Expressing sweet sentiments on Valentine’s Day often means sugary treats are involved. I admit to my love for chocolate.

          But healthy snacks can be just as fun, especially for children. With a little planning and some fruits and veggies, you can still hit the sweet spot.

          Strawberries, with their natural heart shape and vibrant red color, make them a great choice for Valentine’s Day. And they are packed with fiber and Vitamin C. Here are a couple of options:

          Strawberry fruit kabobs: Hull a few large strawberries and cut them in half from top to bottom. Place the berry halves cut-side down on a cutting board and push a small heart-shaped cutter straight through them to make little hearts. Thread the berry hearts onto a skewer, alternating with grapes, blueberries, Mandarin orange wedges or other small pieces of fruit.

          Even if you don’t have the heart-shaped cutter, these still make a festive snack.

          Pink applesauce: For each serving of applesauce, finely chop three or four strawberries. Place them in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to release some of their juices. Add about 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce to the strawberries. Stir the strawberries and applesauce together until they are combined, and the applesauce is a beautiful pink color.

          Here is a fun idea for a child’s packed lunch

          Conversation oranges: Instead of the sugary conversation hearts, pack some cute conversation oranges. Grab a marker and use it to write fun little messages on each orange.

          To make grape hearts, use a sharp knife to cut each grape in half on the diagonal. Flip one half of the grape over and push the two cut edges together to form a heart. Use a food pick to pin the two halves together. This method also works with cherry tomatoes and baby carrots. Use them as garnish for any meal or snack, to add a little extra love to your plate or lunchbox.

Frozen yogurt berry bark, a sweet, kid-friendly snack, is a mix between an ice cream bar and a yogurt parfait. The yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium.  

Here are two variations of yogurt berry bark. For each one, start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, plastic wrap or waxed paper.

Ingredients:

1 cup of plain Greek yogurt (at least 2 percent fat)

1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or honey

½ ripe banana

½ cup fresh strawberries, sliced

½ cup fresh mango, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, combine the yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Spread over the prepared baking sheet in a thin layer about ¼ inch thick. Blend the banana and strawberries together in a blender until smooth. Swirl this through the Greek yogurt layer. Scatter the chopped mangoes and strawberries over top. Freeze for four hours or overnight. Break into pieces and serve.

This yogurt berry bark is a Celebrate Your Plate recipe shared by our SNAP-Ed staff.

Ingredients:
 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt

10 strawberries, chopped

1 cup raspberries, lightly chopped

1 cup blueberries

3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Instructions:
         Spread yogurt thinly (1/4 inch thick or less) and evenly on baking sheet. Sprinkle strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, coconut flakes, and sliced almonds on top of the yogurt. Press down gently to make sure the berries, coconut, and almonds are on the yogurt.

Freeze for at least three hours. Soften on the counter for about 5 minutes. Immediately cut or break bark into pieces. Serve immediately or store in airtight container in freezer for up to two months.

Laurie Sidle is an Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H program assistant and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or sidle.31@osu.edu.CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu
This article was previously published in The Daily Record.