Avoid the Classroom Party Sugar Rush: Healthy Holiday Treat Ideas for Kids
Believe it or not, winter parties for the preschool and elementary crowd can be fun AND healthy. Move away from the “icing sugar cookies” station, candy canes and gingerbread houses. Instead, offer these nutritious alternatives that will tickle their taste buds.
Christina Rollins, a registered dietitian, nutritionist and director of Memorial Medical Center’s Food and Nutrition Services department, offers these tips for festive and fun holiday party treats for kids.
Tips
- Kid-friendly cocktails will transform your party into a special event. Flavor seltzer water with a splash of 100% fruit juice; garnish with frozen berries.
- Swap sugary desserts with naturally sweet fruit dishes. Serve fresh cut fruit with yogurt dip or try Memorial’s recipe for fruit salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips.
- Serve raw vegetables or pita chips with homemade hummus.
- Offer pretzels, granola bars and dried fruit instead of candy in treat bags.
Easy Yogurt Dip
Mix three 8-ounce containers of unsweetened vanilla yogurt with your choice of whipped topping. Serve with fresh cut fruit.
Memorial’s Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chip
Servings: 10
Fruit Salsa
Juice and zest of one lime
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 golden delicious apple, cored and chopped
½ pt. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
11 oz. can mandarin orange sections, drained and chopped
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. apricot preserves
Zest and juice lime into a medium bowl. Combine with prepared fruit, brown sugar and apricot preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
10 – 6 inch flour tortillas
Butter flavored cooking spray
½ cup white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Spray one side of each flour tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges, and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Spray again with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven 8-10 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled salsa.
Nutrition Facts: 106 calories; 2g fat; 2g protein; 21g carbohydrates; 2g dietary fiber; 0mg cholesterol; 193mg sodium