Healthy Snack Ideas

The 4th of July is such a fun holiday. It’s like the kick-off to summer and it’s just a celebration of what it means to be an American. Food, of course, is always a big part of Independence Day celebrations. It seems like every year someone makes the standard American Flag cake with strawberries and blueberries, but if you are looking for some fun, easy, healthy snacks to help you celebrate our nation’s birthday I’ve got some recipes for you.

So, be safe as you enjoy this 4th of July, and enjoy some of these yummy snacks.

Fruit Sparklers

24 large blueberries
24 strawberries
3 bananas, cut into 8 pieces each
24 cherries
24 large marshmallows

8 wooden skewers
8 each red, white, and blue ribbons, 1-foot lengths

Skewer fruit
and marshmallows on wooden skewers in a red, white and blue pattern, using for of each item on a skewer.

Tie red, white, and blue ribbons to the bottom of the skewer.

Safety tip: When finished skewering fruit, break off sharp tips of skewers to prevent injury.

Picnic Pops

2 cups apple juice
4 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Blender
2 popsicle molds
12 paper cups
12 popsicle sticks

Whirl together 1 cup apple juice with strawberries in blender. Pour liquid into molds or cups, filling half full. Insert sticks and freeze for two hours. Whirl together remaining apple juice with blueberries in blender.

Add liquid to molds or cups that contain the strawberry mixture, filling to the top. Freeze for two more hours. When firm, remove from freezer, remove from molds or peel off cups, and serve.

Variations: Alternate the red and blue layers 4 times instead of 2 times. Add a white layer using lemonade or coconut juice.

Practical Tip: To keep sticks upright before the liquid freezes, cover each paper cup with foil and insert stick through the hole cut in the top.

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Fourth of July “Popcorn Cookies”
Makes 2 dozen cookies

Perfect for popping in you mouth as you watch the fireworks fly overhead.

3 cups popped popcorn, unsalted
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

One cup at a time, blend popped popcorn in blender at low speed, until finely ground to about 1-1/2 cups. In medium bowl, beat egg whites on high speed. At a lower speed, add sugar gradually until egg whites are glossy and stiff. Beat in salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Gently fold in the ground popcorn and coconut. Place in rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325º for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Thanks to The Snack Food Association for this recipe.

Patriotic Chip Peanut Champs
(Makes 6 dozen cookies)

2 sticks butter or margarine
1/4 cup cola
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour
2 cups salted peanuts
11/2 cups crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine first seven ingredients and cream well. Add flour gradually and beat well. Fold in potato chips and peanuts. Spoon a teaspoon size of batter onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Thanks to The Snack Food Association for this recipe.