The 2-Ingredient “Special Treat” I Make For My Kids Every Friday
In my wishes and dreams, I’m the mom that has a nutritious after-school snack set out for the kids every day when they get home from school. Sometimes I do. I’ll have plates of Ritz crackers with Nutella, string cheese, and thinly sliced apples ready when my elementary schoolers come home (and three plates set aside for my middle and high schoolers).
But most days I’m happy to just be downstairs as the kids walk in and fling their backpacks and lunchboxes and shoes every which way, reminding them to grab some kind of protein and fruit while they scrounge around in the pantry and I go through their school papers.
On other days, though, I manage to pull together a special treat. I aim to have something a little different on Fridays, because it’s the start of our weekend together, and because the kids know they can bring any friends they want to over that day. Sometimes I throw together some nachos, which is good any time of the year, but lately, with spring just around the corner and days getting longer and sunnier, I’ve been wanting to give them something more fresh.
So I’ve been making berries and cream.
On Friday, when the kids get home from school, I top a bowl of berries with whipped cream. It’s simple to make but it feels a little decadent. I typically wash berries all at once in our big workstation sink, which has a colander and soaking bin that nest in each other, making the task extremely convenient. The washed berries are then at the ready in the fridge for breakfasts or snacks, so it’s easy to just pull them out for special snack time.
As for the whipped cream, I often buy cans of whipped cream, but these tend to get used up really fast because the kids love to squirt whipped cream straight in their mouths. So I also regularly make whipped cream from scratch in our stand mixer, adding powdered sugar and a touch of vanilla.
Making these berry bowls for the kids takes mere minutes, and it’s a nice departure from our regular snack routine.