This one is really simple (so simple the kids can do it) and potentially super healthy. In a bowl or glass, layer or mix healthy yogurt, granola and fruit. There are organic varieties of all three available. This is a great recipe for breakfast or a snack for kids and adults alike. If you want to make it extra fun, use a tall or martini glass and make multiple layers of the ingredients for visual appeal. You can also substitute or add cottage cheese which is high in protein and calcium. This is a great and easy meal to make at home but watch out for pre-made cups of it at stores and cafés as they may contain lots of sugar. The tricky part of this recipe is not putting it together but choosing your ingredients.

How to choose a granola:

You want a granola that’s relatively low in sugar and oil. Some granolas coat their raisins in oil so be aware of that. Make sure the cereal contains many different whole grains, is high in fibre, perhaps high in protein and contains other great ingredients like omega-3 fatty acids which are great for growing brains. Kashi’s “Honey Almond Flax Flavour Protein & Fibre Cereal” is a great choice. It has a little more sugar than is ideal but it’s just enough to make it taste good and you know what they say: “a spoonful of sugar makes the 7-whole-grains go down.” The clusters are a little hard, so perhaps this cereal is best for older kids’ teeth but the yogurt you pair it with will soften it up a bit.

How to choose a yogurt:

You want a yogurt high in calcium but low in sugar and other chemicals. Avoid aspartame. For all foods, it is a good rule of thumb to avoid foods with ingredients you cannot recognize or even pronounce. Beware of yogurts designed for kids that advertise great developmental ingredients like DHA but are high in sugar and other nasty ingredients. Yogurts with real fruit or yogurts that are vanilla flavoured will appeal to kids more than a plain yogurt. Olympic and Liberté (made in Quebec) have organic lines of yogurts.

How to choose a fruit:

All fresh fruits in season or thawed frozen fruits will be great because fruit is an important part of a healthy diet. This is where the flavour for the parfait will come from. Look for organic or local fruits where available. Blueberries, which some people call “brain berries,” are high in antioxidants, an ingredient that is great at preventing disease and supporting the brain. Strawberry seeds, 200 of which are on every averaged sized strawberry, contain omega-3 fatty acids among many other vitamins and minerals.