One of Isaac’s favorite new snacks is blueberries. We actually figured it out when he spent the day at his Nanny’s house, and she had some frozen blueberries. I’ve been buying them fresh and letting him eat them plain. We also add them to oatmeal or on top of waffles at breakfast time.
Blueberries are an excellent food! They’re a good source of dietary fiber and a good source of antioxidants, particularly vitamin C. The antioxidant that gives blueberries their color is being linked to anti-aging benefits, as well as reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Most likely not the top concerns for your little ones, but why not get them started in liking something so healthy? You can do a lot of things to get kids interested in them. Have them count some blueberries out, spell words out with them, or even discuss the color.
Either way, choosing a whole wheat waffle and topping it with fresh blueberries is a much healthier choice than reaching for the blueberry flavored poptarts. Let’s take a look at the nutrition:
Blueberry poptart (frosted): 200 calories, 5g of fat (1.5g saturated), fiber <1g, sugar 16g*
Whole wheat waffle (frozen) with 1/4 c fresh blueberries: 105 calories, 3g fat (<1g saturated), fiber 2g, sugar 5.5g
*Most of the sugar in the poptart will be added in the form of high fructose corn syrup.
Selection: Choose firm, plump, dry blueberries with a dusty blue color.
Storage: They should be stored in the refrigerator for up about 10 days.
Does your family enjoy blueberries often? How do you like to eat them?
Mmm, I love blueberries! Buttercup does, too (Oliver hates them for some reason, lol; his favorite fruit is strawberries) and if I let her, she’ll eat an entire pint in one sitting! She prefers to eat them fresh, but she’ll also eat them in baked goods (I make blueberry bread and blueberry streusel coffee cake). Sometimes I’ll blend fresh blueberries up with lemon yogurt and a bit of honey. If you freeze it to a soft-serve consistency, it’s almost like eating ice cream.
I love blueberry baked goods as well, Maria. I’ve gotta admit that the only thing I’ve tried to make though is blueberry muffins. That streusel coffee cake sounds amazing though! And thanks for the idea to serve with lemon yogurt…I would have never thought of that!