Photo: non-fat cream cheese, banana, persimmon, pomegranate seeds, blueberries

Cream cheese or a dot of honey or maple syrup are a way of getting fruit to “stick” to stick and make them sweet with minimal sugar.  Serve them on a large platter with as many colors of sliced or chopped fruit as possible.  Make them within an hour of serving or the crackers will get soggy.  This is a great brunch or appetizer, or way to get your kids to eat more fruit and whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes — it doesn’t matter what the cracker is made from underneath since the fruit flavor will dominate the flavor with the cracker providing a nice contrasting crunch.

Green: kiwi, green grapes (halved), honeydew melon

Yellow: banana, pineapple

Orange: persimmon, (dried) mango, peach, nectarine

Red: strawberry, raspberry, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds

Blue and purple: blueberry, blackberry

White: dried apple & pear (if fresh, use lemon juice to prevent discoloration)

Brown: dried figs or dates

Black: raisins or currants