Muffin Tin Monday


Welcome to Muffin Tin Monday! I am the Muffin Tin Mom and this is the weekly blog carnival slash blog link up that features reader submitted photos of Muffin Tin Meals. All week long, I share about creative kids food, cute food, fun food, eating organic, and more muffin tin meals! It's never been easier to get your kids to eat healthier! 

Here the Muffin Tin Snack I made for the kiddos:

Carrot sticks, kiwi (round 2), apricots, plums
 strawberries and banana on skewers (from my post last week!)

Now it's your turn!



No Need For The Sunday Paper

Hello friends! Here's the latest installment of weekend links that you might enjoy. Who needs the Sunday Paper with links like these.

Keeper of The Home: poured over Meg Dickey's post on  Herb Gardening 101. I'm getting ready to plant a kitchen/deck herb garden and she has a lot of good tips.

Ohdeedoh!: Forget about kids: I want a reading nook like this!

Living Locurto: Besides her fantastic mermaid printables, I LOVE Amy's sushi sandwiches idea. perfect for MTM.

Strawberry Banana Fruit Skewers


These strawberry banana fruit on skewers (or is it kebabs?) were so simple. 
Slice them.
Assemble in a pattern and enjoy!
Perfect Spring or Summer treat (or for Dr. Seuss' birthday or 4th of July). 


I am not the only one to have ever thought of this idea however. I googled it before I posted and found lots of others have made Starwberry Banana Skewers. Even our very own Little Wonder Days


Real Organic Vs. That Other Stuff

So far, my journey towards eating organic locally grown foods is faring pretty well. I did have a moment this past weekend at our local farmer's market where I questioned my choices and realized I had spent more money than I wanted on not enough items.

Having been to the Farmer's Market previously with my friend Laural, I thought I would try it solo. There are pros and cons to shopping at the Farmer's Market. I definitely still need help. And to get a little bolder with my organic shopping. Look at the organic goodness that Laural walked away with.


She paid a mere $21 for this bounty. 

Laural wrote a great post yesterday that sheds light on the growing trend in food products that claim they are "natural" or "organic" and how you can know what's the real deal. Remember my "organic juice box" debacle?

I'm still learning...

Muffin Tin Monday

Welcome to Muffin Tin Monday. The blog link up that features and celebrates the Muffin Tin Meal. What is a Muffin Tin Meal? Well, simple put, it's a meal, snack, or dessert served in a muffin tin. Some might call it a muffin pan, a cupcake pan, or even a patty pan. We call it a muffin tin. And this little blog is the official home of the muffin tin meal. Each week I make muffin tin meals for my kids and share them with you. You are invited to join me each week. I would love to have you join in. Some of you come and go and some of you have stayed with me. Whether you participate, or just like to lurk, it's wonderful to have you!

Here's what we had this week:


Muffin Tin Snack: Apricots, strawberries, carrot sticks, bananas, kiwi, plum

Everything in this week's Muffin Tin Meal is organic. Except for the kiwifruit. The kids graciously tried the kiwi fruit. It's not for everyone, but at least they tried it. I was hoping, since the kiwifruit is rich in vitamins and nutrients, that the kids might grow to like it. Did you know it has as much Vitamin C as an orange?

Last week on Facebook, I mentioned how recently I tried raw tomatoes again and I now like them.


It was empowering to share with my kids by example that they can keep trying foods they once thought they hated. Maybe their taste buds will change. Maybe they wont. But, trying is important. And introducing them to healthy nutritious foods is important. 

Okay, now it's your turn.



Blogher 2011


Come Talk to Me at BlogHer '11!

I'm going to Blogher 2011. Are you? If you are, I would love to connect/meet/share/party/learn with you. 


4 Unique Muffin Tin Meal Food Presentation Ideas

I love reading the Muffin Tin Monday submissions each week. While Muffin Tin Meals are all about food served to kids in a muffin tin. It's fun to think outside, the, er, tin, so to speak.

Here are 4 recent Muffin Tin Meals submitted through Muffin Tin Monday that have used "alternative methods" for presentation. You might be surprised at some of them!



Those back two teensy cups are shot glasses from the dollar store. Such a clever clever use for them.



silicone muffin cups nestled inside a cake pan...love!




Create food art on a plate!



Winner of most unique use of a cookie cutter (that star in the center. I had to look twice!) = brilliant!

Muffin Tin Monday

Welcome to Muffin Tin Monday! 

Feeling a little under the weather today, so I'll keep it short and sweet. For more on Muffin Tin Meals, visit past weeks or see our FAQ page.


Peanut butter and jelly tortilla roll ups. cooked broccoli, orange slices, 
apple hearts, mozzarella cheese circles

Now it's your turn:

Christmas In July! - No Need For The Sunday Paper


Here are some Fun Food posts. Enjoy!

Epicute: Strawberry and Whipped Cream Santas for "Christmas in July"

The Decorated Cookie: Like Muffin Tin Meals? How about Mason Jar Meals? Perfect for a picnic or anytime you want to change things up. {image credit above}

Lark: 'Aristocakes' King and Queen silicone muffin cups

and just for fun:

How To Be A Dad: Zombies vs. Babies

My Child Ate The Rainbow! Promoting Healthy Eating Habits For Kids

It can be hard to know if your child is getting the right amount of fruits and vegetables each day. That's one of the many reasons I love Muffin Tin Meals, the individual compartments can be filled with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

One mom has created a fun and engaging tool to get kids to eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies each day. Kia Robertson is a mom and founder of Today I Ate A Rainbow!™. Kia champions the idea that parents have the power to instill healthy eating patterns in their kids.

From the website:
"We believe that parents have the power and ability to set healthy eating habits. All it takes is some knowledge, useful tools and lots of fun!

“Today I Ate A Rainbow!™” is an interactive nutritional chart that makes eating fruits and vegetables fun for your children! This tool will allow your children to easily track the fruits and vegetables they eat throughout the day."

I love that it is a proactive approach that teaches children to keep track or the healthy habits themselves.

Included in the kit:
The colourful Today I Ate A Rainbow!™ chart
Bright cartoon magnets
The Rainbow Bunch book

Color coded shopping list


The kids loved getting to choose their color magnets and put them on the chart after each meal (I am realizing we need more fruits and veggies at breakfast time). The chart lists fruit and vegetable suggestions in each color category. The kids were quick to find their favorites and point out foods they'd like to eat more of.

You will most definitely want to watch the first episode of The Rainbow Kitchen featuring  Kia and her adorable animated daughter who you can tell loves fresh veggies and fruits. They make kale chips look not only delicious to eat, but fun to make.



Today I Ate A Rainbow!™” is also a great companion to Muffin Tin Meals . 

Muffin Tin Monday


My children were already preschoolers when we started doing Muffin Tin Meals, but I know that these creative lunches are great for toddlers too. Small portion sizes, variety and interesting presentation all make Muffin Tin Meals a "go-to" simple meal for toddlers. The idea is simple: little bite sized foods presented in a muffin tin - a concept somewhere between a divided plate and a bento box meal

Do you have a toddler? How has introducing MTM's made a difference in their eating habits?

Here's what my kids had this week. Two identical muffin tins of:


Honeydew melon, grilled organic chicken, watermelon, star-shaped whole wheat bread, 
organic pears and cantaloupe.

Now it's your turn. Submit a photo of an MTM by clicking the blue "add your link button below. 1-2 entries per person, please and don' forget to link back to http://muffintinmom.com if you participate via a blog.


No Need For The Sunday Paper - Starbucks edition

I haven't posted one of my NNFSP link love round ups in a long time. Are you still with me? I had coffee with my friend Laura. You may know her as Semper Fi Momma. She and I got to talking about life, blogging, our mutual love of pinterest, starbucks, and other stuff for 3 solid hours. It was glorious. In honor of that, here are some Starbucks craft ideas for you to get inspired.

I love Laura's framed starbucks cards art Seriously, her story about her collection is delightful.

Starbucks Bento? Oh yes there is.

A Starbucks proposal? So cute. I love all the little details.

Muffin Tin Lunch



Watermelon, green grapes, nitrate-free hot dogs, organic celery, bread with organic butter, orange slices

Muffin Tin Lunches are an easy and simple kids summer meal that requires little effort. Trying to stretch your menu until grocery shopping day? Scour your cupboards for miscellaneous foods, adding a different food to each cup and ta-da!, you have a muffin tin meal.

For more on Muffin Tin Lunches, Muffin Tin Meals and Muffin Tin Monday visit my FAQ page to see how it all began.


Muffin Tin Monday - 4th of July Patriotic Snacks


Happy Muffin Tin Monday Everyone! And happy Independence Day to all my American friends. In America, every year on July 4th, we celebrate our independence as a nation from England (on July 4th, 1776). We remember each year, the gift we have been given to live freely.

In honor of that celebration, this week's MTM theme is 
Red, White and Blue. 

Here's what I made. 
Ironically, the kids were watching the Australian TV show H20: Just Add Water while snacking. 


Red organic cherries from the farmer's market, strawberries, and watermelon 
Now it's your turn. Don't feel you need to do a themed tin to participate. Go ahead and add your link!


San Diego Fair...Fried Kool Aid

We went to the San Diego County Fair on Friday. All bets were off when it came to eating organic.

We sampled some of the biggest and most delicious chicken kebabs from Chicken Charlie's. They are one of the most popular vendors at the SD Fair and I can see why!



 Don't hate me, but I tried the Fried Kool-Aid.... and it was good.


It's kind of doughnut-y.


The one thing my kids wanted to do was take the Sky Ride.


We had a "bird's eye" view. I am afraid of heights so I was white-knuckling the guard rail.


It was HOT. But so fun!

There's one more day of the fair left. It's definitely on our list of "must do" things for Summer in San Diego

*I received complimentary admission to the fair and a sample of items on the menu at Chicken Charlie's.

Muffin Tin Meal goodness. 
Fruits and vegetables for dipping. 
In this muffin tin meal: organic broccoli, pears, apricots (right off tree), organic carrots and celery, ranch dressing in the bear cup, Horizon brand organic yogurt and peanut butter.


These apricots were sooooo good.


yum!