Oatmeal Beach Art

I want to start by saying how much my one year old loved this picture, and getting to eat it was super exciting for him! When I say he licked his plate clean, that's no exaggeration.

It was simple to make and added some creative food fun for our little ocean unit. I used a blue plate so that it would look like water, but any small plate will do. I made the sand with ground baby oats and water, since I had some left and my baby had just turned one but you can use regular oatmeal, too. Then I sprinkled flax meal on top for added texture, fiber and omega 3s; that's optional. Another option is a light sprinkle of brown sugar if you have an older toddler. I then decorated it with a few beach creatures. Detailed instructions are below. Feel free to also make up your own. I hope your toddler loves this as much as mine did!

Things you'll need for your toddler's beach oatmeal:

• 1/4 cup ground oats mixed with water to form a paste / cooked old fashioned oats

• 1/2 teaspoon flax meal (optional)

• 1 banana

• 3-4 strawberries

• 3-4 raspberries (or use more strawberries)

• 1-2 blueberries

• plain greek yogurt

• seashell mold

• one small plate

Instructions:

1. Prepare the seashell mold and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or overnight. Chop a strawberry, a few raspberries, and 1/2 inch slice of banana (optional) into little pieces and mix into the yogurt until it turns light pink. Spread the mixture evenly into the seashell mold.

2. Spread the oats across the bottom half of the plate.

3. Sprinkle flax on top.

4. Slice off the very tip of two strawberries, and then a thin slice under each tip. Those will be the eyes of the crab.

5. Keep slicing across the width of the strawberry until you get a nice size slice for the body. Then you'll cut eight thin strawberry strips - two for the arms, and six for the little feet, three on each side. Then, cut two little half moons for the pincers.

6. Assemble your crab where you want to and then add little drops of yogurt in the center of the two eyes. I also cut little blueberry skins and placed those on top of the yogurt. If you don't have blueberries, feel free to get creative and use something else.

7. Cut a slice of banana (or two or three if you want more starfish!) and make five little triangular cuts toward the center to make a star. This took me a few tries, so if you don't get it right the first time, try again!

8. Add some of your yogurt seashells and you're all done!

I'd love to read your comments or see a photo of your beach oatmeal below!

Have a fun day at the beach!

Bracha