Keeping your kids on a healthy path during the school holidays can be quite a challenge. Busy parents will, of course, be tempted to buy their children a mountain of conveniently pre-packaged snacks, but if you’ve got a few moments to spare these healthy snack ideas are relatively easy to pull off and make eating healthy fun and exciting! Who knows, you might even be tempted to tuck into these healthy treats yourself!
If you’re pressed for time these holidays get your kids involved in prepping their own healthy snacks. Try combining a little creativity with the food they eat to encourage them to eat more healthily and have fun while doing it. The more involved they are in preparing these snacks, the more likely they are to try new things. And, when it comes to getting essential nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals, into your child’s diet, these 3 fun, healthier snack options are the ideal way to do it.
1. Homemade fish fingers
Kids love fish fingers! This quick and easy snack is an excellent source of protein and, when you make your own fish fingers you’ll know exactly what’s going into them. Choose a firm fish as your ‘base’, as it’ll be easier to cut it into finger shapes. If you’ve got small kids, make sure you cut the fish into the desired shape before getting your kids involved.
Here’s how to make it:
Start by cracking an egg into a clean bowl, then fill another bowl with flour, and another with breadcrumbs. Next let your child dip the pre-cut fish into the flour, then the egg and finally coat them with the breadcrumbs. Place your handmade fish fingers on a baking tray and cook in the oven until golden brown and the fish is cooked all the way through.
2. Super smoothies
Smoothies are the ideal way to incorporate loads of good-for-you foods into your kids’ diet. Make it a game by taking turns to put in ‘mystery’ ingredients and having taste challenges to see who can guess what they are.
Here’s how to whip up a power smoothie:
Start off by preparing a selection of fruit and vegetables for your smoothies (make sure you take care of any dangerous peeling or cutting). Once the fruit is prepared, ask your children to help you put the ingredients in a blender one at a time. Pulse the fruit and vegetables until a smooth consistency is reached. Serve in glasses with straws and enjoy.
You can let your children name each smoothie they create for even more fun. In addition to the fruit, you can also add Greek yoghurt for protein and a hit of good bacteria too.
3. Rice cake faces
Kids love to decorate things. Whether it’s food or a paper plate. These rice cake faces are a great way to turn healthy eating into a fun activity. Rice cakes are a healthy snack, but for many kids, they can be very boring and bland. This fun decorating activity will add a little more excitement and flavour to ordinary rice cakes.
Here’s how to pull off this activity:
Start with one or two rice cakes on a plate as the base for the face. Next add a generous dollop of a healthy spread, like hummus, to help the vegetable toppings stick. This will help keep your facial ‘features’ from slipping off. Once your base is set you can start adding details with healthy toppings. Use boiled egg slices for eyes (they’re packed with protein, vitamin B, zinc and iron) a slice of cucumber for the mouth, a cherry tomato for the nose, and grated cheese for hair. Or go crazy and use toppings in a way no one would expect. The sky is the limit!
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