Healthy Treats Yummier Than Candy

Getting your children to eat something other than sweet treats for dessert can be a struggle for every family. It’s not just that kids seem to be allergic to stuff that looks fresh and natural, it’s also the fact that healthy treats need a bit of preparation. And when you don’t have time to play around in the kitchen, it’s tempting to give the little ones a store-bought processed snack. 

Here, we’ve rounded up some dessert options which are healthy, and easy to prepare! 

#1 CARROT BROWNIES
You can put this together in half an hour, and the great thing about it is that you can actually sneak in a vegetable in a brownie! How cool is that? Apart from the carrot component, replace ingredients with the healthier alternative whenever you can. Use whole wheat flour for the mix, for instance, and agave nectar and dark chocolate to sweeten.  

What you need: Whole wheat flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, dark chocolate chips, sea salt, milk, agave nectar, coconut oil, vanilla extract, grated carrot

What to do: Preheat oven. Mix the dry ingredients first before adding in the rest. Pour batter into a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. 

#2 WATERMELON CUPCAKES
This is another way of serving fruits in a form that children love. Top it off with a healthier alternative to whipped cream.
 
What you need: Seedless watermelon, coconut milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract

What to do: Chill the coconut milk overnight. Shape the watermelon into circles, and place in cupcake liners. Take out the coconut cream, beat for 30 seconds adding in the sugar and vanilla. Top watermelon with coconut whipped cream.

#3 FRUITY PANCAKES
Rather than slathering your pancakes with butter and syrup, top them off with fruit slices mixed in agave nectar, a healthy alternative to regular sugar. Plus, this pancake recipe makes use of mashed bananas, making it both yummy and healthy.

What you need: Strawberries, peaches, agave nectar, ripe and mashed bananas, milk, pancake mix

What to do: Toss the strawberries and peaches with the agave nectar in a bowl. Set aside. Make the pancake according to instructions, blending in the mashed bananas and milk into the mix. Cook the pancakes and add the fruit topping. 

#4 CHOCOLATE COVERED FRUITS
This is a veritable no-brainer. Children love chocolate; covering anything with it is a guaranteed winner. The trick is to use dark chocolate, which is highly nutritious with plenty of iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc, and a good source of antioxidant.

What you need: A bunch of fruits like banana, pineapple, and melon; dark chocolate; toothpicks

What to do: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut up the fruits into one-inch slices and put a toothpick on each. Place them on the baking sheet and freeze for about half an hour. Melt the chocolate. Take the fruits out of the freezer, and dip each piece onto the chocolate. 

#5 YOGURT COVERED GRAPES
This is a play on the chocolate covered fruits, only this time we use yogurt. 

What you need: Grapes, yogurt, toothpicks

What to do: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stick a toothpick on each grape, dip in yogurt, place on baking sheet. Freeze for two hours. 

#6 APPLE BREAD PUDDING
Got any week-old bread? Here’s how you can whip it up into something deliciously new!

What you need: Week-old bread, raisins, cinnamon, milk, eggs, apple slices

What to do: Tear the bread into small pieces. Add in slices of apple and raisins. Mix milk, eggs, and cinnamon; blend into bread mix. Bake.

#7 GRANOLA BAR
Okay, this is incredibly easy to make and quite versatile, too. Just have your oat, butter, honey, and sugar base ready, and toss in other ingredients you like. 

What you need: Oats, butter, honey, and sugar, mixed nuts, dried fruits, dark chocolate chips

What to do: Mix oats, butter, honey, and sugar together. Add in other ingredients you have. Place mix into a baking pan, pressing hard. Chill. 

100% homemade – and safe
Homemade treats may take extra time, but they contain no preservatives, artificial sugars and flavorings, or artificial dyes. If you want to limit chemicals even more, get organic fruits. Any organic food – whether it be produce, milk, or milk products like butter – was raised without growth hormones, fertilizers or pesticides. Then, you’re giving your children 100% homemade, 100% safe food.  

Reference

About The Writer

Jing Lejano

Jing Lejano is a single mom of four, lula of one, writer, and editor. She started out as a reporter at The Business Star, became editor in chief of Good Housekeeping Philippines magazine, and now manages social media for a local government unit and a couple of communities. After a lifetime of chasing deadlines, she is trying to live slow by practicing tai chi, taking care of her garden, and playing with her tween granddaughter.  

The views and opinions expressed by the writer are his/her own, and does not state or reflect those of Wyeth Nutrition and its principals.

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