This winter is wearing me down, and with the prospect for even a bit more winter weather this week, I’m in desperate need of something sunny. These super fun rainbow fruit and cheese kabobs will brighten up your plate and make a great snack for the kids in the process. They’re as close to a real ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) rainbow as we can get with fruit readily available. With the addition of a bit of mild cheese, you’ll amp up the protein to give a little more staying power nutritionally, keeping the kids feeling full longer. They also look super cool! If you’ve got the time, go ahead and cut the fruit before the kids get home from school, then work with them on assembly. They’ll love lending a hand, and with this dish, even the little guys can help.
Rainbow Fruit & Cheese Kabobs
Servings: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
- 6 straws or skewers (8-inches or longer)
- 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 18 cubes
- 1/2 cup strawberry halves
- 1/2 cup cantaloupe, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup pineapple, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into 6 pieces
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- 6 purple grapes
To make a rainbow for each kabob, thread onto a straw a piece of cheese, a strawberry half, a cantaloupe cube, a pineapple cube, another piece of cheese, a piece of kiwi, 2 blueberries, a grape and another piece of cheese. Repeat pattern with remaining straws/skewers. With older kids, feel free to subsitute skewers in place of the straws.
Nutritional information per serving: 135 calories; 9 g fat; 7 g protein; 8 g carbohydrates; 1 g dietary fiber; 25 mg cholesterol; 135 mg sodium; calcium 22 percent of daily value.
Recipe adapted from the Midwest Dairy Council
