Aug
26
Kiddy Snack with Adult Appeal: Watermelon Cheese Kabobs
August 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Who doesn’t love crisp juicy sweet watermelons in the summer?
Not sure if this fits in the Healthbuzz theme of trends in food. It is a fun skewer idea that I tried with my son. Sometimes, we just to need to stir things up to make him more interested in his food. He loves watermelon, no doubt. So I wanted to create a balanced meal out of them.
I got inspired by a traditional summer snack/meal people eat in Jordan: jibneh o bateekh–cheese and watermelon. They pair up the watermelon with a semi-soft, slightly salty cheese and pita bread. No skewers or kabob-style though.
Since the Middle Eastern cheese is not common everywhere, you can use any of your choice. I bought Havarti, but mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, or any other cheese cubes work, as long as they don’t fall apart. And of course, there needs to be a vegetable. I had green sweet bell pepper, fresh and crispy and just delicious. Anything else work: other color peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, or cucumbers. Any other ideas?
Now we have the vegetable, the fruit, and the milk (good source of protein) group. If you want, you can serve this with whole wheat crackers or soft or toasted pita bread. That will add the grains group.
Actually, I think anything kabob-style is in! From grilled meats and vegetables, to fruit kabobs, to fancy hors d’oeuvres, to left-over lunches (check this video for left-over kabob back-to-school lunch idea by dietitian, Danielle Omar), they are fun and interesting for all ages.
When we sat down to eat, we used the different foods to learn about colors. We just started teaching him the basic colors, and what a fun idea! Red, yellow, and green. Maybe next time we’ll have blueberries for blue 
On a side note, we found out yesterday that we are having a baby boy. Yes, another boy. How fun for my son and how crazy for me The baby is due in January, and we can’t wait!
What’s your favorite kabob food?
