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Fruit and Vegetable Cups

Facebook Sweepstakes: Building Blocks for Healthy Eating

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With summer just around the corner, Libby’s® Vegetable Cups can help you and your family enjoy healthy foods that taste good and are easy to eat, whether you are eating at the kitchen table or the picnic table. Libby’s® Vegetable Cups not only make a convenient side dish, but also double as a fun, frozen treat! These flavorful veggie combos are frozen right in their individual containers for a nutritious, pre-portioned snack.

Try the recipes below by Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD, LDN for a refreshing and delicious summer treat.

In addition, share your ideas for delicious frozen pop combinations on Facebook for the chance to win a $250 Visa gift card to use toward your own healthy summertime meals. Read the official rules here.

How To Enter:

1. Comment on a Building Blocks Sweepstakes’ Facebook post with your own original fruit & veggie pop flavor combination.

2. Submit a new idea once per day for your chance to win a $250 Visa gift card.

Sweepstakes lasts from 12:00:00 PM ET on Friday, June 6 until 11:59:59 PM ET on Friday, June 20th. 

Sweet Corn Frozen Pops

Makes 6 pops

Ingredients:

  • 4 Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn Cups (4 oz. each)
  • 1 cup low-fat milk
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Supplies:

  • 6 Popsicle sticks
  • 2 4-oz. paper cups (for extra mixture)

Instructions:

Add corn to a bowl. Do not throw out cups; wash and dry them to use for freezing pops. Mash corn with a potato masher to release liquid.

In a medium pot over medium heat, add corn, milk and sugar. Heat for 5 minutes, mixing a few times, until sugar dissolves and corn softens. Remove from heat and puree in blender. Pour through mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cool in refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

Whisk yogurt and vanilla extract into cooled corn milk. Pour mixture into four empty Libby’s Cups and the remaining mixture into two 4-oz. paper cups. Position a 3½-inch popsicle stick in the center of each cup and freeze overnight.

Cost Per Serving: $0.87

Total Cost For Recipe: $5.21

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (One Sweet Corn Pop): Calories: 97, Total Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 135mg, Carbohydrates: 16g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Protein: 6g, Vitamin A 2% DV, Vitamin C 67% DV, Calcium 11% DV, Iron 3% DV

Avocado Sweet Pea Frozen Pops

Makes 8 pops

Ingredients:

  • 4 Libby’s® Sweet Peas Cups (4 oz. each)
  • 2 ripe medium avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1½ cup low-fat milk
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 large lime)

Supplies:

  • 8 Popsicle sticks
  • 4 4-oz. paper cups (for extra mixture)

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor. Do not throw out cups; wash and dry them to use for freezing pops. Puree until well mixed.

Pour mixture into four empty Libby’s Cups and the remaining mixture into four 4-oz. paper cups. Position a 3½-inch popsicle stick in the center of each cup and freeze overnight.

Cost Per Serving: $0.92

Total Cost For Recipe: $7.34

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (One Avocado Sweet Pea Pop): Calories: 119, Total Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 15g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Protein: 3g, Vitamin A 5% DV, Vitamin C 58% DV, Calcium 7% DV, Iron 2% DV

 

 

 

This Summer, Build Healthy Eaters

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Whether you’re packing for a family picnic, preparing dinner or driving kids between their summer activities, it’s important to consider nutritious snacks and side dishes to keep your family healthy and energetic. Libby’s® Vegetable Cups, which are microwaveable and shelf-stable, are a convenient solution to adding more fruits and veggies into your daily diet.

Our Cups contain 4 oz. of flavorful ingredients that are grown and packed in the U.S. Here are some savvy tips from dietitian Deanna Segrave-Daly for getting your kids to eat more fruits and veggies.

“Fast Foods” for Smaller Tummies

Younger kids, especially toddlers, seem to be hungry at any time BUT mealtime. With newfound independence and more activity, those smaller stomachs burn calories fast so it’s natural and healthy for kids to ask for snacks between meals. Of course, nutrient-rich and balanced eats – that are quick to dole out for a busy body – are best like:

  • A portion or two of sliced of low sodium ham and tomato slices wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla and cut into one inch pinwheels
  • Pita wedges with hummus and avocado
  • Smoothie made with frozen banana, plain yogurt and chocolate milk

Let Kids Play Chef

Having kids (as young as two years) in the kitchen helps raise healthy eaters, achieve healthier weights, allow quality family time and build self-confidence. Let kids rip lettuce for salad or add ingredients to dishes. Have them season their own Libby’s® Vegetable Cups to their liking. Some ideas:

  • Cinnamon + nutmeg for Libby’s® Diced Carrot Cups
  • Ginger + sesame seeds for Libby’s® Cut Green Bean Cups
  • Mint + lemon zest for Libby’s® Sweet Pea Cups

No-Brainer Picnic Packing

Junk food is made to be portable and convenient, but now healthy food is too, with Libby’s® Vegetable Cups. For your next impromptu-but-balanced picnic with the kiddies, pack nut butter sandwiches on whole wheat tortillas, granola bars, shelf-stable milk boxes and your kids’ favorite Libby’s® Vegetable Cups!

What’s your favorite on-the-go summer snack? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!