The Watermelon

Natural Healthy Summer Foods

The Watermelon

Theres no doubt that watermelon is good for kids with its high concentration of lycopene, an important disease-fighting antioxidant. Watermelon is 92% water and 8% sugar, and a favorite sweet treat for kids.

Make sure watermelon wedges make it to your table. But don't stop there. A platter or bowl of other seasonal fruits fresh blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums makes a yummy treat, too.

Taub-Dix suggests putting the fruit bowl in the freezer, and serving it frozen. Her 13-year-old son, Jesse, would rather have the fruit in a smoothie instead. "You won't get kids to pick up frozen fruit," he says. "But a smoothie would be great."

Introduce kids to fun veggies, too, says Rarback. "Edamame is fun to eat because you pop out the little soy beans out of the pod. It's an engaging thing. But have most kids ever tried it?" Include edamame on raw veggie platters, along with baby carrots, celery sticks, asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes -- plus nutritious dips like hummus or low-fat yogurt.