Christmas is a delightful time for children, not only because of the presents but due to all the delicious treats available everywhere they go. It is difficult to limit children’s sugar intakes during the Holiday season, however, it is possible to add some healthy Christmas treats by offering children any of the delicious alternatives below.
Christmas Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal cookies are a wonderful treat which can be altered to suit a variety of tastes. Made with whole grain oatmeal, these cookies may help lower the risk for several diseases. A source of fiber, oatmeal will also fill their tummies for much longer than other treats. Add raisins, dried cherries, cranberries or apricots, and nuts to boost nutritional values. Children will be delighted when they discover a big plate of Christmas Oatmeal Cookies with chunks of red, orange, and other Christmas colours.
Christmas Smoothies
Replace sugary cereals, fatty meats, and unhealthy drinks with delicious homemade smoothies. Children will love creating their own smoothies using fresh orange juice, yogurt, and fresh fruit. Begin a special Holiday tradition with the children, making and drinking cool delectable smoothies on Christmas morning. This will become the healthy breakfast they will look forward to all year.
Christmas Muffins
Like Oatmeal Cookies, there are a bevy of delicious and healthy options when baking muffins. Sneak fruits and vegetables will become the children’s favourite treats when baked into some scrumptious Christmas muffins. Choose ingredients such as bananas, zucchini, carrots and even sweet potatoes to fill their tummies with homemade goodness. Of course, the vegetables listed are healthy but did you know that sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene and potassium?
Healthy Snack Mixes
Delight the children with a healthy bowl of snack mix. With a variety of items found in your pantry, you can easily toss together a healthy combination. Choose from nuts, pretzels, whole grain or fiber rich cereal, dried banana chips, and popcorn for a handy, portable snack that’s filled with magnesium, iron, and zinc.
Christmas Cereal Snacks
Healthy cereals, those not loaded with sugar, include whole wheat and high fiber options which are perfect for snack making. There are many treats and bars which can be made using Nutella, Peanut Butter, nuts, pumpkin, and many other healthy ingredients. For example, Rice Krispy Treats have long been a children’s favourite and there are many other similar recipes that can easily be changed to accommodate health conscious mums.
Red or Green Fruit Salad
Choose red or green colour Jell-O mix to create some festive Fruit Salad for the Christmas season. The delicious marshmallows and Cool Whip mixes with fruit and Jell-O mix will create a refrigerated treat that is sure to delight the children. Of course, fresh fruit is best but if time is an issue, canned fruit cocktail is certainly an option. Some opt for fresh coconut and healthy chopped nuts to add texture and flavor to the salad.
Frozen Blueberry-Yogurt Treats
Children love to create their own treats and Frozen Blueberry Yogurt Treats are a simple and easy treat that freezes fast – ten minutes! Fresh blueberries dipped in yogurt and placed in the freezer are the perfect treat to enjoy while decorating the tree and wrapping gifts. Considered one of the healthiest foods available, fresh blueberries offer one of the highest antioxidant volumes among fruits, vegetables, and more.
Christmas Granola
As mentioned above, Oatmeal has a bevy of healthy benefits to offer and can be used to create some wonderful homemade Christmas Granola. While there are a number of Christmas Granola recipes to be found online, choose the one that offers the healthiest list of ingredients. Healthiest recipes include almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, coconut, pumpkin seeds, and more.