Fresh fruit is a daily fixture in my kids’ lunch boxes–but it’s gotta be easy to eat. Lunch periods are short (and kids are chatty) so if food isn’t fast, it’s bound to come home. Last week I shared my trick for packing a sliced apple (read: A Clever Way To Pack Apples In Lunch Boxes). But fruits beyond apples and pears are in season right now too: California-grown mandarins and kiwi are at peak freshness–and both are fun and kid-friendly for tucking into lunch boxes and serving as snacks.
Unlike most citrus, Cuties are a cinch for little hands to peel, so you can toss them whole into lunch bags (make a little cut in the top to get them started). Or quickly peel and section them for fast finger food. Just one Cutie has more than a day’s worth of the vitamin C your child needs every day, which is especially key during cold and flu season. Plus, they’re sweet as candy, seedless, and non-GMO.
Cuties also make excellent team snacks for sports–just bring a 3-pound bag to the field and hand them out to players after the game.
Another easy lunch box staple: Mighties Kiwi. They’re ripe and ready to eat–and when you cut one in half, your child can scoop out the sweet fruit with a spoon! (How cool is that?) A two-kiwi serving has more potassium than a banana and more vitamin C than an orange, plus fiber and vitamin E. Mighties are non-GMO too.
You can also use Mighties to make Kiwi Pops for after-school snacks: Peel kiwi, cut into thick slices, insert a popsicle stick or lollipop stick
into one end, and freeze on a tray or plate. You’ll get about 3-4 pops per kiwi.
I’m so happy to be hosting a giveaway for a “Month of Fruit” from Cuties and Mighties. The winner will get coupons good for two bags of Cuties (up to $6.99 value each) plus two clamshells of Mighties (up to $4.99 value each).
To enter, leave a comment telling me what kind of fruit you usually pack in lunch boxes. **the giveaway has ended***
You can also earn two additional entries:
- “Like” Mighties Kiwi, Cuties, & Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook and leave me a comment on this post telling me you did (entry #2).
- Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtags #MightiesKiwi or #SweetAsCandy and leave me a comment on this post telling me you did (entry #3).
The giveaway ends Wednesday December 9 at noon Eastern Time, and the winner will be chosen at random. (U.S. residents only please.)
Visit Cuties and Mighties for all kinds of recipes featuring these fruits, like Cuties Kale Beet Salad With Feta Cheese and Mighties Kiwi Avocado Smoothie.
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Lunch boxes featured in this post: Bentgo Kids
and EasyLunchboxes
