Give the Kids a Healthy Helping of Fruit

Fruit comes in a rainbow of gorgeous colors, from raspberry red to blueberry blue. Fruits that are full of color are loaded with healthy nutrients, giving a boost of antioxidants that have been shown to help the immune system. Most often, those fruits are also low glycemic in nature. Fruit is available every day of the year, whether it's fresh, frozen, canned or dried. Just be sure to avoid products with added sugar. Fruits, such as berries, and temperate fruits, like apples and pears, are especially good choices. Bananas have one of the higher glycemic indexes, coming in at 60. However, growing children need calories and even bananas contain needed nutrients.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's "MyPyramid" dietary guidelines recommend that children, ages 4 to 8, consume about 1 to 1-1/2 cups of fruit a day. For ages 9 to 13, 1-1/2 cups is the recommended amount. According to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, however, American children do not eat nearly this amount of fruit. To add more fruit to your kid's diet, try these fun recipes.

Blue Banana Boats

2 fruit roll-ups, any flavor
4 thin, 4-inch long pretzel sticks
1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen or drained canned blueberries
1/2 cup apple juice, or juice from canned blueberries
2 bananas, cut in quarters
4 small scoops sugar-free ice cream or frozen yogurt
1/2 cup fruit cut in pieces, such as strawberries or mandarin oranges

To make "sails:" Unroll fruit rolls and cut into four triangles, about 3 inches on all sides, with a sharp knife. Make 3 small cuts along one edge of each triangle; thread onto pretzel sticks. In four soup or cereal bowls, divide blueberries evenly. Pour two tablespoons juice into each bowl. To form a "boat:" Place two banana quarters on opposite sides of bowl. Between the bananas, place a scoop of frozen yogurt. Scatter fruit over all and push a pretzel "sail" into yogurt. Serve immediately.

Yield: four portions

Per portion: 254 calories; 55 g carbohydrate; 4 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 5 g fiber

Blueberry Fruit Shake

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed fruit
1/4 cup half & half or light cream
3/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon your preferred sugar substitute (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In the container of a food processor or blender, place blueberries, mixed fruit, cream, water, sugar substitute and vanilla extract; whirl until smooth. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 or 3 portions