Snacks to Honor the Jersey Cow

With school getting underway and extracurricular activities in full swing, people are looking for snack ideas that fit their active, busy lifestyle. Why not make snacks that are fun, creative, nutritious and honor our favorite creature — the Jersey cow!

And while these healthy snacks have been designed for kids, we know a lot of youngsters-at-heart that would enjoy them just as much.

Brown Cow Smoothie

This smoothie, which is reminiscent of a peanut butter cup, celebrates the Jersey cow for her beautiful brown coloring.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 frozen banana, sliced in large chunks
• 1 T cocoa
• 1 T peanut butter
• 2 T vanilla or chocolate whey protein (optional)
• 4-5 ice cubes

Directions:
In a blender, combine milk, banana chunks, cocoa, peanut butter and whey (if used); whirl until combined. Add enough ice cubes to make a thick, creamy smoothie. Pour into glass to serve. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.

Make your Brown Cow Smoothie even more special with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with a peanut butter cup or shavings of dark chocolate, or dust with cocoa powder. Enjoy it in a pretty glass like this one or a latte mug, both featuring “The Jersey.”

Moo Moo Sandwiches

A little imagination and plating can make simple ingredients fun. Try this marvelous Moo Moo Sandwich with ingredients you’re sure to have on hand.

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 slices whole wheat bread, cut as shown below
• Flour tortilla or white bread, cut into flower shape with cookie cutter
• Provolone cheese, cut into 2 small circles with cookie cutter
• 2 raisins
• 2-3 slices cold cuts
• 1 slice round Colby cheese
• 2 slices small summer sausage
• 1 slice pepperoni
• Orange pepper wedge, cut in half
• Broccoli or other green veggies

Directions:
Arrange on plate as shown in sandwich above, beginning with bread slices. Tuck scraps from cutting Provolone cheese and flour tortilla under cold cuts to hide, for a pretty presentation, but no wasted ingredients.

Cow Bento Box or Bowl

Present meals in an attractive and creative way and kids will be more likely to eat healthy. Plate them in a pretty bowl and reusable, individual cups (to save money and Mother Earth) or a bento box for the kiddo who doesn’t like his or her foods to touch. Consider the Happy Meal, which is successful in part because lunch is paired with a small toy, but also because it is associated with fun.

 

Ingredients:

• Cow cutout sandwich
• Cup of yogurt
• Assortment of colorful veggies, like broccoli, cherry tomatoes and orange pepper slices
• Toasted almonds
• Dessert (optional)

Directions:
To make the cow sandwich, cut cow shapes with a cutter from bread, tortillas and cheese. Stack and add condiments if desired.

Don’t toss the scraps! They can be used in a creative manner for the next meal.

Create a “cow in a hole” sandwich. Spread peanut butter and jelly, egg salad or any other sandwich filling on a slice of bread, then top it with the leftover bread scrap. Or, make an “egg in a hole” sandwich for breakfast. Lightly butter a skillet and heat until butter is melted. Place bread scrap in pan and crack an egg into the center of the hole. Cook about a minute or until the egg sets, then flip and cook thoroughly. Another option is to break bread scraps into pieces and toast under the broiler unit. Then, spritz with butter and toss with sugar and cinnamon for an inexpensive, delicious, old-fashioned snack.

Cow Cones

We created our Cow Cone with delicious Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream, but any brand and variety will work. This is a great way to get the kids involved in making their own snack and lending you a hand. Portion out their embellishments (ears, eyes, nose and horns), then give them their scooped cone and let them do the decorating. Because ice cream melts so quickly, this ensures the snack is a pretty one and not a messy one.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop chocolate ice cream
• 2 candy eyes
• 2 toasted almonds
• 2 vanilla wafers
• 1 raisin
• dab of honey
• ice cream cone

Directions:
To make ears, cut one of the vanilla wafers in half (microwave in damp napkin for 5 seconds to soften if cookie is super crisp); set aside. to make nose, cut raisin into quarters and attach 2 bits to other vanilla wafer with dab of honey to represent nostrils; set aside. If you do not have candy eyes, cut a mini marshmallow in half and paint eyeball using a black food marker; set aside. Scoop ice cream and place on cones. Decorate with embellishments.

Looking for Other Snack Ideas Using Dairy Products?

Visit the Undeniably Dairy site for other quick, nutritious snack ideas using dairy products.

Or check out these recipes from Delish, touted as healthy snacks for kids. Most use at least one dairy ingredient, including this one for Fox Toast and this one for Donut Apples, both using cream cheese. Or try this one for Fro-yo Fruit Bites using yogurt and milk.