Valentine's Day is usually reserved for lovers to acknowledge their affections. For you and your child, however, it means finding special Valentine's Day cards and sending treats for your child's classroom party. In many cases, the sweetness of the holiday is matched with the distribution of sweet treats. Fortunately, you can reduce your child's intake of sugar by sending healthier versions of Valentine's Day snacks to his classroom.
Valentine's Day Trail Mix
Children equate Valentine's Day and Halloween with chocolate. It is not necessary to completely eliminate chocolate from Valentine's Day in order to keep Valentine's Day snacks healthy. You can use chocolate in a healthier way. For example, during Valentine's Day Mars sells red, pink and white M&Ms, and you can use these M&Ms to make a healthy trail mix with peanuts, almonds and raisins. This mixture gives kids the sweetness they crave as well as dietary fiber and protein. You can pack individual servings into small snack bags for easy transportation.
Yogurt Parfaits
As a parent or teacher, it is important to make sure your child consumes healthy amounts of protein and dietary fiber. Children often identify with fun snacks like gelatin snacks and pudding. You can play on their interests by making individual yogurt parfaits. Use lowfat vanilla or strawberry-flavored yogurt as the base for yogurt parfaits, and layer in yogurt-covered raisins or dried cranberries. Yogurt is a significant source of protein, and raisins and cranberries add dietary fiber and additional protein.
Chocolate-Covered Pretzels
Pretzels are a low-fat snack that come in several kid-friendly shapes and forms. They are also low in calories and contain minimal amounts of fat. One great Valentine's Day snack is chocolate-covered pretzels. To make this treat, melt dark and white chocolate and dip the pretzels into one or both types of chocolate. Let the pretzels dry on wax paper, then package several pretzels into snack bags and make enough for each child in the classroom.
Valentine Fruit Arrows
Valentine fruit arrows are a fun and very healthy snack. Getting kids to eat fruit can take some creative negotiation, but presenting it in fun shapes can make it an easy sell. To make Valentine fruit arrows, cut watermelon into heart shapes with a knife or a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut oranges into slices. Stick the skewer through the watermelon heart at an angle. Add one orange slice to each end of the skewer to make it look like a heart with an arrow. Because it is a fun shape, it can distract kids from the fact that they are eating fruit. You can also provide melted chocolate or yogurt as a dip for the fruit arrows.
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