How to Make Yummy Yogurt Dip for Fresh Fruit

Many fruits and berries are coming into season over the next few weeks. We grownups look forward to eating strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches or plums in season. But sometimes even the freshest, sweetest fruits can't compete with the sugary treats kids crave.

Whole fruit is much healthier than fruit juices. And of course parents know it's a far sight better than the chocolate-covered, caramel-drizzled snack bars that kids have gotten used to eatingin their school lunches. Even when school is out for summer and fresh fruit is just as convenient as packaged treats, it can be tough to get kids to forgo the juice boxes and processed foods in favour of whole, fresh fruit.

AS with vegetables, fruits sometimes seem incomplete without a little something extra. While Mom may be happy to add a handful of berries to a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt, kids may prefer to dip their food instead. One trick you can try is giving kids a serving of mixed fruit bits for dunking in a healthy yogurt dip. This recipe transforms healthy yogurt into a sweet treat that complements any fruit, and will get even the pickiest eater to enjoy a portion of whole fruit.

Healthy Yogurt Fruit Dip Recipe

2 cups Greek yogurt

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients well, and store in a covered dish in your fridge for up to a week. You can halve this recipe if it makes more than you can use in that time, or even freeze it for 1-2 months.

Serving Suggestions

Give kids about 2 tablespoons of the dip with a serving of fresh cherries, berries and fresh cut fruit.

If your kids aren't fond of cinnamon, try adding a half teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dip instead.

For a bit of a change, use 1/2 cup of the dip as a base for a delicious fruit smoothie . Once school is back in session, you can even get reusable food pouches to fill with fruit smoothies that can be easily packed in your kids' school lunches. (Remember to include an ice pack!) This healthy drink contains a serving of dairy, and also preserves the fiber and phytonutrients of the whole fruit. It's a perfect substitute for the less healthy juice box!

Tip: If your kids are fond of smoothies or frozen yogurt, flash freeze fruit and keep it in the freezer to cut down on prep time. Try whole raspberries, blackberries and blueberries and halved strawberries. Melons, pineapple, kiwi and other fruit can be cut into bite sized pieces before freezing.

| Fruit | Nutrition | Kids | EatingFresh | Yogurt | Lunchbox | FOPP |

Image credit: Greek yogurt with honey by ProjectManhattan/Wikipedia ( CC BY-SA 3.0 )

Note: This content has been adapted from an original piece by the author, which has since been removed from Bubblews

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