Finger Foods for Kids

Don't stuff hungry kids with cookies when they come in the door after school. There are many healthy finger food ideas that are both tasty and easy to prepare. Try apple wedges or tangerine sections and a delicious yogurt dip. Bagels become mini pizzas when topped with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese. Just warm them in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to heat the sauce and melt the cheese. Graham crackers are another healthy snack. When dipped in applesauce, these crackers become tasty finger food.

Cupcakes are a natural finger food and make for easy serving at a child's birthday party. Use cookie cutters to create sandwiches in shapes that tie in to the party's theme. A chocolate fruit dip entices kids to introduce a little fruit into their celebrations. Just melt a 12-ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler over a low heat to make the dipping sauce. Dip the fruit in the sauce and chill on a cookie tray until the chocolate hardens.

Bring the kids into the kitchen and let them help make finger foods. Hotdog wrap-ups are popular and simple to prepare. Just layer a slice of American cheese and an uncooked hot dog on top of a slice of buttered white bread. Pull up two opposite corners of the bread and secure by inserting toothpicks through the bread and cheese and into the hot dog. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Jell-O cut-outs are another treat that kids enjoy making. Prepare Jell-O and chill in a shallow pan. After the Jell-O has set, allow the kids to use cookie cutters to cut the Jell-O into fun shapes.

Brownies and bar cookies make great holiday finger snacks for kids. Make gingerbread muffins by using a standard gingerbread recipe and baking the batter in a muffin tin. Lollipop cookies are another festive treat that can be used for just about any holiday. Just roll about 1/4 of a cup of sugar cookie batter into a ball on an ungreased cookie sheet. Insert a wooden popsicle stick into the side of the cookie and bake for about 15 minutes. The finished cookie can be gripped like a lollipop after baking. Decorate the cookie with icing to fit the season.

Cool finger food treats for summer can be fun to eat year round. Rather than passing out popsicles, why not dip a banana in melted chocolate, roll it in crushed peanuts and insert a popsicle stick in the bottom? Place this fruity treat in the freezer until the chocolate is firm. Make frozen yogurt pops by pouring yogurt in a paper cup and inserting a wooden popsicle stick through the center. Freeze the yogurt and peel away the paper cup for a healthy ice cream substitute.