Even though the holidays are a hectic time, they don’t have to be filled with empty-calorie treats and sweets. Instead, make this the season of healthy eating and kicking off the habit of making wise decisions about your food habits during the holidays.
Here are some healthy snack ideas for your children during the holidays:
1. Savory Corn Tarts
We are using healthy cornmeal instead of the usual maida to take this snack to the next level of healthy eating.
• In a bowl, combine 1 cup of makki atta, ½ a teaspoon of thyme, ½ a teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon of oil to it.
• Make a dough of it, put it in molds, and freeze for 10 minutes.
• Bake them till golden brown.
• For the filling, add 12 a cup of mushrooms, 12 a cup of spinach leaves, and 12 a cup of boiled corn to hot oil. Add salt, pepper, and thyme, and then cheese, cream, and an egg, and cook.
• Pour this mix into the molds and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
2. Mixed Vegetable Sandwich
It's a favorite snack for children and mothers alike due to its simple ingredients and great taste. Green vegetables like carrot, cucumber, cabbage, and lettuce are loaded with beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins C, A, and K.
• Use 2 slices of bread (whole wheat or brown, if you prefer to make it healthier) to spread butter or mayonnaise on one slice and sauce on the other.
• Slice 1 carrot, 1 cucumber, 1 tomato, some cabbage, and some lettuce, and put them in a pile on the slices.
• Put a slice of cheese or shredded cheese on the vegetables and place the other slice over it.
• Toast the sandwich till golden brown. Serve with tomato sauce and spicy sweet-sour chutney.
3. Oats and Apple Crumble
This is another healthy recipe that you can make quickly for your kids.
• In a bowl, mix 4 apples, thinly sliced, with the juice of 2 lemons, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder, grated lemon zest, and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Leave for 30 minutes before mixing together 1 cup of oats, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
• Spread some oats mix at the base of a baking pan, then add the apples and pour the remaining oats mix over them.
• Add 2 tablespoons of butter and bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes, until the crumble turns brown.
4. Ragi Cookies
Ragi cookies are loaded with the calcium necessary for strong bones and teeth in growing children. To make ragi and cardamom cookies,
• Roast 1 cup of ragi flour and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder for a minute.
• Mix ½ tablespoon salt, 2 pinches of dry ginger, and a whisked egg into the ragi mix.
• Add ½ a cup of rice bran oil and blend it till it turns into a dark dough.
• Shape them and lay them out on a lined baking tray.
• Preheat your oven, and bake the cookies for 8 minutes at 180 degrees C.
5. Whole Grain Crackers
Children need lots of energy for the entire day, and through whole grain crackers, they will get it from the carbohydrates and fiber in these cookies.
• Make a dough from ½ cup of whole wheat flour, 1½ teaspoons of oil, ½ cup of ground oats, 2 tablespoons of flax seeds, 4 tablespoons of white sesame seeds, and 1 tablespoon of red chili flakes.
• Take small balls of it and, with a cookie cutter, form them into small, flat, round cookies.
• Pre-heat the oven, and bake it for 20 minutes at 180 degrees C.
• Store them in an airtight container.
6. Almond Granola Bar
This nutritious snack combines white oats with coconut, almonds, etc. to make a healthy snack.
• To make it, you need to boil some water in a deep vessel and add 225 grams of jaggery and 150 ml of honey to it.
• In a pan, roast 225 grams of white oats, 90 grams of dry coconut, 200 grams of almonds, 25 grams sesame seeds, and 25 grams of multigrain seeds.
• To the jaggery and honey mix, add 200 grams of melted butter, 5 grams baking powder, 100 grams of apricots, 100 grams of raisins, and the roasted mix.
• After baking it for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius, cut it into pieces when it cools down.
7. Steam Dhokla
Besan is an excellent energy source for children, and this dish makes for a great traditional breakfast.
• In a bowl, combine 1 cup of gram flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of citric acid.
• Stir in a pinch of baking powder and some water to get a thick batter.
• Immediately steam it for 20 minutes.
• Grease a baking tin and steam the dhokla for 20 minutes.
• To make tadka, add 1 tablespoon of oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies to a pan. Pour this over the dhokla and cut into pieces before serving.
8. Steamed Chinese Cabbage Parcels
Chicken is loaded with proteins, sodium, and fat, making it an excellent food for battling hunger and boosting metabolism.
• Marinate 250 gm of chicken and marinate it for four hours using 1 egg white, 2 cups of chopped spring onions, 2 cups of chopped carrots, 2 cups of chopped mushrooms, 2 cups of chili garlic paste, 2 cups of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of ginger, 1 tablespoon of chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon of castor sugar, ginger juice, and black pepper.
• To make the cabbage leaves, place a tablespoon of minced chicken in the center and tie the stem of a spring onion around it.
• Steam it for 20 minutes, then serve with sauces.
9. Oats Idli
This idli recipe is low in carbohydrates and calories because it contains oats and carrots.
• Roast 2 cups of oats until they turn brownish, then powder them.
• Add ½ a tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds, allow it to splutter.
• Add 1 tablespoon of urad dal powder, and ½ a tablespoon of chana dal powder to the same pan.
• Add 1 tablespoon each of carrots, coriander, and chili, along with turmeric powder, and stir-fry for a minute or two.
• Add the mixture together with 2 cups of yogurt to create a batter.
• Steam for 15 minutes and serve with your preferred chutney.
10. Dates and Cashew Laddoos
This is a nutritious and healthy sweet treat you can prepare for your kids.
• After soaking one cup of de-seeded dates in water for an hour, drain the water and dry them off with a paper towel.
• Combine one cup of cashew nuts and half a cup of grated coconut in a mixer and blend them until smooth.
• When a sticky mixture is achieved, roll the mixture into small balls and place them on a baking tray.
• After an hour, serve the mixture to the children.
