Play with your food

Play with your food

Summertime means plenty of play time — so why not play with your food? Finding creative ways to enjoy healthy foods such as watermelon is a great way to encourage the whole family to eat well — and have fun while doing it. Recipes, including one for Watermelon Strawberry Shake and Frozen Smoothie Pops (above), on C2.

Summer nutrition

While students are enjoying summer break, parents should make certain their children are not taking a vacation from the structured meal schedule and guaranteed physical activity that many benefit from during the school year. Nutrition and education experts warn that for too many kids, summer is a time when bad eating habits can prevail. Recipe for Vegetable Garden ‘Dirt’ Cups with Ranch Dip, above, on C2.

Retro sandwich press

A retro snack that smacks of summer starts with a Toas-Tite sandwich press, above. The gadget’s heyday was the late ’40s, but Toas-Tite is making an encore thanks to two sisters who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, loved sandwiches mom made with it, and decided to replicate an original (die-cast aluminum press, steel rods, hardwood handles), including its vintage box and recipes. Layer a bread slice in the press, add filling (cheese, fruit, cooked meats), then another bread slice. Close and toast over a stove top, grill or campfire. A Toas-Tite is $29.95 at toastite.biz.