Let’s face it, junk food is a kids’ favorite. And, why shouldn’t it be? It’s loaded with flavors, convenient, and simply fun to eat. On top of having zero nutritional value, fast foods also contain high cholesterol, preservatives, and sugars. No matter how conveniently available, fast foods aren’t something you would be likely to serve your kids daily. But the problem is - kids tend to refuse to eat healthy food mostly because it's simply not as delicious as a burger would be. In this post, we’ll share food alternatives that your kids would love to munch on and help them cultivate healthy eating habits in the process.
Yogurt as a snack or a dip
Yogurt isn’t a food item kids seldom throw tantrums about. Fruit-based yogurts and frozen yogurts are generally loved by most kids. The sugar content is something to watch out for but these are relatively healthy snacks you can give your kids. If you can, try swapping it with plain yogurt and add honey or their favorite fruits into it for flavor. You can also add some spices and mixed herbs and use them as a dip for making their vegetables more interesting to eat.
Whole-grain waffles and pancakes
Classic waffles and pancake recipes usually involve using refined flour and a lot of refined sugar. A healthier and tastier alternative to that would be switching your flour to whole wheat or any other whole grain of your choice. Moreover, if your kids love bananas, some mashed bananas could be used as a replacement for refined sugar. If a banana isn’t your go-to choice, you can always use some honey and maple syrup, too. Top it with some fresh-cut fruit, and drizzle with some homemade whipped cream or honey/maple syrup.
Popcorn instead of potato chips
Do those deep-fried chips, loaded with a ton of salt and vinegar worry you? Does your kid not settle for any other snack? Popcorn could be your saving grace. Popcorn is an excellent whole grain carrying a lot of nutritional value. Air-pop them up, and drizzle some butter and mixed herbs over it, and you’ve got a wonderful replacement snack for your kids to enjoy! Who said popcorn is just reserved for movie nights?
Trail-mix, but with nuts!
Classic trail mixes usually consist of a lot of candies that have a concerning amount of sugar content. Candy trail mix isn’t something you can give to your kids as a regular snack. Hence, replace that with a mixture of nuts, cereal, dry fruits, and seeds of your choice. This alternative is just as yummy, but with a lot of healthy fats and antioxidants. You can customize it to your liking and avoid mixing any such ingredients that your kids are allergic to, as well.
Fruits in place of any dessert at all!
Kids never say no to anything sweet. If you’re in a dilemma about how to satiate your kids’ sweet tooth, a good-ol' fruit bowl is the answer to your riddle. You can just cut up some fruits and mix them to make a fruit salad. Or you can swap fruit sorbet for popsicles, and frozen fruit-and-greek-yogurt bars for ice cream. At times, when your kids crave milkshakes/smoothies/juices, you can replace refined sugar with lots of fruits and make it your healthy version of smoothies that your kids are going to love!