Many desserts contain lots of fat, calories and sugar, so dessert is typically regarded as unhealthy. Your child should be eating a well-balanced diet filled with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Desserts can be part of a healthy diet if they include nutritious ingredients and little sugar, says Edyth Young Cottrell, author of "The Oats, Peas, Beans & Barley Cookbook." Use ingredients like fruits and grains to prepare low-sugar desserts for your child.
Baked Apples
Prepare baked apples with only a few teaspoons of sugar per serving, advises Cottrell. The natural sugars found in apples will satisfy your child's desire for something sweet, without unhealthy amounts of processed sugar. Cut eight apples into quarters, and remove the cores. Place the slices in a baking dish, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of raisins over the top. Mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Pour the mixture evenly over the top of the apples, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
Peach Freeze
A Peach Freeze is a low sugar dessert that has only 1/3 of a teaspoon of sugar per serving, reports Kids Health. You will need 1/2 cup of milk, one cup of sliced peaches and one teaspoon of sugar. Use fresh or canned peaches. If you choose canned peaches, make sure they are canned in fruit juice rather than syrup, recommends Kids Health. Pour the milk into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Put the milk cubes, peaches and sugar in a blender, and blend until the mixture is very smooth. Pour the peach mixture into serving dishes for a tasty dessert.
Berry Good Popsicles
Berry Good Popsicles include yogurt and berries, two healthy ingredients, and can be prepared using little added sugar. You will need 3 1/2 cups of yogurt and one cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, according to Kids Health. Choose plain yogurt because it does not contain much added sugar, or select a fruit flavored variety with little added sugar. Mix the berries in the blender until they are in small chunks. Put the yogurt in a bowl and add the strawberries; mix well. Divide the mixture among six small paper cups. Stick a Popsicle stick into each cup, and place them in the freezer. Freeze the Popsicles overnight before eating. Remove the paper cup just prior to serving.
References
- "The Oats, Peas, Beans & Barley Cookbook"; Edyth Young Cottrell; 2004
- Kids Health: Peach Freeze
- Kids Health: Berry Good Popsicles
