Everyone loves a beautiful snack bar — mix and match, self select, create your own plate! How about a mini version to gather around? Using muffin tins can offer the same appeal on a smaller scale. A fun option for healthy after school snacks, or as a charcuterie board alternative.

Kids LOVE to dip food — have you noticed? It’s one method I used when mine were little to encourage them to try new foods, or foods they weren’t super excited about.

But, let’s be honest… An Apple Dippers display like this makes me excited to try new flavor combos, too! Snacks that appeal to kids and grown-ups are my favorite because it brings us all together around the counter to share good food and good stories about our day.

The ingredients selected for this muffin tin smorgasbord were made with real food for kids in mind. I aim to keep the sugar content low, healthy fats prevalent, and excitement high.

It would be easy to turn this into a dessert bar with sweetened versions of yogurt, caramel instead of pumpkin (or apple) butter, sweetened coconut, and candied nuts, but I encourage you to stick to the healthier ingredients.

Apple Dippers is a great choice for cooking with your toddler. With pre-determined sized cups they can help you add ingredients while independently choosing where they want them to go. With a variety of dips and toppings, this snack can be used for sensory fun, especially in terms of sight, smell, touch/texture, and taste.

But don’t be fooled. Older kids and Apple Dippers are also a match made in heaven. As always, I encourage creativity, so try different seeds, butters and cheeses with your tweens and teens.