique products fill a consumer need and offer a flavorful meal experience, but it actually gets better! Each of the distinct flavor varieties can be transformed into a completely different meal. Let me explain.

Ingredients for fast dinner
ingredients for quick dinner
Bonus- with these sheet pan starter kits you can completely transform dinner into soup or a savory pasta meal with just a few additions!

When you make your new sheet pan meal starter kits at home, you’ll get a perfectly seasoned and balanced plate that includes protein, carbohydrate and fat (we recommend olive oil). But, we experimented further with the kits to see how we could transform them into soups and wraps, meals that could be made on the grill, even breakfast sheet pans, perfect for brunch! I’ve personally tried them all and couldn’t believe that one truly got better than the next.

Just in case you’re new around here, I am a registered dietitian and nutrition and health communications manager for Dole Food Company. Dole generously covered the cost of ingredients for these recipes, but all of the opinions are my own!

Use Dole Sheet Pan Starter Kits to make healthy meal solutions!

The combination of lean proteins with fresh Dole vegetables is more versatile than you would think and the perfectly paired seasoning packet provides more than enough to create these dishes below. Each of these recipes can be found at Dole’s website.

French Onion Turkey Burgers with Veggies

Dole Sheet Pan Turkey Burger

This was a no brainer! Combining the seasoning packet with extra lean ground turkey was easy to do and it all roasted together in the pan. The simple addition of truffle aioli (I used a vegan version from Trader Joe’s) was so good!! It’s seriously crave-able.

Sheet Pan French Onion Sandwich Wraps

Dole Sheet Pan Wrap

I loved this for leftovers. (If you have any!). Just reheat them and drop into your favorite wrap with mayo.

Lemon Parmesan Sheet Pan Pasta

Who doesn’t love a pasta night? This is the perfect meal for aspiring athletes. It’s a great way to carb load with whole foods that taste delicious. It’s also a good solution for leftovers. All you need to do is add pasta, parmesan cheese seasoning and a jar of your favorite sauce – I used Rao’s Alfredo – and bake until cooked through. It was a major crowd pleaser.

Breakfast Sheet Pan Meal

Talk about a way to impress your guests! Just replace the cooked chicken or add eggs to your protein of choice for a hearty breakfast for a crowd.

Roasted Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Quick Chicken Soup

The fresh-cut vegetables make soup a natural choice to transform this kit. After roasting as directed, add ingredients to a stock pot with chicken broth. It’s that easy.

Herb Salmon & Foil Pack Grillers

Dole Grilled Sheet Pan Dinner

We love cooking on the grill to keep the heat out of the kitchen, and these foil packets were so easy to throw on the grill. They didn’t need to be babysat or anything. My children loved the salmon and got a kick out of seeing their veggie foil packets!

So grab your favorite protein – chicken, salmon, pork, ground beef, different varieties of seafood – whatever and you can literally have one of these fresh vegetable meals on your table in 30 minutes.

One of the best things you can do for your health is to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. And these Dole sheet pan meal starter kits help overcome a major hurdle for busy consumers which is time! It eliminates the need for a lot of specific ingredients, and limits that daily decision fatigue of – what’s for dinner!

Melanie Marcus MA RD

Are Dole Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits Macro Balanced?

They are!! These kits are perfect for a regular macro day if you’re following the FASTer Way to Fat Loss and if you’re tracking macros, it’s easy to see where your carbohydrate, fat and protein are coming from. The potatoes help ensure you get a source of whole food carbohydrate to fuel your workouts, and you can use any protein you like! If I’m meal prepping for myself, I like to use a little less seasoning and then break out into 2 hearty portions.

When prepared as suggested, the Lemon Parmesan has 340 calories, 17g Fat, 18g Carbohydrate, 3g Fiber and 29g Protein.

But like I said, you can easily modify oil and protein choices for your needs!

So where do you find them?

Distribution started in select markets in the United States, but recently I have been able to find them near Charlotte and friends of mine in New Jersey have also tried them! I hope to see additional future flavors and new products come out soon… after-all there’s nothing better than single-pan meal options to get restaurant-quality meal on the table!

For more recipes and meal inspiration check out these links

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Cooking as a way to instill good habits in kids

get kids cooking

Little ones love to stay busy and if you’re a parent, then you know that children love to get involved with whatever YOU are doing. From dusting to washing dishes or even sharing your meal, if you’re doing it, then your toddler wants in on the action. Why not take advantage of their enthusiasm to teach a new skill and build better cooking habits for the whole family?

This article was adapted from a piece written for Dole Food Company.

Table of contents

Cooking with children is a great way to help them build confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating as they grow. Research also shows that cookin meals at home resultsin eating fewer calories, and negative nutrieints like saturated fat and sugar- even when you’re not trying to lose weight! So why not try new foods together while teaching children this essential life skill?

Melanie Marcus MA RD

Here are five tips for cooking-up healthy habits in the kitchen:

  1. Dress for the part! Pull out the aprons and get everyone in costume. If you really want to be official, check out this Dole printable chef’s hat. Children will love to personalize their own before getting busy in the kitchen! 
  2. Give them a seat at the table (literally)!  Instead of sitting little helpers on the counter, get them a step stool so they can see the counter – most importantly, what’s in that big bowl – or sit them in a booster seat at the table so they can help measure, mix and complete other age-appropriate tasks. This keeps them interested and safe. And remember to always wash hands before getting started! That is food safety 101! 
  3. Mise en place!  This is French for “everything in its place.” Set out your ingredients on the counter in pre-measured amounts that match the recipe. Maybe your child can help measure dry beans or flour? Or pull items out of the pantry? To hold little ones’ attention, start following the recipe directions only after everything is prepped. Start with simple recipes to minimize tantrums.
  4. Prepare for spills! Have your kitchen towel handy and put a garbage bowl on the counter is the best way to help clean along the way. It’s always easier to stay on track with recipes when you have a clean workspace.
  5. Set a fun table! The best part of cooking is eating! While dishes simmer or bake away, have children set the table. If they’re too little to handle carrying your fine dishware, use paper! And don’t forget the placemats. This Dole placemat will keep the kiddo’s coloring until their dinner is ready to eat. And older kids might enjoy personalizing a downloadable menus and recipe cards to turn your kitchen into a French bistro!
cooking with kids
cooking with kids
Jules and Max eating their fruits and veggies after helping in the kitchen 🙂

How to choose healthy recipes to make with your little chef

  • Start with simple snack foods. It could be as basic as having younger children use small cookie cutters to make shapes out of melon.
  • Other healthy snacks to try could be apple slices with hummus dip. Have children slice the apple with a safety knife and scoop dip into a bowl.
  • Look to your family traditions. What foods have meaning to your family. Is there special sweet treat or holiday food you can tell a story about?
  • Take a trip to the farmers market or grocery store and let your little chef choose an ingredient to work with.
  • Have your little kids scan through cookbooks or magazines to choose kid-approved recipes by looking at pictures.
  • What about something simple and easy that even picky eaters will love? Check out these simple banana oatmeal cookies.
  • If all else fails get a ball of whole grain pizza dough from the grocery store. Shape into a round and top with your favorite sauce, cheese and olive oil. You can top with veggies of choice and a green salad for a delicious dinner.
Small sized and safe tools empower children to take snack time into their own hands the healthy way!!

Benefits of cooking with kids

  • What’s better than sneaking a little extra reading time. Have them read the list of ingredients or point out letters of the alphabet.
  • They learn important math skills from measuring out ingredients!
  • They become familiar with kitchen tools
  • They can hone fine motor skills when the write out the shopping list.
  • It’s the perfect time to talk nutrition and the benefits of eating lots of colorful vegetables!
  • It’s an excellent way to spend one on one quality time.
  • It’s a great time to forget the stress and focus on the task at hand – for parents and kids!
  • Picky eaters are more likely to try new things if they’ve made them!

Things to consider buying to make cooking with kids easier!

Plastic chef knives give small hands the freedom to do the same thing you do! It makes them feel special and can motivate them to do prepare foods on their own!

A kid safe kitchen stool. These are built with safety in mind, to get kids up at counter level while ensuring they don’t fall.

Cookie cutters of all shapes and sizes. These again, are a fun way to add creativity to meals and snacks – especially fruits! My daughter loves to makes shapes out of melon and then skewer them onto toothpicks.

Bonus: Kids are more likely to try foods that they help prepare in the kitchen! Take advantage of that opportunity to make family meals that include fruits and vegetables and other healthy ingredients that improve diet quality.