There is nothing sweeter than a perfectly ripe piece of fruit. That being said, what better way to curb a child’s sweet tooth? If you can steer them in a more plentiful direction than why not? Olivia and I love to bake, but she will polish off a pint of berries before she’d finish a plate of brownies. That makes you feel proud. It’s one of those silent parent victories. On the inside your having a dance party of praise to yourself, but on the outside you are perfectly composed. You keep it together and calmly say, “Sure, O. You can have berries and CocoWhip for dessert.”



Fruit comes in a variety of colors, taste and textures so let the kids run wild with it. Let them pick something at the store that looks interesting to them. Hopefully, it’s not the cherries that ring up at $14.99. EEK!!!! (Don’t be afraid to dump some out into another bag for fear of looking cheap. I speak from experience.) If you do it right, eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive.

Avoid buying the “dirty dozen” non-organic. If it’s not organic and you can peel it, do. If you can shop at a local farmers market, I suggest it. Always strive for fresh, then frozen, then canned…..I only buy pineapple canned. If you are buying canned fruit make sure it’s in its own juice. You aren’t doing yourself any favors if you buy fruit in syrup.

We wash, slice and dice fruit as soon as we bring it home. That way it’s an easy grab-and-go snack.

O loves apples. The other day she taught me how to make cinnamon apples. You just peel, core and slice an apple. Then sprinkle with cinnamon. It’s so simple, fun to make and delicious.