Healthy Holiday Snack Board: A Festive, Fun Way to Get Kids Excited About Fruits & Veggies
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Time to Read: 7 min
A Holiday Snack Board Kids Actually Want to Eat
The holidays are filled with cookies, treats, and sugar (so much sugar!). But they’re also one of the easiest — and most joyful — times to introduce fruits and veggies in a fun, creative way.
Today, we’re building a Healthy Holiday Snack Board:
Festive
Colorful
Kid-approved
Easy to assemble
Perfect for Christmas Eve, classroom celebrations, family gatherings, or cozy days at home
This board follows one of my favorite Pediatrician Kitchen principles:
Kids are more likely to eat foods they help create, especially when it’s visual, playful, and low-pressure.
And yes — it looks absolutely beautiful on Ahimsa’s stainless steel plates, bowls, and trays. ✨
Let’s build it!
About Ahimsa
Founded by a pediatrician and mom of three
Stainless steel is the only kid-friendly material recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics
We are guided by a Scientific Advisory Council comprised of environmental and medical experts, guiding us in creating the safest products, following the latest science and promoting policy to protect human health and our planet
Want to know more? Check out our story and our products.
Holiday Snack Board Components
These ideas keep everything simple, wholesome, and naturally festive.
1. Banana Snowmen ⛄ (Cute + Fiber-Rich)
Slice bananas into coins, stack them, and decorate with:
Pretzel sticks (arms)
Mini chocolate chips (eyes/buttons)
A tiny carrot sliver (nose)
A raspberry or strawberry slice (hat)
Pediatrician Notes
Great source of potassium + fiber
A hands-on food activity for toddlers and older kids
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Encourages creativity without pressure to eat everything
2. Reindeer Ants on a Log 🦌 (Protein + Produce Combo)
A holiday twist on the classic:
Celery sticks
Nut butter or sunflower seed butter
Pretzel antlers
Raisin or blueberry eyes
A cranberry “Rudolph nose”
Why Parents Love It
Builds fine motor skills
Balances produce with protein + fat
Delicious and filling
3. Festive Fruit Shapes 🍓⭐
Use red, green, and white produce for an instantly festive palette:
Kiwi stars
Strawberry Santa hats
Red grapes + green grapes
Pomegranate arils (sprinkle like ornaments!)
Watermelon cut-outs
Apple slices with cinnamon dust
Pediatrician Notes
Fruit-forward boards help kids see produce as fun, not forced.
4. Veggie Trees + Wreaths 🥦🌲
So easy and so beautiful:
Broccoli “trees”
Cucumber slices
Cherry tomato ornaments
Yellow pepper star toppers
Snap peas in a wreath circle
Serve with hummus or yogurt dip in a small Ahimsa bowl.
Why It Works
Children are drawn to shapes and patterns — this turns vegetables into art.
5. Holiday Dips & Extras 🎁
Add small bowls for:
Hummus
Yogurt dip
Ranch (homemade or cleaner store-bought)
Nut butter
Dark chocolate squares
Cinnamon popcorn
These offer different textures and keep the board exciting.
Mealtime Essentials
The Pediatrician Perspective: Why Snack Boards Work
Snack boards are more than cute — they’re developmentally powerful.
✔ Positive Exposure
Kids try more foods when the pressure is off.
✔ Autonomy & Confidence
They can choose, assemble, dip, mix, decorate. That freedom increases willingness to try new foods.
✔ Sensory Learning
Color, shape, texture, temperature — all gentle sensory experiences.
✔ Family Ritual
Holiday snack boards create memories, not battles. Every moment in the kitchen is an opportunity for connection.
Make It Stunning With Ahimsa Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is the secret ingredient that makes snack boards pop.
Why Ahimsa works perfectly for this:
Reflective, beautiful surface enhances fruit + veggie colors
Kid-friendly durability — no chips, no breaks
Non-toxic, AAP-recommended material for safe snacking
Lightweight + easy to carry
Stacks neatly for holiday hosting
Use:
✨ Purposeful Plates to anchor the board
✨ Snack Bowls for dips and tiny items
✨ Balanced Bites Plates for individual DIY boards for kids
Holiday magic… but make it healthy.
How to Build Your Holiday Snack Board (Simple Steps)
Choose a color theme: red + green, winter white, or rainbow.
Prep ingredients: slice fruit, shape veggies, set up dips.
Let kids help assemble: they LOVE designing boards.
Use a large Ahimsa compartment tray or multiple plates grouped together.
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Add a small activity:
“Build your own snowman!”
“Decorate your veggie tree!”
“Make Rudolph’s nose!”
Keep it joyful, not perfect.
Your board will be beautiful because your kids made it.
Holiday Snack Board Ingredient List (Printable)
Perfect for your fridge or grocery list.
Produce:
Bananas
Strawberries
Raspberries
Kiwi
Grapes
Blueberries
Apples
Watermelon or cantaloupe
Cucumber
Broccoli
Cherry tomatoes
Snap peas
Carrots
Pantry:
Pretzels
Mini chocolate chips
Raisins
Pomegranate seeds
Nut butter or seed butter
Yogurt
Maple syrup (optional)
Extras:
Final Thoughts: Make the Holidays Joyful, Not Stressful
Healthy eating doesn’t need to be complicated — especially during the holidays.
This snack board gives kids:
a creative outlet
a fun sensory experience
positive exposure to fruits + veggies
independence + pride
a memory that becomes a tradition
And it gives parents:
a stress-free snack
beautiful presentation
fewer sugar battles
healthier holiday moments
Joy + nourishment + creativity = the heart of The Pediatrician Kitchen.
Dr. Manasa Mantravadi is a board-certified pediatrician whose dedication to children’s health drove her to launch Ahimsa, the world's first colorful stainless steel dishes for kids. She was motivated by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ findings on harmful chemicals in plastic affecting children's well-being. Ahimsa has gained widespread recognition and been featured in media outlets such as Parents Magazine, the Today Show, The Oprah Magazine, and more.
Dr. Mantravadi received the esteemed “Physician Mentor of the Year” award at Indiana University School of Medicine in 2019. She was also named a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur in 2021, with her inspiring story showcased on Good Morning America. She serves on the Council for Environmental Health and Climate Change and the Council for School Health at The American Academy of Pediatrics. She represents Ahimsa as a U.S. industry stakeholder on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for the Global Plastics Treaty, led by the United Nations Environment Program. Dr. Mantravadi leads Ahimsa's social impact program, The Conscious Cafeteria Project, to reduce carbon emissions and safeguard student health as part of a national pilot of the Clinton Global Initiative.
She is dedicated to educating and empowering people to make healthier, more environmentally friendly choices at mealtime. Her mission remains to advocate for the health of all children and the one planet we will leave behind for them through real policy change within our food system.
Dr. Manasa Mantravadi
Dr. Manasa Mantravadi is a board-certified pediatrician whose dedication to children’s health drove her to launch Ahimsa, the world's first colorful stainless steel dishes for kids. She was motivated by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ findings on harmful chemicals in plastic affecting children's well-being. Ahimsa has gained widespread recognition and been featured in media outlets such as Parents Magazine, the Today Show, The Oprah Magazine, and more.
Dr. Mantravadi received the esteemed “Physician Mentor of the Year” award at Indiana University School of Medicine in 2019. She was also named a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur in 2021, with her inspiring story showcased on Good Morning America. She serves on the Council for Environmental Health and Climate Change and the Council for School Health at The American Academy of Pediatrics. She represents Ahimsa as a U.S. industry stakeholder on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for the Global Plastics Treaty, led by the United Nations Environment Program. Dr. Mantravadi leads Ahimsa's social impact program, The Conscious Cafeteria Project, to reduce carbon emissions and safeguard student health as part of a national pilot of the Clinton Global Initiative.
She is dedicated to educating and empowering people to make healthier, more environmentally friendly choices at mealtime. Her mission remains to advocate for the health of all children and the one planet we will leave behind for them through real policy change within our food system.
More Mealtime Essentials
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I use stainless steel instead of plastic? Is stainless steel better for health?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a report in July 2018 suggesting ways that families can limit exposure to certain chemicals at mealtime, including “the use of alternatives to plastic, such as glass or stainless steel, when possible.” The report explained that “…some additives are put directly in foods, while “indirect” additives may include chemicals from plastic, glues, dyes, paper, cardboard”. Further, “Children are more sensitive to chemical exposures because they eat and drink more, relative to body weight, than adults do, and are still growing and developing.” While stainless steel items meet the recommendation to avoid plastic products in children, Ahimsa® products have the obvious advantage of not breaking like glass.
Is stainless steel better for the environment than plastic?
According to the Steel Recycling Institute, steel can be recycled over and over and over again without losing its integrity and requires less energy to recycle than to make anew. Most plastic unfortunately ends up in landfills and it is estimated to take 700 years to decompose. Our special coloring process that allows Ahimsa® products to be fully metal is environmentally friendly, so it does not produce toxic run-off into the ecosystem.
Will Ahimsa products break or peel?
No. Our steel is durable, so it won’t break or shatter with everyday use, like glass. And it won’t peel, like other colored stainless steel products you’ve seen. We use a special process that allows the colors to naturally occur in the metal.
Which Ahimsa products are best for my little one(s)?
Our products are meant to last, you can use Ahimsa at ages 1, 8 and 18! We thoughtfully design our products to be safe for little ones and our planet while reducing consumption. Once your child outgrows the Starting Solids Set and can use regular cups and utensils, the training cup is the perfect size rinse cup in the bathroom, the infant spoon doubles as a tea stirrer and the bowl is great for snacks or as an additional compartment to our modular divided plate. Our plates are great for any age as they encourage choosing a variety of healthy foods at each meal and help visualize portion sizes easily. It’s the lasting beauty of stainless steel - grows with your child and reduces waste.
