Pear Snack Ideas
Most kids love to eat, but maybe they don’t love to eat the healthiest foods. Adding pears to their favorite dishes or coming up with some new ways to include pears in your child’s daily menu will increase the nutrition content of their foods without a lot of added time or trouble! Kids also love to help select food and prepare recipes with you, so include your kids in the kitchen and watch them eat up their creations!
- If serving pears fresh, dipping in lemon or orange juice will prevent browning.
- Sliced or whole pears are a pearfect after-game snack!
- Tired of other parents bringing sugary treats and snack cakes after your child’s soccer or softball game? Bring pears and watch your kids enjoy a healthy snack with a beneficial dose of vitamin C and fiber!
Pear-nut Butter Sandwiches
Spread peanut butter thinly on two slices of whole grain bread. Slice a pear thinly and layer between the slices of bread. Enjoy!
Yogurt Pear-fait
Place pear chunks in the bottom of a clear glass. Add layers of plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt, granola, and more pears for an amazing breakfast or snack that kids will love! Kids also love this recipe with vanilla or chocolate pudding!
Pear “French Fries”
Using a French fry cutter or a knife, slice firm pears into french fry shapes. Serve these healthy treats raw with peanut butter, yogurt, or caramel or chocolate sauce for dipping as an afterschool or anytime healthy snack!
Su-PEAR Wraps
Spread cream cheese on a tortilla and layer pear slices with lettuce for extra crunch, color, and texture. Your kids will love to bite into these wraps! This snack or entrée also works with peanut butter and pears!
Nothing Com-PEARS to Pizza
Kids love pizza! Using prepared crust or a tortilla, spread on some pizza or marinara sauce, a bit of cheese, then pile on your child’s favorite toppings – tomatoes, olives, peppers, pineapple pepperoni, whatever they like! Then top with pear chunks or slices for a mild, sweet topping. Kids will love this topping and ask for it again and again!
Pear, Cheese, and Cracker Snacks
Does your child love cheese? Try serving cheese and crackers with pears for an added sweet taste and texture! Slice pears and layer whole grain crackers with pears, cheese, and serve!
Peary Good Quesadillas
Layer cheese and your child’s favorite quesadilla toppings on half of a tortilla. Top with thinly sliced pears and fold over the other half of the tortilla. Heat in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, until tortilla browns and cheese melts. Cut in half and watch this snack disappear!
The Pearfect Salad for Kids
Have a child that only eats plain lettuce with ranch dressing? Try decorating the salad with pears chunks, slices, or sticks for some added nutrition that matches very well with ranch or any other kid-friendly dressing!
Yummy Pearninis
Preheat a skillet or Panini press to medium heat. Spread mustard over whole grain bread, and layer bread with pear slices and cheese, or pear slices, cheese, turkey, and tomatoes. Spray press or pan with cooking spray and heat each side of sandwich for 3 – 5 minutes until golden brown.
Pear Roll-Ups
Place pears, turkey, tomatoes, and lettuce in a tortilla, and roll up for a quick or on-the-go lunch!
Baked Pears
Cut pears into thick slices or use halved and cored pears, and place in a bowl. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and microwave or bake until pears are tender. Serve warm, or pair with granola or ice cream for a quick and special treat!
Pear Cinnamon Toast
Toast bread in a toaster, and microwave thinly sliced pears until tender. Place pears atop toast and sprinkle with cinnamon for a healthy breakfast or snack!
Pear Fun-due for Kids
Cut pears into sticks or chunks. Heat caramel or chocolate sauce in a microwave until warm, then let kids dip pears into sauce. Kids will dive into this kid-friendly fondue!
Grilled Cheese and Pear Sandwiches
Place one slice of cheese on bread, cover with sliced pears, then top with another slice of cheese and second piece of bread. Heat over medium heat, flipping once, until cheese melts and bread is golden brown. Kids will love the sweet addition of pears to this classic sandwich!
Candied Pears
Replace pears in your favorite candied apple or caramel apple recipe for a variation on a classic treat. Kids will love the variety and taste!
Pear Kabobs
Cut chunks of pears and other fruit and skewer for a tasty kabob snack or dessert!
Pear Oatmeal
Heat ½ cup pear chunks, water or milk, and quick oats on the stove or in the microwave. Let stand for 2 minutes and sprinkle with cinnamon. Kids will enjoy this dish as a special winter breakfast or snack!
Easy Pear Sauce
Cook 3 medium pears in a microwave until tender. Beat in small amounts of sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of orange or lemon juice. Serve as a side dish or snack!
Easy Pear Additions
- Top cereal with pear chunks
- Add pear slices to a turkey sandwich
- Top whole-grain crackers, graham crackers, or toast with pear slices for a quick snack
- Cut pears and other fruit for a super-healthy fruit salad
- Use pear slices or chunks as a garnish in desserts, lettuce salads, coleslaw, salsa, chicken salad or other cold salads
- Toss crunchy pear sticks into a stir-fry
- Add pears to smoothies for an extra nutrient boost
- Float pears in punch, juice, or your child’s favorite beverage for a special treat
- Toss pear slices or chunks in casseroles or frittatas
- Add small pear chunks to muffin, pancake or waffle batter, or layer between french toast slices
- Pears are excellent with any combination of crackers, bread, cheese, or lunch meats
- Pears pair nicely with fish, poultry, or meat dishes