Since the holiday season is so busy for us here at Tiny Prints, we definitely understand the urge to sacrifice nutrition for comfort during the busy fall and winter months. But this year, it’s easier than ever to create a healthy Thanksgiving menu that will leave everyone satisfied without skimping on nutrition. Here are some fresh new ideas to get you started:

Turkey Talk

Instead of cooking a whole turkey this year, trim down the fat (and leftovers!) by making this recipe for a Turkey Breast Roulade with Apple Cider Gravy from the Food Network.

Switched-Up Sides

You can still have your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes without going overboard on carbs and calories. Just try a few of these simple swaps:

• Replace a classic green bean casserole with Good Housekeeping’s Healthy Green Beans with Garlic

• Combine the taste of candied yams with the texture of mashed potatoes by making Food Network’s Mashed Sweet Potatoes. You’ll cut out unnecessary sugar from your meal without losing any flavor!

• Swap out traditional stuffing for this beautiful Whole Grain Apple-Fennel Stuffing from Good Housekeeping. This dish has so much flavor, your family will hardly notice the switch to hearty healthy whole grains!

The Dish on Dessert

• These Maple-Pumpkin Custards from Eating Well are a light way to get that sweet pumpkin taste you crave without piling on the pounds!

I’m a sucker for the $1 section at Target. They get me every time! Yesterday I spent a whole $2 on a dozen Popsicle molds that I didn’t plan on getting, but that I clearly needed since summer is coming up. Right?

Whether you’ve succumb to the whims of the $1 section, you plan to turn Dixie cups into molds or you’ve found nice BPA-free Popsicle molds, get started whipping up some summertime treats with a few of these recipes, which include watermelon pops, green pineapple pops and even no-drip banana pops! Delish!

• NatureMom has some great tips for selecting BPA-free molds and slipping some kale into your kids’ pineapple smoothies for an extra boost of B vitamins.
• Make Your Own Baby Stuff is genius for coming up with this recipe: No-Drip Popsicles! Sign me up!
• SheKnows offers some classic recipes for orange, watermelon or strawberry Popsicles, along with a brief history of the classic summertime snack.
• As always, you can find a wide assortment of recipes at Cooks.com. I recommend reading user comments to find the best pops to please your family’s palates.

Happy snacking!

Memorial Day has always been the unofficial start to summer. With only a handful of days of school left and a long summer stretching before you and your little ones, now is the time to start planning fun activities to keep all of you busy well into fall. Plus, with all of the fantastic, fresh summer fruit coming into season, you can make some of these charming treats to keep your kids healthy and happy all summer long.

This fun, fruity frog is made with a few creative cuts to a green apple, while these Jello orange slices from Museum of Happiness and strawberry mice are sure to delight kids and grownups alike. For more fun and healthy summer snack ideas, check out this article from Everyday Health or this cute slide show from Family Fun.