Source: Unsplash
Does your child have a sweet tooth? Do you have trouble keeping snack time interesting? While I
enjoy rewarding my children with their favourite Kinder Joy or Hello Panda occasionally, we all
know it is best to moderate their sugar intake. Here are some healthy snack ideas that are both
nutritious and delicious!
Fruity Frozen Yoghurt Bites
An easy and fun to make snack is fruity frozen yoghurt bites. Get the kids to eat their fruits by
serving them in a cute and exciting way!
Simply pop fresh fruits and yoghurt into a mould, then freeze them, to get the perfect treat for
hot and humid Singapore. The kids will surely enjoy decorating and arranging the toppings, or
choosing from different shaped moulds to place their creations in.
Saving pudding cups or using jelly trays are a great way to keep things interesting each time you
make it. You can include bite-sized fruits like blueberries, strawberries and grapes, or chopped
fruits like apple, banana or pear.
Frozen Chocolate Banana Bites
Another great snack would be frozen banana bites. Again, this frozen snack is a great substitute
for its sinful counterpart ice cream, perfect for the sweaty kids coming back after an afternoon
at the playground.
Cut the bananas into your desired size, skewer them with toothpicks, then dip them into melted
chocolate. I like using larger bananas to get a bigger cross-section, so that I get 4 to 5 chunks
per banana, but it is up to personal preference. Some may prefer smaller bananas on ice cream
sticks, since they more closely resemble ice cream.
Bananas are high in potassium, which is good for the heart and blood pressure. They also
contain high amounts of fibre, which aids in digestion and gastrointestinal health. Bananas are
good sources of vitamin, such as vitamin B6 which helps produce haemoglobin in red blood
cells, and catalyses reactions in the body such as metabolising proteins to amino acids which
the body can absorb.
Homemade Apple Butter
If your kids have food allergies, homemade apple butter should satisfy them. As the saying
goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples are rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants,
which are compounds that help defend cells from damage caused by potentially harmful
molecules known as free radicals. By inhibiting oxidation, antioxidants stop free radicals from
being produced, thereby limiting their harmful effects.
Containing just apples and cinnamon, apple butter does not contain common allergens like nuts
and dairy. Throw chopped and cored apples into a slow cooker, together with some water and
cinnamon sticks. Cook them till you reach the desired consistency, then add ground cinnamon
to taste. Personally, I think adding sugar is not necessary unless the apples were really on the
sour side.
While some may argue that apple butter is high in sugar and pales in comparison to fresh
apples, having homemade apple butter means you can decide how much sugar you are adding.
Moreover, apple butter will certainly be higher in fibre than typical store-bought and sweetened
jams. Homemade apple butter is a great substitute to other spreads, and can be served with
bread or crackers for a delicious afternoon snack.
Source: Unsplash
With that, may you find some inspiration for fun yet healthy snacks. These snacks made from
naturally occuring sugar can be equally satisfying, but less harmful. Fructose in fruits is encased
in fibre which helps to reduce the body’s rate of absorption of it, which is less harmful to the
liver. Encouraging our children to lead healthy lifestyles is essential to pave the way for the
future.
