Snacks are an essential part of a child’s balanced diet. Like our daily meals, snacks should be healthy too and contrary to popular belief, most healthy snacks can be made in no time using ingredients available at home.
Fruits, carrots, cucumbers, and celery sticks make good, healthy snacks and should always be present in the house. Avocados, which are not usually liked by the kids, can also be turned into delicious dips for healthy corn chips and tortillas. Dried fruits such as prunes and raisins have excellent nutritional properties that should make them a staple in your pantry. As nuts are excellent sources of protein and have a long shelf life, make sure that there are plenty of them around too.
Peanut butter can be very versatile while providing adequate energy for children. It’s an ingredient found in most homes. Honey, which is a natural sweetener, can be used to replace sugar in snacks. Oats, which are a great source of fiber are also found in most homes, can be used in preparing some delicious munchies.
Lastly, of course, there is milk, which can be used to whip up any number of delicacies and beverages.
Here are some healthy snacks that your kids will love!
1. Ants on a Log
Ingredients:
½ cup of any nut butter such as cashew or almond
¼ cup raisins
5 celery stalks
Method
– Spread the nut butter over the celery sticks, sprinkle the raisins over them and serve.
– Instead of celery, you can use bok choi for mild flavor or even a toasted slice of whole grain bread sliced into strips.
2. Potato Pizza
Ingredients
Potatoes (250 gms)
Tomatoes (100 gms)
Boiled yellow corn (quarter cup)
Capsicum (1)
Chopped onion
Mushrooms
Olives (2-3)
Method
– Mash the boiled potatoes and add salt.
– Prepare tomato puree, adding an adequate amount of salt. Make small, flat pancakes with the potato mixture. Layer with the tomato puree or sauce, and garnish with capsicum, corn, olives, onion, and mushrooms. Add grated cheese on top.
– Bake in an oven for 15 minutes at 400F, and then serve hot.
3. Peanut Butter Pinwheels
Ingredients
Ingredients
Peanut butter
Honey
Tortilla
Granola
Method
– Spread some chunky or creamy peanut butter and some honey over a fresh flour tortilla and sprinkle it with some granola.
– Make rolls of these and cut them up into bite-sized pinwheels.
4. Goofy Waldorf Salad
Ingredients
A cup of grated carrots
1 cup chopped apple
A cup of chopped celeries
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
4 ice cream cones
Method
– In a mixing bowl, stir in all the ingredients together (except the ice cream cones) and mix well.
– Fill the ice cream cones with the mixture and serve. Kids will simply adore this one!
5. Avocado Salsa Dip
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
Some mild salsa
1 tbsp lemon juice
Corn chips
Method
– Cut avocados lengthwise, remove the seed, and scoop out the flesh. Combine lemon juice, avocado, and salsa in a mixing bowl and mash it well.
– Serve with crisp corn chips.
6. Munchies Popcorn
Ingredients
2 cups popcorn
3/4 cup honey
1 ½ cups peanuts
Method
– Heat the honey over a flame in a saucepan, bringing it to a boil. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. In a large bowl, mix the peanuts and popcorn.
– Remove the honey from the flame and pour over the peanuts and popcorn, making use of a greased spoon to stir it in gently. Cool before serving to kids.
READ: 10 Nutritious snacks that can boost your kids’ height
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