Fresh Fruit Delivers Fun and Nutrition

(NewsUSA) - It's a fact. When you give kids a chance to create their own meals, they're more likely to eat them. It's also true that kids don't often make the wisest choices. That's why parents are grateful for fruit. Naturally delicious and notoriously healthy, fresh fruit is the perfect ingredient for getting kids to the table. It's a smart food that tastes like a treat.

A lot of parents can't wait for summer and the arrival of fresh fruit season. But thanks to another "best of both worlds" scenario, they don't have to wait. When it's winter in North America, the weather in Chile is just heating up, and its robust fruit industry ensures that fresh fruit is available year-round.

So, what fresh ideas can parents spring on the kids this winter? A great place to start is "nature's candy," fresh Chilean grapes. The perfect finger food, grapes can also be the centerpiece of an appetizer plate, the sweet addition to savory snacks, and the fun ingredient in unexpected places. Green, red and black grapes provide endless inspiration for kids of all ages to be creative and enjoy. Here are a few ideas to inspire!

* Grapes and cheese cubes on pretzel skewers

* Grapes as the center of cheese sunflowers with a celery stem

* Grape turtle with an apple slice as the body

* Frozen grape caterpillars with mini chocolate chips for eyes

* Grape salsa as a topping for tacos or baked brie

* Roasted grapes tossed in grain salads and layered in yogurt-granola parfaits

* Halved grapes tucked into grilled cheese sandwiches

* Heart-shaped cookies decorated with grapes

Winter is also a good time for fresh blueberries, the little blue dynamos that work magic in all manner of kid-friendly dishes. And if it seems like ages since you've enjoyed fresh plums and nectarines, you'll find ripe, flavorful stonefruit from Chile waiting for you in many American produce aisles.

Year-round availability of fresh fruit and kid-friendly recipes give parents sweet options for long winter months.

"Article By: NewsUSA"