They’ll be begging for more of this easy dinner recipe!
While the quintessential American festival and fair food has to be the corn dog, there’s nothing healthy about this food on a stick. We decided to make a healthier version of the corn dog with a kid-friendly twist. Deep frying is replaced by baking, and instead of an unwieldy eat we made these into baked corn dog muffins perfect for little hands. Be sure to check out our other healthy swaps that are picky eater approved!
Ingredients for Corn Dog Muffins:
1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup of sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 vegetable oil
3 hot dogs cut into 1/2 inch pieces (veggie, chicken apple sausage, beef, or any type you like)
Mini muffin tin
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 and grease mini muffin tins.
2. Mix the first four dry ingredients in one bowl; mix the wet ingredients in a second bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
3. Sautee your 1/2-inch hot dog bites for a few minutes over medium heat.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins until each is 3/4 full. Put one hot dog slice into each batter-filled muffin cup so it’s submerged in the batter.
This easy blueberry muffin recipe is a favorite with our kids
For breakfast fare that never goes out of style look no further than this easy blueberry muffin recipe. Any home cook can whip up a batch of these classic blueberry muffins in about 10 minutes without any unusual ingredients or pro kitchen tools. The secret twist to this delectable eat? The streusel topping that adds a layer of cinnamon sugar goodness to this irresistible grab-and-go muffin.
Makes about 14 muffins
Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups wild blueberries (Frozen are ok)
1/2 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
For the streusel top:
2 Tbs Flour
2 Tbs Sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs butter chilled
Method:
1. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl beat butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs and vanilla. You can either use an electric mixer or mix by hand with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients alternating with milk until combined.
4. Coat the blueberries lightly with flour then fold the blueberries into the mixture.
5. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin tins.
6. To make the streusel topping, combine the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until crumbly by using your fingers or a knife and fork. Sprinkle over muffins.
PSL season is here! Starbucks has announced that your fave pumpkin spice goodies are officially back in cafes starting Tues. Aug. 30.
Strap on those boots and grab a scarf on your way out the door to grab your first Pumpkin Spice Latte with its signature pumpkin, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. Ok fine, yes, it’s still in the 90’s but we can dream.
Also returning for another year is the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, plus the Apple Crisp Macchiato. This year, the drink is made with oatmilk and Starbucks Blonde Espresso as the standard recipe, making it Starbucks’ first fall nondairy beverage.
Starbucks
Starbucks fall food menu items are also making a comeback. Be sure to grab a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, Pumpkin Scone or the Pumpkin Loaf (which is actually available all year long) and a sweet Owl Cake Pop.
If you’re picking up a pound of coffee, you’ll see new designs adorning each bag for the first time in 10 years. Each one tells the story about how that particular blend is made through vibrant colors and beautiful artistry.
Starbucks
Now for the good stuff: the MERCH. The fall season is also bringing a whole new lineup of water bottles, cold cups and hot cups with a festive feel.
Starbucks
Keep your eyes peeled as the limited edition cups that include a new orange Bling cup, periwinkle (it’s so on-trend this year) Kaleidescope cold cup, textured Rainforest water bottle, an ocean gradient mug, color changing cups and a six-pack fall hot cup set.
Starbucks
You may have to visit more than one location to find the cup of your choosing, as each cafe carries its own selection from the fall merchandise line. Don’t wait long, every year this limited edition collection sells out.
Who needs a restaurant on Mother’s Day when you can pull off these delicious meals at home? Your mini sous chefs can get involved too. Read on for all of our best Mother’s Day brunch recipes—we guarantee Mom will be feasting like a queen in no time (bonus points if you serve this as breakfast in bed!).
It’s not as hard as it seems, we promise! This recipe makes eggs benedict a breeze thanks to a smart poaching method and a Hollandaise sauce that’s blitzed up in the blender. Get the details for one of the most classic Mother's Day brunch recipeshere.
French toast is already awesome, but it’s made even more awesome when you use ciabatta bread and flavor it with orange zest. Mom will love waking up to this—here is the recipe.
Potato Skillet with Baked Eggs
If Mom is hankering for something savory, chances are this skillet dish will hit the spot. It has bacon, potatoes and eggs, and you can even sneak in some spinach and peas for a complete and balanced meal. Here is the recipe.
When it comes to Mother's Day brunch recipes, nothing beats a homemade blueberry muffin, especially when little ones help make them just for their mama. This version is finished with a cinnamon sugar streusel topping. Find the recipe here.
With toasty bread, chunks of thick-cut bacon and a generous sprinkling of cheese, this savory bread pudding is bound to impress Mom. Pair it with coffee and orange juice for the ultimate brunch. To get the recipe, head to The Little Epicurean.
Broccoli Frittata
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Keep it simple and whip up a classic frittata for Mother’s Day. We love that frittatas are infinitely customizable, so you can throw in whatever veggies or cheese your family enjoys. Grab the recipe here.
You can't go wrong with a classic. This recipe is a step above boxed mixes, creating a super fluffy and beautiful pancake that rivals Mom's favorite 24-hour diner. Get the full recipe here.
Here's one of the cutest Mother's Day brunch recipes out there. Kids can use cookie cutters to make a sweet and colorful fruit bouquet for the person who has probably poured a thousand bowls of cereal by now. Get the full instructions at Kix Cereal.
It doesn't get much more simple (or tasty!) than this recipe from Improv Oven. Paired with toast and fruit, it's a meal that will impress the person of the hour.
Serve a cool breakfast treat like any of these gorgeous yogurt parfaits. Gather other recipes to whip up a menu item mom will be sure to savor, or keep it simple and use store-bought ingredients. Get the recipes at Completely Delicious.
What's brunch without a mimosa? Dress up the classic sparkling sipper with B. Britnell's recipe, which incorporates a splash of peach nectar and a slice of peach for a garnish (or substitute with Mom's favorite fruit).
Even the mama who loves a good, strong cup of joe will be thrilled to find this on her tray. Brewed fresh, she'll love the citrusy-sweet twist on a lunchtime staple from Ashley Marie's Kitchen.
The weekday morning struggle is real—getting everyone out the door, fully dressed, with everything they need on time is a miracle in itself. Turn the chaos into calm with these make-ahead breakfasts for kids. We’ve found putting in extra time the night before or on the weekend will make your mornings run smoother. Scroll down for breakfast inspo that’ll make your mornings easier.
This Creamsicle Chia Pudding from A Taste of Madness is one of the most delicious make-ahead breakfast recipes for kids. Your family will be wanting seconds of this one.
The kids will love this apple pie oatmeal smoothie from The Stay at Home Chef—it tastes like apple pie in a glass! The recipe keeps the sugar to a minimum, making it a healthy way to start the day.
We’ve seen a million twists on muffin tin eggs, but you’ll definitely want to try this one from The Cheerful Kitchen. With veggies, cheese and ground beef, it’s filling enough to keep little bellies satisfied until lunchtime.
This granola from Joy Food Sunshine is super easy to make and will make your mornings a breeze. You can serve it up as cereal, sprinkle it over yogurt with some berries or just gobble it up by the handful.
These breakfast burritos from The Suburban Soapbox can be prepared on the weekend and stashed in the freezer for up to a month. Just pop them in the microwave and they’ll be your savior on stressful mornings.
Make a batch of these muffins from My Food Story on the weekend, and you’ll be set for the whole week. The chocolate chips make them an instant hit with the kids, and the wholesome ingredients make them a win for parents too.
If your little ones like oatmeal, then you’ll want to give overnight oats a try. This version from Sue Bee Homemaker is bursting with berries and adding a sprinkling of chia seeds ups the nutritional benefits even more.
Skip the Egg McMuffins and try out The Charming Detroiter’s genius make-ahead breakfast sandwiches instead. Your little foodies will have a new favorite breakfast.
For an impressive breakfast totally worth the (night before) effort, you’ve got to try this recipe from Seasonal Cravings. With layers of fruit and chia pudding, it’s as healthy as it is eye-catching.
You can make this breakfast casserole from The Cookie Rookie on the weekend, and the leftovers will be just as tasty heated up throughout the week. The dish is stuffed with kid-fave ingredients like ham, cheese and crusty bread to start your day off on a delicious note.
Playing with your food can be plenty of fun and it can entice reluctant eaters to try new things. Cooking games are a creative way to involve your budding chefs in meal prep, encourage their developing palates and even teach them some essential life skills. Bring your appetites and try out our picks for the best cooking games that make food fun.
Eat the Alphabet Challenge
Shahrzad Warkentin
Trying new foods can be a lot less intimidating when you tie it to something relatable, like the alphabet! This is an easy game that can stretch across an entire month. For example, start every day with a new letter of the alphabet, and challenge your kids to try a food that starts with that letter. It can be as easy as “D” for donut or up the ante with something a little more daring, like “D” for Dragonfruit. You can also add a scoring system to earn points for the most unique foods they can think up.
Superhero Kitchen
Shelby Taylor Brookings
Want to get your kids to eat spinach and earn cool mom points? Of course, you do! Bulk up like the Hulk and gain superhero strength after making a batch of "Hulk Bread" or spinach muffins, like this recipe from Super Healthy Kids. Have your superpowered chefs help you with baking this tasty treat, and then you can all pretend to have hulk strength when you eat it.
Measure and Guess Game
Shahrzad Warkentin
Cooking with kids can be fun and educational. Shake things up a bit by turning the measuring of ingredients into a guessing game. If you’re making blueberry muffins, for example, fill the measuring cup and then have your tiny chefs guess how many blueberries are in the cup. Whoever guesses the closest gets to eat the first muffin! You can play this game with all sorts of different recipes and ingredients.
Can you make bread in a bag? A great way to teach measuring and how to use fine motor muscles (kneading the bread!) is to have a cooking game challenge for kids. Our friends at Your Homebased Mom cleverly show the best way to do this. Shake, knead, bake and eat.
Cooking and counting go hand in hand and pretzels are easy to make. We love What We Do All Day's brilliant pretzel game using bread dough, salt, butter, a brush and a ruler. Besides practicing letters and numbers, little kitchen helpers can count out the dough pieces and measure the length of each rolled pretzel. We're sure these hot buttery treats will go fast!
Creative cooking! Meal prep takes on limitless possibilities in this free cooking game brainstormed by our friends over at Tinkerlab. Let your little chefs invent their own recipes. Discover, create, validate (with you), then make their dish. Experimenting encourages independent thinking and problem-solving skills in the kitchen. Even more, eating what they make will be easy as pie.
Hot chocolate banana muffins take on a whole new meaning with the read and make game cooked up by Growing Book by Book. First, you read the book If You Give a Moose a Muffin together, then cook up a fresh batch with the littles.
Sometimes the simplest cooking games are the most fun. Who can resist a colorful rainbow fruit parfait courtesy of our friends Mama.Pappa.Bubba. Let your kids pick out fresh fruit at your local farmer's market. Then it's time to peel and chop. Add a whipped cream cloud on top–yum!
It takes two! Making pizza becomes a free cooking game when you add in this genius idea from Fantastic Fun and Learning. You'll need pizza dough, sauce, cheese and toppings. Just put a string down the middle of the pizza and mirror your partner's topping placement. We're sure they'll chow down on their symmetrical creation.
Keep 'em guessing (and fully engaged) with this flavorful cooking game dreamed up by Create.Play.Travel. You'll need a muffin tin, food, paper and pen. Let your little one try the item (you can blindfold her too!) then say whether it's sweet, sour, spicy, salty or tangy. When cooking a meal have your kids decide the taste of the main ingredients.
Easy as one, two, three. Le Coin de Mel fosters independent cooking and following directions in this toddler cooking game. Mamma Mel whips up a simple recipe to describe step-by-step to her little chef to make vegan gluten-free chocolate muffins. Expect a mess and for the muffins to go quickly!
It's time for a cooking challenge! A fun and creative game to get kids cooking up a storm crafted by Life as Mom. You can play with two or more. Set out the ingredients to use in separate baskets. Then everyone shares pantry items to add flavor and taste. Put it all together, present it to the judge, and choose the best creation.
Chop, chop! Budding chefs can practice their fine motor skills by making this snack created by My Fussy Eater. Littles can peel the bananas, chop them up (with a kid knife), then roll them around in toppings like coconut, melted chocolate and rice Krispies. Have them rate each topping and pick a winner. The best part is eating with chopsticks.
Looking for fun and easy-to-do preschool games? Whether you have an active learner, a bundle of energy or a creative artist, we’ve rounded up 12 games that are simple and playful that you can do on the fly. From free preschool games to learning preschool games are you ready to start? Scroll down and let the fun begin!
Hop to it! Toddlers love spelling their names and jumping around. Why not make a game of it? Our friends at Fantastic Fun and Learning put the two together with this Name Hop game. All you need are paper plates (or paper will do!), a pen and tape. First, practice their name with them, then let them play on their own.
Where's Spot? Grab your little one's favorite plush toy and play a game of hide-and-seek. Sunny Day Family adds a few twists to this idea using their favorite stuffed doggie and giving learning word hints like under the table or over the couch. Take turns first you hide Spot, then let your little lamb hide the toy too! Simple and tons of fun.
Who needs a fancy game anyway? You can quickly make a DIY board game as Hands On As We Grow did! Whether simple with a squiggly line from point A to B or a more complex game of dragons and marbles, either way, it's a blast. Grab your cardboard, pen and plastic figures and have an afternoon (or morning!) of imagination, counting and gameplay.
Ready, set, pick your corner! Check out this creative and energy-bursting game put together with learning colors and Math by The Many Little Joys. All that's needed is colored paper and a pen. Then, it's time for you to close your eyes while your little half-pints pick a corner. Your little learner will work those gross motor muscles, practice colors and counting.
Let it roll! Preschoolers are keen on rolling dice, counting and sorting. What better way to develop those math and fine motor skills than this simple dice and counting game rolled out by Little Bins for Little Hands. If one dice is too easy, then try two. Roll the dice, count the items and put them into a muffin tin. What's more, around the holidays you can do a color-themed setup. As far as learning preschool games go this one gets an A+!
Spray it out! Preschoolers love to use household cleaning items, and a spray bottle tops the list. Let the squirt bottle do the talking with this fun sidewalk word game from Kids Play Smarter. Whether they squirt letters to spell simple words or tackle the whole words with one spray, they're sure to have a good time, learn and get a little wet.
Days of the Week Song Game
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Sing-a-song game! If your little songbird likes to sing out loud, then this free and easy preschool game is for you. Let your little music lover learn what they do each day of the week with this catchy song created by Sara Mullet over at Let's Play Music. First, teach them the song, then add in what they do each day of the week!
Your budding athlete can work it out with this Grab and Move Counting Game courtesy of Toddler Approved. Kids practice counting, reading and gross motor skills in this preschool learning game. Change up this game to include chores (kids love playing house!): wash two glasses, put away three toys. Provide a cool snack for a job well done!
What's missing? No Time for Flashcards put a low-key twist on hide-and-seek with this missing ninja game. Your little player will delight in inspecting what's on the tray, closing her eyes and opening them to find a color missing. Can she remember? What's more, you can use different colored toys or objects instead of a ninja. We give a thumbs-up to this preschooler game that's a big kid version of peek-a-boo.
Patterns, shapes and geometry—the folks over at Save the Children want your wee one to be an ace in math with this shape preschooler learning game you can practice anytime (and the best part is it's free!). Make an 'I Spy' game out of finding shapes in nature, at home or anywhere. First, have your preschooler spot shapes like a triangle in a leaf or a square around a window. Have a short talk about the number of sides there are. Then, have him draw the shape with his hands in the air. You'll be amazed at what he spots!
Heads Talk Tails Walk
Think Fun
Roar like a dinosaur, walk like a chicken! In this delightfully silly game, players try to match hidden animal head tiles to the correct body tails. If you don’t make a match, you will have to walk and talk like your mismatched tile!
Score big with the littles with balloon tennis a free preschooler game. Learn With Play at Home shows how pairing balloons with items around the house such as paper plates, rulers and sticky tape make for kid fun. They'll get practice with their hand-eye coordination and blow off steam. Further, add a twist and let your little jumpers use their hands as racquets and try to keep the balloon afloat as long as possible.
Learning about numbers doesn’t have to boring! Take a look at these 11 examples below—from writing on windows to reinventing hopscotch, there’s more than one way to count it out. Read on for the ideas and get ready to make math fun for everyone.
This activity can be played together or independently. This game, from Fun Learning for Kids, has kids roll the dice and then "dot" or color in the corresponding number on the free printable. Great for kids just learning their numbers or, for kids looking for a harder challenge, create a sheet with various sums from the dice. Once they roll the dice, have them add-up the numbers and then find the corresponding number on the sheet. Get the full how-to here.
Racers, on your mark! This division activity from Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational will go over big with Matchbox car fans. Score the instructions—and a free download of the race track—here.
Get the littles learning about size and measurement thanks to this hands-on idea from Buggy and Buddy. They'll love having they're own station and tools for experimenting—you'll love that everything's contained in one area. Learn more here.
Who says math is all sitting still and staying in one place? Over at Guilt-Free Homeschooling, there's an idea that has all the active fun of hopscotch, with a bit of addition and subtraction thrown in. Feel free to tailor the grid to your kiddo's age and math level. Get more info here.
Your pint-sized royalty will get a kick out of this activity from Where Imagination Grows. It's a fairytale way to practice counting, simple addition or subtraction, and more. Learn more here.
Those LEGO bricks your little one is obsessed with? They might as well get some milage as math helpers. We like how this activity from The Educators' Spin On It is centered on what kids already like to do with LEGO: build things. Get the scoop here.
We're pretty sure this idea from Coffee Cups and Crayons is the very definition of hands-on learning. It's a simple way to get kids counting or visualizing addition problems—and it involves tactile fun, too. Just add playdough! Get all the info (plus more math ideas) here.
Take your kids love of building LEGO towers and transfer it to this LEGO game from Teach With Laughter. The highest tower wins and everyone gets to practice counting and adding. Bonus: you can download the game board (for free!) thanks to Teach With Laughter.
Sure, the littles are bound to be excited about writing on windows—but they'll also get a kick out of number matching, counting, and making those mathematical connections. See more here.
With this game, your little super heroes get to bust nefarious bank robbers—and practicing number recognition, counting, and addition while they're at it. Get the instructions here.
This fraction game from JDaniel4's Mom is just further proof that LEGO bricks are the ultimate learning tool. It uses fraction prompts and different color LEGO, to get kids thinking about fractions—genius! Get the how-to here.
Did you drift off to sleep clutching your strawberry-scented Strawberry Shortcake doll? Then you’ll be elated to find out that your fave fruit-infused girl is back!
Strawberry Shortcake is returning in an all-new animated series, Berry in the Big City. Debuting on WildBrain Spark’s Strawberry Shortcake YouTube and YouTube Kids channels on Sat. Sept. 18, young viewers will be introduced to Ms. Shortcake and her new found pals as she navigates Big Apple City.
photo: Courtesy of WildBrain Spark
The first two episodes start Strawberry Shortcake’s journey to Big Apple City, where she’s hoping to get her big break in baking. With her cat Custard in tow, Strawberry also finds new friends in Orange Blossom, Lime Chiffon, Lemon Meringue and Blueberry Muffin. Together, the friends run their food trucks and fun adventures with plenty of singing along the way.
Berry in the Big City will consist of 40 four-minute adventures for kids ages 3 to 6 (though we admit, it was just as entertaining for us parents who loved the OG version!). After the launch, new episodes will drop every week through June 2022.
And fear not, a second 40-episode season is already planned, in addition to 44-minute Strawberry Shortcake family specials! Berry in the Big City also features 10 original songs that will be released next year as animated lyric videos for kids to sing along and enjoy on WildBrain Spark’s official Strawberry Shortcake channel.
Pre-packaged muffins make a super-convenient breakfast option. But if you’ve purchased muffins from Walmart, 7-Eleven, or Stop & Shop lately, check your packaging. Give and Go Prepared Foods, which distributes muffins at the retailers, has announced a voluntary recall on multiple products due to potential listeria contamination.
The list of products is lengthy and includes Uncle Wally’s brand, The Worthy Crumb and Freshness Guaranteed. Products sold include regular and mini muffin size and many have a lot code date of August 28 or 29. Check the recall announcement for the full list of affected muffins.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious or sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. Fortunately, there have been no illnesses reported yet.
If you have one or more of these products at home, discard them and make note of the lot code on the packaging. If you decide to contact Give and Go’s customer support for more information, you can call 1-844-366-1171 and provide them with the lot code.
