Snackster Sam Blog
Our recipes and activities are always Snackster Sam approved and kid approved.
 What am I?I'm a popular summer snack, and you usually pick me because I'm juicy and sweet. I have been cultivated for thousands of years, and was enjoyed even by the Egyptians. Over the years I have changed a lot in my size, shape, color, and even my seeds.  Where I growI grow in warm and sunny regions, where the weather is just right for me to thrive. You can find me in many places around the world, including countries like the United States, Brazil, and China. Look for me on vines with big, green leaves sprawling across the ground.  After I'm pickedAfter I'm picked, I am usually enjoyed in slices or scooped out into juicy chunks. Some people like to chill me in the fridge for a cool and refreshing treat. I am a perfect addition to picnics, barbecues, and beach outings. You can also blend me into refreshing smoothies or use me in fruit salads for a burst of sweetness.  Did you guess... WatermelonEspañol: sandía Did you guess Watermelon? Watermelon is a perfect summer snack! Do you prefer it with seeds or without? How to pick a watermelonThe best way to know if I'm ripe is to listen to me. Knock and listen for a dull, hollow sound. I'm also sweetest when I have an ugly yellow patch (or spot). Most people don't know that I come in many varieties and colors, like yellow, orange, and pink! My rind (outside skin) can even be yellow! I can even be grown in a cube shape! Watermelon FactsMost watermelons that you find in stores today are seedless, but it wasn't always this way. Ask your parents about spitting watermelon seeds when they were kids. HOW IT GROWS Just like how you crave watermelon on a hot day, watermelon loves the sun, too. The plant grows a vine on the ground. The vine stretches out and can grow up to 20 feet long! Two flowers grow - one for pollinating and the other for growing the watermelon. DID YOU KNOW
 Get more facts like this on the Snackster Sam app.
Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Get it where you get apps!  INGREDIENTS 1 Watermelon EQUIPMENT Blender Ice cube tray DIRECTIONS: Serves 10 people Cut up watermelon and remove the rind. (You can also use a spoon and scoop it out.) Set watermelon chunks into a large bowl. Put the chunks of watermelon into a blender and blend until smooth. Keep the juice at the bottom of the bowl in a container and place in the refrigerator. Pour blended watermelon into an ice cube tray and freeze until frozen, or overnight. Add frozen watermelon cubes to blender. Add watermelon juice and blend until mixed well. Pour into a glass and enjoy! NOTE: You can keep frozen watermelon longer than you can keep the juice in the refrigerator. Feel free to try different juice, like cherry, apple, or orange. If you want different flavor, add lemon juice or a bit of honey. Did you try it? Tell us in the comments below!
 Green Planet Watermelon Cake My daughter recently turned six, and she requested a Snackster Sam themed birthday party. We brought the book Snackster Sam's Big Adventure to life with fun and kid-friendly recipes. This watermelon cake is not only fun to eat, it looks beautiful! I am not a baker, so I had a blast being able to make a three-tiered watermelon cake instead. You can even prepare this the night before and refrigerate overnight. Ingredients
Directions First, cut the ends off the watermelon. Then cut off the rinds. If you want to create multiple tiers, slice the watermelon into two halves (to create a third tier you will need another watermelon). Slowly carve the watermelon slice into a circle. (If making the Dinostar Watermelon Lemonade, discard the shaved watermelon into a pitcher). Place the first tier on a cake platter. Shave the second tier into a circle, making it smaller than the first tier. You may need to place the second tier on the first to make sure you are trimming off enough. Repeat this process for the third tier if applicable. Place all the tiers on the cake platter. Place a wooden skewer in the tiers from the top to secure the cake. Slice the fruit for decorations. Feel free to create shapes with a cookie cutter. Decorate the cake on the base of each tier and secure with a toothpick. The toothpicks may work best when cut in half. Refrigerate or serve! Note, there will be excess juice dripping from the watermelon. If refrigerating overnight, place the cake in a dish to collect the juice. Make sure the children remove toothpicks prior to eating. Join Snackster Sam on another big adventure with a birthday party! Get all the games, recipes, even templates to make Snackster Sam monster birthday invitations, and everything else you need to know! Did you try it? Share your experience in the comments below! Learn more about Snackster Sam in the lovable, rhyming children's book that helps kids eat healthy.  Dinostar Watermelon Lemonade My daughter recently turned six, and she requested a Snackster Sam themed birthday party. We brought the book Snackster Sam's Big Adventure to life with fun and kid-friendly recipes. This watermelon lemonade is yummy, super simple to make, and doesn't need any sugar. You don't even need to chop up the watermelon or strain it! Ingredients
Directions If you are creating a watermelon cake, it’s easy to make this! Simply use the leftover or discarded pieces of watermelon from the cake and add it to a pitcher. Fill the glass pitcher to ¾ full with watermelon. Then fill the pitcher with water. Add lemon juice. Optional: Cut pineapple into round slices. Using a cookie cutter, cut the pineapple into star shapes. Arrange the stars in the pitcher so you can see them. Refrigerate overnight and serve cold. Join Snackster Sam on another big adventure with a birthday party! Get all the games, recipes, even templates to make Snackster Sam monster birthday invitations, and everything else you need to know! Did you try it? Share your experience in the comments below! Learn more about Snackster Sam in the lovable, rhyming children's book that helps kids eat healthy.
Snackster Sam is changing the tune on birthdays... Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you... No, not that tune. I'm talking about sugar overload. Cupcakes, cake, lollipops, and juice are birthday staples, but these treats have also become every day foods for many. Taking the sugar overload out of a birthday party doesn't take the fun out. In fact, it makes for an experience that all kids can enjoy, even if they suffer from juvenile diabetes, allergies, gluten sensitivities, and more. So let's throw a birthday party!  Throwing a Sugar-Free Kids' Birthday PartyMy daughter recently turned six, and she requested a Snackster Sam themed birthday party. Hosting birthday parties is one of my favorite parts of parenting. Growing up, we didn't have a lot... I knew I wasn't going to get the coolest, latest toy, but my mom always made sure we had an awesome birthday party. I mean she went all out. In 10th grade a classmate I barely spoke to came up to me and said, "remember that birthday party you had in 4th grade? That was the best birthday ever." Thanks, Mom. So ever since my daughter's first birthday, I've tried to live up to my Mom's birthday level. But this year was more fun than usual, because my daughter jumped into the planning process. She couldn't wait to see the book and Snackster Sam's Big Adventure come to life! Birthday Party ActivitiesFirst, as the guests arrived to the party, they received an antenna headband to look like Snackster Sam. This was a great way to greet the guests, and you can even add their name to the back (so the headband becomes a name tag). The headbands were a huge hit! After everyone arrived, we journeyed to the Orange Planet (just like Snackster Sam in Snackster Sam's Big Adventure). There, guests played a jumping game with lollipop sticks. If your guests haven't read the book, consider starting the party with a book reading of Snackster Sam's Big Adventure. Then we flew to the Green Planet and played pin the candle on the cake! The guests were blindfolded and spun six times (since it's a sixth birthday celebration) and had to try their best to get their candle on the cake. Next the guests experimented with colors and water on the Red Planet. There were a lot of unexpected surprises when the guests mixed different colors of water!  Finally, they landed on the Planet of Blue where they painted and decorated ceramic pots. After the pots were decorated, the guests planted a seed. This doubled as a party favor, as they each got to take their plant home! After the activities, we dug into Snackster Sam approved snacks! There was a three-tiered watermelon cake, apple lollipops, watermelon star juice, and more to dig into! All the guests ate a variety of their favorite snacks, tried new foods, and left with full bellies. Throw a Snackster Sam birthday party! Get the details of each activity here. Of course, no party would be complete without opening presents, singing that birthday tune, and a dance party! Things to Expect When You Remove Sugar at a BirthdayThis birthday is going to be a little different, and that's ok. There is no rulebook on birthdays that says you need cupcakes, pizza, and soda. Having a different menu is perfectly acceptable! However, expect at least one birthday guest to ask if there is going to be a certain food item. In all the parties I've hosted, no matter the theme, no matter the menu, there is always a guest who wanted something that wasn't provided. Don't worry about pleasing every developing child in the room. At the end of the day, the guests aren't missing out on anything, and they are gaining from eating nutritious foods and being with friends! Now it's your turn!Looking to put a spin on your next birthday party? Go for it! Share your variations and activities in the comments below! Not sure what the activities on each planet mean? The book makes it clear! Order Snackster Sam's Big Adventure. Stay tuned for the details on each planet's activity, instructions on making Snackster Sam monster birthday invitations, and everything else you need to know! Danielle is the mother of two and creator of Snackster Sam. She has been concerned about healthy habits and nutrition for over a decade, and conducted an award-winning scientific study on portion control. She created Snackster Sam to make eating healthy more fun for parents and children. Learn more about the mission here.
 Spring is in the air! It always arrives a little later than the calendar date in my neck of the woods. We are excited to see critters crawling and flying as trees bud, and life emerges from winter's grasp. What better way to discuss how creatures change than a lesson on caterpillars and butterflies! This lesson is reinforced with a Snackster Sam approved snack! Caterpillars and Watermelon Butterflies are incredibly easy to make (no worries about Pinterest fails) and will get children excited about eating and trying new fruits and vegetables. Things you'll need: Round Toothpicks Watermelon Grapes or Cherry Tomatoes Blueberries or Raisins
Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store!
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