Make Way for Ducklings Snack

[Judy]

Tuesday is Make Way for Ducklings at co-op. This last time we did The Bee Tree. Our snack was biscuits and fresh honey from our own hives - I sent each child home with their own 2 oz sample of honey in a jar along with the other things we did to go with our story (we're doing a scrapbook page (2) each visit for each story - it's not as fun as spending 5 days on it but at least they're getting a taste of FIAR and they seem to really love it - I have the most attentive 5 and 6 year olds).

What should we do for a snack to go along with MWfD? I have one little one with allergies so nothing processed, no wheat and no dairy. However, we are a bit flexible because her mother will bring her something similar if we can get close (instead of biscuits, Bethie had banana bread last lesson - close enough).

Any ideas?

[MarieD]

Okay, I'm brainstorming here . . .

How about something with green grape or sliced green apples (as mallard drakes have a green head)??

and or

"Quackers" ahem . . . I mean crackers. :lol: Though would that work with the allergies?


Are you wanting to keep it healthy? You could probably have lots of carrots & apples julienne cut and let the kids make it into little nests, and put little grape "eggs" on them. If you aren't concerned with sweets could the little girl eat the "haystack cookies" I think they have peanut butter and coconut, but they would also make a nice nest.

:unsure: Is any of that helpful??

I just searched allrecipes and found Boston Iced Tea (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Boston-Iced-Tea/Detail.aspx) They also have recipes for Boston baked beans and Boston Cream Pie. I didn't realize it, but a google search turned up a site that claims fluffernutter sandwiches are from Boston as well. I didn't know that.

[laurie in ok]

I don't know about the momma duck, but I was picturing little raisins following in a row behind something. Oooh, you could make a bird's nest snack, and have the little raisins lining up to get in.


Or, you could make some vanilla pudding blue for a lake, put an oreo cookie in there for momma duck and nine of the little baby oreo sandwhiches for all of the little baby ducks lined up behind her. And, it would be very yummy.

[Judy]

Thanks for the ideas. I hit a brick wall coming up with stuff - I could come up with plenty that that mamas in the class would like but wasn't sure about the kidlets.

I think the nest idea with the julienned carrots and apples with grape eggs is a keeper - I picture putting them on a plate for the kids to make and I'll have one already made up so they "get" the idea. That way the little one with allergies won't have to have something special brought in.

I can buy the carrots already julienned. If I julienne the apples the morning of co-op would sprinkling them with some lemon keep them from turning brown? It would be a major hassle to julienne them while we were working on our scrapbooks. Must think of something to include the raisens with too....for obvious reasons, I think of pooh. Hmmmmmm.... :-)

Eta: The iced tea sounds good. Would you mind if your 5/6 year old had iced tea for a beverage? I don't use very big cups - just the small Dixie cups - although we're often handing out seconds....

[Julie Y]

I think the nest idea with the julienned carrots and apples with grape eggs is a keeper - I picture putting them on a plate for the kids to make and I'll have one already made up so they "get" the idea.

I think that sounds like a great idea! And, yes, the lemon juice should keep it nicely until you're ready to use them.

Would you mind if your 5/6 year old had iced tea for a beverage? I don't use very big cups - just the small Dixie cups - although we're often handing out seconds....

It wouldn't bother me; but you could make it decaf, if you're unsure about the parents' reaction.

Sounds like it's going to be a great day!

[MarieD]

If I julienne the apples the morning of co-op would sprinkling them with some lemon keep them from turning brown?

I have also used Sprite or 7-UP with great success! I keep them in a bowl full of Sprite, and then take them out when serving. No added lemony taste. :thumb:

I also think decaf is the way to go. :yes:

[KarenP]

This may be too late-- When our coop did this book we made "duck food". Each child brought 2 cups of a different cereal and we mixed it all together in one bowl and then gave each child a little bag of "duck food".

If wheat and dairy are an issue you could use a variety of things like-

raisins
gluten free cereal (dora, einsteins or a GF brand)
marshmallows
dried apples
GF/DF chocolate chips

[MarieD]

How did it go?

[Judy]

Thanks for asking, Marie! It went well - I did the apples/carrots and had to use red grapes because the green were gross and too much $$ :) but they got the idea and I think they had fun building their nests. They all wanted me to see what they built and didn't want to eat them - wanted to save them to show their mamas. Since the apples weren't looking too hot by that time, I suggested eating them would be the best bet. I wasn't able to get any Sprite or 7-UP in time so had to go with the lemon water.

I love the duck food idea too - I'll keep them all for future reference. I have a sneaking suspicion that this class might be offered again next year.

Next class - Cranberry Thanksgiving. Wish I liked cranberries.

[KarenP]

Next class - Cranberry Thanksgiving. Wish I liked cranberries.

The cranberry bread recipe is awesome!! We even made a gluten and dairy free version and it was realy good. Just sub GF/DF cake mix for the flour in the recipe.

We also cut open cranberries and looked at them inside and drank oceanspray cranberry juice.

Have fun!!

~K

[Judy]

Karen - do you have that recipe? This little girl can have no wheat, no dairy and no soy - nothing processed. I always run the snacks past her mother first to verify. Could I pick up that cake mix at Whole Foods - all the kids could just eat that, couldn't they? That would be wonderful if I could cover them all and they could each have the same thing and my allergy gal would be safe too.

[KarenP]

The recipe is in the back of the book, if I remember right- If not then it was in the FIAR cookbook.

Ask the mom if there is a GF/CF cake mix that her daughter can have. If so then use the cake mix as a replacement for the flour, sugar and leavening agents.

We used Namaste Vanilla Cake Mix- Which you should be able to get at Whole Foods. https://www.namastefoods.com/shopping/storefront/cgi-bin/product_nutrition.cgi?Product_Id=13&Category_Id_Search=5&Closeout_Search=All&Return_Cgi=item_list.cgi

Seems like we substituted orange juice for the liquid in the cake mix recipe and then added the fruit. It was really good.

I think we even had to use an egg substitute because we had a mixture of kids with wheat, dairy and egg allergy.

If you ever need any other GF/CF snack suggestions just email me we did snacks for almost all of the books. We used to joke that everything we made was made out of "air" because it had to be free of everything!