The holidays are a time of excess: parties, gifts, even more food. Your kids may get overloaded with holiday sweets and treats, as most houses have some sort of candy or snack waiting for when the little ones visit. Unfortunately, most holiday snacks are far from healthy. Rather than overindulging in chocolate, cookies or candy, help your children focus on healthier options.
Fruits in Festive Shapes
Probably the simplest and healthiest snack kids can have is fruit. To make it festive, choose fruits in colors that match the holiday season: reds, yellows and greens. Use cookie cutters in the shape of Christmas trees, stars or stockings to cut hard fruits like apples. Put them on a tray and give kids peanut butter to "paint" on the fruits. Add cherries and other colorful fresh or dried fruits to the tray.
Roasted Chestnuts
Don't buy roasted chestnuts but instead search for fresh ones. If you have a fireplace or a barbecue pit, spend an evening with the kids roasting them. Don't throw them directly into the fire. Instead, use a metal rack or cook them in the oven. Chestnuts are low in fat and calories, making them a healthy addition to the holiday table.
Healthy Homemade Cookies
Forget the sugar-laden cookies from the store. Instead, get the kids into the kitchen and make your own. Substitute ingredients for the healthiest possible option. Use whole-wheat flour instead of white and replace half of the melted butter required in a recipe for applesauce. Use low-fat milk, if required, in the recipe. The kids can mix, cut and put the cookies on the tray before they go into the oven. After they're done, skip the sugary frosting. To decorate them, use low-fat cream cheese, fruit butters or peanut butter.
Dips
Instead of the traditional chocolate-dipped cookie or pretzel, give kids options to make a healthier snack. Salt-free pretzels can be dipped on yogurt or hummus. Melt low-fat cheese in the microwave instead of using store-bought cheese dips, which contain preservatives and are higher in fat. Plums are another traditional holiday fruit. Kids can easily make a dip with them. Older kids can use a knife to chop the plums into small pieces. Younger kids can simply break them apart using their fingers. They can then mix the plum pieces into cream cheese or yogurt to use as a dip.
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