Unless you’re one of the lucky ones, you are probably all too familiar with the struggle of trying to convince your kids to eat their greens. However, one solution that evades many parents is to simply get more creative in the kitchen in order to present fruit and vegetables in a fun way. And by that, we mean presenting them as snacks!
Kids love a good snack, and it is possible for them to crave for ones that are healthy and delicious at the same time. It’s also a great solution for keeping them away from preservative-laden and unhealthy packaged snacks that have become so common in today’s grocery aisles and pantries. On that note, here are some healthy snack ideas children will go crazy for.
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Pear Crisps
Medical News Today reports that pears are rich in antioxidants that will surely do kids some health favours in the long run. You’re lucky if your child can eat a pear as it is. But for those who have trouble getting kids to eat pears, you can serve them in a different form. Make some thin pear slices and bake them in the oven for an hour to make crisps! Between fruits and chips on the table, children are more likely to grab the latter. So making crisps out of pears is a sneaky (and yummy) way of getting your child the nutrition he or she needs.
Baby Carrot Juice
Baby carrots may look like cheese puffs at first glance, but some kids can’t be fooled. The best you can do is change up their presentation. Why not serve carrot juice instead? Aside from its attractive colour, carrot juice may be the way to help give kids beta-carotene, a nutrient that builds immunity and is generally essential in a child’s healthy growth.
Watermelon Pops
A huge fruit like a watermelon sure does pack a lot of nutrition. It provides vitamin C for the immune system, vitamin A for eyesight, vitamin B6 for resistance against infections, and vitamin B1 which helps the body use carbohydrates as energy. To get the children to love watermelons more, you can easily create mini-popsicles. Just blend some watermelon chunks together and then fill up an ice tray with the mixture. Place toothpicks or popsicle sticks and let them freeze. Serve them later on as a cool summer treat.
Sweet Potato Fries
Fries are a popular snack, but they’re not exactly healthy for kids. Instead of serving potato fries, you can prepare sweet potato fries instead. Sweet potatoes have more fibre than regular potatoes, and they are also a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C. You only need to cut up two sweet potatoes and let them bake for around 20 minutes. Kids would love the unique taste, as the fries’ sweet flavour blends well with sea salt and pepper. They can also be served with ketchup.
Read More: Health Benefits of Popcorn for Children
Chocolate Banana Bites
Anything dipped in chocolate will be loved by kids, even if it’s a fruit. A chocolate banana bite is another great summer treat for the kids. Bananas contain potassium and fibre, and are known to promote heart health. to make chocolate banana bites, melt your child’s favourite chocolate and dunk some banana slices into the liquid. Then, add popsicle sticks and place the bites in the freezer. Voila! Perfect for a summer afternoon.
Zucchini Fritters
A zucchini, in its original form, won’t seem appealing to kids. That’s why it’s wise to use them as fillings for fritters. Your kids don’t even need to know what’s inside. Just allow them to savour the crunchy textures. Even better — fritters are an easy snack to whip up. Simply grate the zucchini and fry them on a hot skillet along with eggs and flour. You can then serve the fritters with yoghurt. Naturalon notes that zucchinis have rich nutritional content such as vitamin B, vitamin C, potassium, and omega-3. Zucchinis are just one option for the fillings, so if you don’t have any in the house, other alternatives include corn, banana, and tuna.
Promoting Healthy Childhood
Serving healthy snacks is just one of the practices parents must do to promote their child’s healthy living. Studies show that India has one of the highest malnutrition rates among children in the world, which can have drastic effects on our youth’s mental, physical, and social development. Save the Children highlights that malnutrition can occur in both undernourished and overweight children. That’s because even children who are regularly fed can suffer from a lack of nutrients if they are eating unhealthy food, which can, in turn, affect their quality of life. Thankfully, several Indian government policies and programs are already working to address these issues alongside community and non-profit organisations.
By providing adequate nutrition to your child through healthy meals and snacks like those mentioned above, you can help ensure their continued growth and development. In that regard, you can also help them absorb nutrients better by reading our guide to boosting a child’s metabolism here on Parenting Healthy Babies. For more tips and tricks for raising healthy children, feel free to explore our site.
