I don’t know about you, but I loved scratch and sniff things when I was a kid. It was just exciting to see what smell would come off the paper. Now I’ve taken it a step further and started to make scratch and sniff paintings with my kids. They absolutely love it and I’m sure yours will as well.

It really couldn’t be simpler. All you do is grab a few packs of Kool-Aid, a cup of water and some brushes. Use the Kool-Aid like water colors and let the kids paint away. When their master pieces are done, set them aside and let them dry completely. After that they are ready. Just let the kids scratch and sniff.

Can you guess what each smell is? Don’t even think about walking over to the box of kool-aid packs to peek… that would be cheating

While you are discussing the different smells with your kids, talk about the various fruits and how they could be prepared. If you have a few of the fruits available, cut them up and serve them as a snack. Of course you could also compare how the painting smells compared to the real thing.

GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR FOOD AND WIN!

Here’s a great way to get your kids to eat more fruit and veggies. Let them get creative with their sandwiches by making sandwich faces. I always start with a slice of honey wheat bread for this. Then the kids spread it with either peanut butter for a sweet sandwich, or anything from hummus to cream cheese or even a little mayo if there’s nothing else in the house for a savory one.

Next I go through the pantry and fridge and come up with all of the healthy toppings I can find.

For peanut butter sandwiches this usually includes banana and apple slices, raisins and various dried fruits.

For the savory sandwiches I pull out lettuce, tomatoes and all leftover veggies as well as some sprouts (they make great hair).

Then it’s time for the kids to get creative. Their goal is to come up with the most creative and funny face they can with the ingredients supplied. If the result is impressive, I get out the digital camera and take a snapshot before they eat the sandwich. The picture then becomes my computer background for a while. The kids love the challenge and try to outdo each other which of course results in more fruits or veggies being used for their creations.

I also noticed that they tend to snack on the good foods while they are making their face sandwich, which gives them an extra serving of fruit and veggies that day.

Let’s see YOUR Creative Funny Face Sandwiches!

We’re holding a contest and want to give you prizes for sharing your funny face sandwiches with us.

Here’s how to enter:

Photo Contest:

1. Make a silly sandwich with your child or children.
2. Take a picture.
3. Send both the picture and the recipe to us at nicole@menuplanningcentral.com
4. Check back here to vote after we post the finalists, and watch your inbox for prize notifications.

Recipe Contest:

1. Send your funny-face sandwich recipe to us at nicole@menuplanningcentral.com
2. Check back here to vote after we post the finalists, and watch your inbox for prize notifications.

What can you Win?

Great question! For starters, everyone who enters either just a recipe OR a recipe and photo will receive a printable coloring book via email as a “thank you” from us to you.

All entries will be eligible to win the following prizes, as well:

1. Membership to MenuPlanningCentral.com (1 winner)
2. Copy of Work at Home ebook www.FullTimeWAHM.com (2 winners)
3. Copy of Party by Mom ebook from www.PartybyMom.com (2 winners)
4. Pack of recipes from www.YummyPLR.com
5. $25 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com
6. More prizes coming…

Here are some tips to get your creative juices flowing with these…

• Banana slices topped with raisins, or cucumber slices topped with a dot of ketchup make great eyes.
• Pepper and apple or peach slices are great for mouths.
• For ears try mushroom slices or strawberries cut in half.
• Sprouts and little broccoli flowerets are perfect for various hair does.

Rules:

Here’s the legal stuff. The recipes and photos will become the propery of MenuPlanningCentral.com Please submit only recipes and photos for which you are the owner. (Don’t send us pictures unless you personally took them.) We reserve the right to judge the contest and choose the winners based upon our preference. Contest will end after we’ve had sufficient time to promote it and gets lots of entries.

Thank you to these contest sites for mentioning our contest.

Playing with playdough is a lot of fun and I have yet to meet a kids who doesn’t like to help making it either. Last week we took it up another notch by making an edible playdough that actually tastes pretty decent. So we’re combining making something, playing with something and having a sugary treat all at the same time… now that’s hard to beat

Here’s the recipe we used:

Peanutbutter Playdough

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl, using your hands. Dough should feel soft and pliable. Form shapes and be creative!! Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.

Here’s another great way to have fun with food - Make your own mini green house and grow a fruit tree or plant in it. Kids enjoy watching something they planted grow and they are learning along the way.

Here’s how you do it…

Mini Greenhouse

•    2 clear plastic cups
•    Tape
•    Fruit seeds
•    Water
•    Paper towels
•    Marker

Write the name of the type of seeds on a piece of tape and also the child’s name to place on a set of cups. Let the child wet the paper towel in the water, fold it and place it in the bottom of one cup. Place the seeds on top of the wet paper towel. Put the second cup over the first and tape in place on one side.  Place the “greenhouses” on a sunny windowsill.  If too much moisture accumulates inside the cup, lift the top cup for a while. When the seeds have sprouted the children can replant in a pot with dirt.

Welcome to Day Two of Summer Fun In The Kitchen.

When was the last time you baked something with your kids? Christmas cookies for Santa?

Now is a great time to get them involved in some baking. They need some afternoon snacks anyway and I’m sure your family would also appreciate some pie for dessert. Last night I made this Oatmeal Pie with my kids and it was a big hit. I used a frozen pie crust I had in the freezer and everything else needed for this simple pie was in my fridge and pantry. I’m sure you have most of it around the house too.

We did use about 1/2 cup of coconut flakes in it and it turned out great. Didn’t even need any ice cream or whipped cream to top it (even though I’m sure that would have been delicious too).

Now it’s your turn… what are you going to bake with your kids? Feel free to share your favorite recipes as a comment below.

We are participating in Lynette Chandler’s Blog Egg Hunt that’s going on all week. Today’s Easter Egg Prize is A 3 month subscription to Menu Planning Central sponsored by us.

Here’s how to win.

1. Copy the URL of this post, then
2. Click me ==> .

3. Enter your comment and don’t forget to paste our URL too.
Take a look at www.techbasedmarketing.com all week long for some other fun easter hunts.

Good luck!

We love blueberries around here. I use them in anything from topping yogurt, cereal or granola with them to adding them to smoothies or baking them into pies and muffins. While searching for some new blueberry recipes, I came across some interesting and fun facts about this round little berry and thought you might enjoy them as well.

• Blueberries are the second most popular berry in the US. Strawberries by the way are the most popular.
• North America produces 90% of the worlds blueberries (2005).
• One serving of blueberries has more of the antioxidant power you need to fight aging, cancer and heart disease making them a true super food.

Fresh blueberries are obviously best, but they also tend to freeze well, so it’s easy to incorporate them in your diet year around. Grab some this week and bake up some blueberry muffins, or top your pancakes or cereal with them. Yummy!!!

Cooking light just came out with their top 20 cities that promote a healthy livestyle including eating smart, staying fit and living well. Here they are…

1. Seattle, Washington

An abundance of fresh local foods, walker-friendly streets, and inclusive attitudes helps make Seattle America’s best city for healthy living.

2. Portland, Oregon

Life is good in our second-ranked city, thanks to its seemingly endless supply of outdoor activities, cutting-edge restaurants, and vibrant environmental consciousness.

3. Washington, D.C.

Our capital city sets an accommodating agenda with farm-fresh dining, diverse cultures, and ample opportunity for exploration on foot.

4. Minneapolis, Minnesota

In our fourth-ranked best city, lush parks and shimmering lakes provide a natural backdrop to a rich cultural landscape.

5. San Francisco, California

Our fifth-ranked city steps up with one of the world’s most unforgettable settings–along with great cuisine and an energetic spirit.

6. Boston, Massachusetts

Strolling historic parks and swanning around the water are but two of the pastimes that make summer prime time to enjoy our sixth-ranked city.

7. Denver, Colorado

The Mile-High City ranked seventh on our list for an outdoorsy Western lifestyle that makes living well accessible and irresistible.

8. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Our eighth-ranked city proves a worthy destination for food lovers, adventure seekers, and culture aficionados alike.

9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In America’s fifth-largest city, the historic past provides a backdrop for a present that’s healthful and happening.

10. Tucson, Arizona

Tucson offers a taste of the authentic Southwest in a desert setting that’s ideal for a warm winter getaway.

11. Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore, it turns out, has lots of people who eat five or more servings of fruits and veggies a day–27 percent.

12. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Graced with bountiful trail systems, no wonder 91 percent of the city’s population claims to be in good health.

13. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Skies, once dark with factory smoke, open above crystal-towered downtown Pittsburgh, bound on three sides by the rivers Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio.

14. St. Louis, Missouri

A love for local produce and healthful activities keeps this urban center well fed and on the move.

15. New York, New York

New Yorkers walk far more than most Americans, and they do it quickly. But they slow down for green markets–25 in Manhattan alone.

16. Atlanta, Georgia

Approximately 55,000 people gather on the Fourth of July at the Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10k in the world.

17. Austin, Texas

You can’t swing a yoga mat in Austin without hitting a cool place to exercise–whether it’s inside a gym or outdoors in a natural, spring-fed pool.

18. Chicago, Illinois

The city’s environmentally friendly mentality is one of the reasons why it is home to the 2007 Cooking Light FitHouse.

19. Las Vegas, Nevada

In our list, the city ranks third in restaurants rated “extraordinary to perfection” and third in nominations for James Beard awards.

20. Kansas City, Missouri

A recent study revealed Kansas City has the purest water of any major city in the country.

Is your city on the list?