Hi Readers, happy Wednesday! This summer we’ve been on the go a lot, and I’ve been looking for ways to get my kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. So, today, I want to share a kids snack organization idea your whole family will love!

Where we started

It seems like we all get snacky when we are also tired and hangry, so we grab whatever we can find to satisfy us in the moment. My kids go straight to the pantry cupboard where they rifle through the bars, crackers, and nuts and leave snacking shrapnel everywhere! I end up eating crackers with hummus and tell myself that it counts because chickpeas are a vegetable. Right?

We needed to come up with better snack ideas, but it just felt like too much of a production to stand at the sink and wash and cut up veggies and fruits whenever we were hungry. In the time it took to do that my kids would usually decide vegetables were gross, and fruits were too squishy.

The Idea

But, in a moment of pure genius, my son Otto asked me, “Mama, did you know we’re supposed to eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies every day?” From the mouths of babes…

At that very moment, I happened to have my hand in a box of Triscuits! So I carefully pulled my hand out of the box, put it away, and said, “What if we try to do that?” To my surprise, both of my boys seemed to like this idea.

They love trying to find rainbows in our house in the afternoon, when the light shines in just right, and they love coloring with their rainbow of markers, so it made perfect sense that they would like eating a rainbow as well. I decided to roll with it.

How We Implemented It

We searched the fridge for fruits and veggies that matched each color of the rainbow, and found them all except blue. We decided we’d head to the store to get blueberries later. I washed and cut the fruits and veggies into bit sized pieces, and put them each in their own slot in a tray I use for parties. (Here’s a link to one like it on Amazon). I don’t know why I didn’t think to use this try for our weekly snacks! Sometimes you need a six-year old to set you straight!

Then we made a deal. If the kids eat a rainbow every day, they get to do a special outing at the end of the week. I decided to get cheeky and call it “Taste the Rainbow.” Little do they know this was also a Skittles campaign!

How It Changed Our Snack Routine

Now, at snack time, before we go for those pantry snacks, I pull out these healthy snacks instead. As a bonus, it also makes packing lunches and meal prep easier as well.

I can turn to the platter when I need some fresh fruit for my morning yogurt and veggies to stir-fry for dinner. After just one day, I noticed that we’d all consumed more fresh fruits and veggies than we had in a very long time.

It’s stretching us to try new fruits and veggies, too! What better time to try this healthy snack idea than when summer produce is at its best? The good news is, I think we’ll keep it going all year!

I hope you and your kids like it, too! Send me your healthy snack ideas or post a comment below. I love to hear from you!

If you make a taste the rainbow platter, post a pic on Instagram with the hashtag #organizedbyheart. For more food focused organizing ideas, check out my post how to organize your refrigerator to save meal prep time. 

With Heart,
Lauren