Dates are very nutritious by nature. They are high in vitamins and minerals and would boost your child’s overall energy and growth. However, adding date in the recipes is always a challenge. You are not sure how to incorporate this lovely diet into your child’s daily meal.

That is why we bring forward eleven delicious recipes consisting of date that will instantly become your kid’s favorite. The recipes are simple and can quite easily be digested by your child. So, get your pen and paper ready and jot down the ingredients along with the recipe and give your child a happy surprise.

11 Best Date Recipes for Kids

Banana and date smoothie

Both banana and date are naturally sweet. So, the good news is that you do not need to add any additional sugar, which is always better when you are offering it to your child. You can always add a hint of cardamom inside it in order to add to the flavor.

But make sure that the spices are well grounded and your child does not choke on it. Put the ingredients in a mixer and make the smoothie as liquid as possible. If your child is old enough to handle some solid parties in the smoothie, then add some chia seed. It will give the necessary protein boost into the drink.

Figs and dates in baked oatmeal

Oatmeal is always a healthy option when it comes to your child. Now oatmeal with dates is really a nutritious boost for your little one. Make oatmeal porridge with dates and figs in them.

The dates act as natural sweetener. In a large bowl combine the oatmeal along with baking powder and finely chopped dates. Make sure that the dates are not whole but cut into small pieces otherwise your child might choke on them. Then add melted butter and egg into this dry mix and stir it well. Put the mix in the oven and take out when it is ready. It can serve as a delicious dessert or a nice breakfast surprise for your child.

Salted caramel with tahini and date

It is one of the easiest preparations in the list. You just need to blend the tahini and the chopped dates together along with coconut milk. Stir it well so that the blend is smooth and there are no hard particles in the mixture.

Then put the mix in a tray and let it freeze overnight. Once it is completely frozen you can cut them into little pieces and serve it to your child as dessert. These sweet treats are healthy and it is better than chocolate. They will also fill your child’s belly for quite some time.

Kale salad with dates

Adding dates in the salad is the best idea you could have ever had. Your child needs the leafy greens for his/her growth and development. Sprinkling some dates in the salad actually enhances the taste by a great extent.

It is actually pretty easy to make. Chop the kale into small pieces. It should be like salad pieces and not too small. Stir it well with olive oil and caramelized onion and then add a hint of almond and dates. Make the dates into smaller pieces so that your child can chew it properly. However, this recipe is not suitable for children below 3 years of age. This is because they do not have the ability to digest leafy greens.

Kumquat tarts with date crust

Kumquat or Mandarin oranges can be made into tarts with almond and date crusts on them. This delicious dessert will not only delight your little one but will also enrich him/her with proper nutrients.

In the first step make a mixture of oatmeal, dates, and almond. Then bake the mix to form the crust of the tart. Now fill the crust with yogurt and honey. Put the sliced kumquats on the top of the yogurt and honey layer. Together it tastes delicious. If your child refuses to eat the kumquats then you serve the tart without it also. The crust containing dates, almonds, and oatmeal is healthy enough.

Bacon and date bites

If your teen is a fussy eater than a mix of sweet and salt might cheer him/her up. Bacon and date Paleo dishes can boost your child’s appetite by a great deal. Fry the bacon and pat away the extra grease.

You can also refrigerate it for few hours if you so desire. Line the baking pan with parchment paper. Place the pitted dried dates on the parchment paper. Do not let the dates clump together. Then add the bacon and the sesame oil. Wait till they all clump together into balls. Once they do you can transfer the mixture into the baking pan. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the mix if you wish. Freeze the entire mixture for 30 to 40 minutes. Cut the entire thing into small square pieces and serve it to your child. The salty-sweet treats will surely delight him/her.

Chocolate date smoothie

Date and chocolate offers the most tempting combination ever. Take some unsweetened nut milk. Some pitted dates, frozen bananas, coco powder, almond butter, and cinnamon.

First put the nut milk and the dates in a blender. Blend it in high speed till the dates break down and smoothen. Once the dates break down and mixes with the milk then you can add the other ingredients in the form of frozen bananas, coco powder, almond butter, and cinnamon. After adding these ingredients you should run the blender once again till the entire thing becomes smooth and edible. It will certainly be a tasty delight for your child.

You can add regular milk instead of nut milk in this recipe. In that case the drink will become quite heavy. If your child has lactose intolerance you should go with the nut milk.

Date caramels

Sounds scrumptious, doesn’t it? Your child will definitely love this treat if you manage to make it right. Follow these instructions and make a date caramel. Soak the dates first if they are dry. Soak them for around 15 minutes in warm water. Cut them down before the processing starts. The smaller pieces are easier to be blended with the other ingredients.

Now that the dates are soft and small you should blend the caramel. Mix the chopped dates with almond butter, almond flour, some vanilla and salt. Process the mix until a smooth and thick mixture is being created. Now after the blend is homogenous in nature, you transfer it into a pan in which it will be frozen. Beat the blend into even shape before you enter it into the freezer. Once the blend is frozen take it out from the pan and cut them into small even pieces. Sprinkle some flaky salt on then, if you so desire.

Date fruit crumble

The best thing about date recipes is that they are always very yummy. If your child has a sweet tooth then he/she will love this next recipe. Mix ingredients like sunflower seeds, oat flour, baking powder, some salt, and cinnamon. Now in that mixture you should stir the oats and the dates with your clean fingers so that they do not form large chunks.

You can add coconut oil in your finger to prevent the mixture sticking to your hand. So, once the date and oat topping is ready spread it very gently over the fruits very gently. Bake the entire thing for 30 to 35 minutes till the juices of the fruit are bubbling over the edges. Make sure that the top crumbling are not browning very rapidly. In that case you should take it out around 20 minutes mark.

Allow the thing to cool down for around 15 minutes before serving it to your child. You can add whipped coconut cream with this crumble to enhance the overall taste.

Bacon wrapped dates

Does your child love a pig-in-a-blanket then give it a twist and make date-in-a-blanket. Bacon wrapped dates provides the ultimate combination of sweet and savory treats. In order to make this tasty appetizer you need to find thick and juicy bacons. Do not go for the thin ones because they might break.

Also at the same time choose big thumb-size dates. The big Medjool dates might just do the trick for you. Slice the dates into half and get them pitted. Add some cheese in the pocket that has been created. Fry the bacon so that they are crispy on the edges and then wrap the dates up and stick a toothpick to keep it altogether. We can guarantee that your young one would finish the entire place in just few minutes.

Date syrup to go with everything

Last but not the least, the date syrups are also pretty neat food alternative for your little one. You can add the syrup in various dishes and add to the flavor. If your child is tired of having maple syrup then date syrup might be the exact twist that he/she was looking for.

The Medjool dates are also ideal for this recipe. Soak the dates for sometimes in warm waters and then chop them meticulously. Smaller the size of the chopped pieces the better it is for the syrup. The idea is to boil the chopped dates in a way so that the liquid squeezes out from the dates leaving the thick puree down below. Filter the liquid by straining it via a thin cloth. You can keep the puree for further use. Cool the syrup for a while and spread it on pancakes and serve your child.

All the recipes mentioned above are healthy as they do not contain any excess sugar. You can alter the recipes and give your child wonderful surprises.

References:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ahmedaliakbar/date-recipes

https://www.thespruceeats.com/recipes-using-sweet-dried-dates-4137302