This post is sponsored by Mango Board.
Looking for a fun and flavorful activity for your kids? All you need for an afternoon or weekend morning of fun is a simple mango! We’ll show you how to slice one up to make some Mango Food Art with your kids. Make a hot air balloon, a fish, or a lion with a delicious spread of fruit using sweet mangos from Mango Board.
How to Make a Mango Hot Air Balloon
Float away with this tasty treat! We used the “hedgehog method” to cut a mango into an easy-snacking shape. With a little caramel, we turned it into a cute hot air balloon!
To “hedgehog” a mango, start by slicing off the sides or “cheeks” of the mango. Simply cut along the sides of the flat, oblong pit inside the mango. You should end up with a piece of mango that is rounded on the skin side and flat on the flesh side.
Next, slice the flesh side into a grid pattern. Using a paring knife, cut through the flesh of the mango all the way to the skin – but be careful not to slice through the skin! Make vertical and horizontal cuts to make a checkerboard with approximately one-inch squares. Press the mango skin inside out to create the hedgehog effect.
Use this piece to create the balloon in your mango food art. Place it near the top of the plate and draw the ropes and basket with caramel. You can be as simple or creative as you like! To finish off this piece, we used a small piece of mango to represent the pilot of our delectable hot air balloon. We used a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, but you can also create a heart by free-hand using a knife.
How to Make a Mango Fish
Want to try a piece of mango food art that’s a little more complex, but just as delicious? Try this fun mango fish!
To make a mango fish, you’ll use a variation of the hedgehog method we used to make the hot air balloon. As before, start by slicing off the cheeks of the mango to make a piece that is rounded on the skin side and flat on the flesh side. Then take your paring knife and get ready to cut.
Make the fish’s head first by cutting off about a quarter of the mango cheek. Cut this part all the way through the skin so that it’s completely detached. Next, make the tail by cutting a little less off of the other side. Again, cut completely through the skin.
Now you’re ready to make the body. Make vertical cuts parallel to the head and the tail through the remaining middle piece of the mango cheek. This time, cut all the way through the flesh, but don’t cut through the skin! Then make two cuts across the cheek somewhat horizontally to make a sideways V shape with the wide end on the head side. Cut through a very small length of the skin on each of the cuts on the wide end of the V to help your fish’s body lay flat on the plate.
Give your fishy mango art a little garnish by adding some lengths of green onion to either side to resemble some seagrass. A raisin, blueberry, or nut makes a cute little eye for this fish.
How to Make a Mango Lion
Add some more fruit to your mango food art spread with this mango lion! This fruity treat features blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and oranges in addition to sweet mango.
The mango in this piece of mango food art is a little bit easier to slice. Start by making long, flat slices of mango, arranging them in a sun-like shape on the dish. Next, cut a flat slice out of the middle of an orange and place it in the center of your ring of mango slices.
Now that you have the basic layout of the lion, it’s time to make its adorable little face! First, cut up a banana into round slices and place them in the eye and ear positions of the face. Top two of the banana slices with blueberries to complete the eyes. Now cut a strawberry into a small nose shape and a smiling mouth shape. Finally, add some lengths of green onion to either cheek to make some whiskers.
Making Mango Food Art with Mango Board
When you’re looking for a fruit that’s uniquely sweet, turn to the mango! This delicious fruit is well-loved the world over and has been for millennia. Today, the National Mango Board is on a mission to bring mangos into more kitchens around the world. This group of growers, grocers, and other mango lovers want to give you more unique ways to use this delightful fruit in your homemade recipes.
Mangos can cause an allergic reaction in some people, although it is fairly uncommon. Use caution if your kids are super-sensitive to poison ivy as there might be a slight reaction from the mango skin. If you’re concerned they may have a reaction, peel the skin off before making the fish or lion. Most people who are allergic to mango skin can still enjoy the yummy mango flesh.
What fun designs did you and your kids make with mangos? Show off your fish, lions, hot air balloons, and other mango creations with us on Instagram @theproducemoms
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