Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Tiny Prints!

Katie — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:51:09 +0000

Tiny Pleasures: Semi-DIY

Anum — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:03:52 +0000

I love creative DIY projects and crafty ideas. But to make things easier and quicker if I don’t have hours to spend, I also love semi-DIY ideas. The idea of decorating party cupcakes with cute graphic elements is so great. The simple embellishment instantly makes the treats personalized and festive! Start with some adorable, customized gift tag stickers from Tiny Prints, then use colorful cardstock, decorative scissors, and a lollipop stick or toothpick to create the perfect cupcake topper!

And in the spirit of St. Patty’s Day, these printouts from TomKat Studio are just perfect.

Mom Talk – Snack Trays for Fun, Healthy Meals

Contributors — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:14:49 +0000

Post by Jessica R.

There is much talk these days about fighting obesity and teaching our children about “real food” so that they learn to eat well. I’m all over doing just that, but it’s not always easy.

My daughters love fruits and vegetables, so I’m lucky, but like many children they hate to taste new things. My oldest rejects anything remotely new with a quick disgusted grimace, pushing it out of her sight as quickly as possible. The little one can at times be cajoled into at least putting the new item to her lips, but rarely does it ever pass into her mouth.

I don’t stop trying, but it is frustrating to have to throw out perfectly good food because my babes won’t relent and eat it.

I’ve tried getting them involved in the cooking process with limited results. I’ve tried getting them involved in the grocery shopping, with equally limited results. I’d try the popular “hiding healthy food in familiar food” technique, but my goal is to teach them to eat well, not trick them into doing it.

I’ll admit that recently I’ve fallen into a bit of a safe rut just for the sake of not having a fight on my hands every evening. But this morning I came across something that has given me new hope! The snack tray idea.

You can use muffin tins like these to prepare balanced meals for your kids. Use the cups to present a variation of veggies and proteins. One cup can be for dip, another for carrots, broccoli, or whatever other vegetable you want to try. Mix it up and present old favorites next to new offerings. The fun serving tray might be just what it takes to get your child to try something new, and if he doesn’t, that’s ok, you’ve only wasted a tiny portion of the new food, enabling you to serve up a whole new portion of it the next day! The tray above has more sweet stuff than I’d offer up for a dinner or a lunch, but this technique is perfect for sneaking healthy options into an afternoon snack or into a playdate tray.

The options are truly endless!

The best part of this technique is that it allows you all to see exactly how bright and fun a truly balanced meal can be. The more colors a meal has, the healthier it is, and this allows all of those colors to shine. It’s a lesson and a party all in one.

Tiny Talk | The Tiny Prints Card & Stationery Blog

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Tiny Prints!

Tiny Pleasures: Semi-DIY

Mom Talk – Snack Trays for Fun, Healthy Meals