Getting the little ones to eat healthy foods can be challenging any day, but it can get especially tough during the winter. With everyone spending more time inside, it’s easy to want to reach for easy snacks more often.
Since many of those easy treats aren’t very nutritious, this can lead to less-than-great eating habits. Luckily, a little creativity and planning can produce healthy snacks all winter long.
Baking Healthy Treats For Your Kids
One of the best ways to improve the health quotient of the snacks your family eats is to make them at home. You can avoid all the salt, sugar and preservatives hidden in pre-packaged snacks. Baking your own treats gives you control of your ingredients and the kids can get involved. You can also add toddler probiotic drops to their routine to support good health.
Not all baked snacks have to be sweet. If your kids love crackers, try baking cheesy crackers at home. They can help you mix the dough and choose to add in any extras they like. Here’s the basic recipe from Food Network:
- 1 large egg, separated
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Let the kids help you measure the ingredients and mix them, then cut the dough into pieces and bake at 350° for about 20 minutes, then enjoy! You can switch out some of the flour for wheat flour to add some more fiber and nutrition.
Alternative Ingredients for Desserts
You can also create great desserts that are delicious and healthy by swapping out a few ingredients. Foods you may not expect can substitute in interesting ways. Take these banana oat cookies that swap butter for fruit:
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Mix it all and bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes. You can also keep it cool with a healthy chocolate pudding that hides a bit of avocado inside:
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2-3 tbsp stevia or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Melt the chocolate and blend it with all the other ingredients then chill it in the fridge for at least an hour. With these easy changes, you can feed your family great foods they’ll love.
Also Read:
- Apple Diet Plan: 7 Day Diet Plan to Lose 10 Pounds
- Copenhagen Diet: 13 Day Diet Plan For Weight Loss and Detox
- How Many Calories In Brussels Sprouts? Nutrition & Recipe
Staying Healthy in Winter
Recipes such as these make it simpler to get some more plants in your diet during the winter, but you may want to add a supplement. If you’ve wondered “are gummy vitamins effective,” you can try them out and see the difference they make for the entire family.
During the cold months, there are lots of ways to prioritize your family’s well-being and enjoy the season. Spend the extra time at home creating healthy treats together and help everyone fight off germs with vitamins for infants immune system and supplements for the adults. Your bodies will be better for it.
