Summer treats shouldn’t only mean dripping ice cream cones and glasses of sugary lemonade. Neither is particularly healthy, and on a long, hot afternoon the last thing you want is your child on a sugar-high and bouncing off the walls. On the other hand, the thought of making time-consuming, nutritious snacks for your kids on a searing day isn’t appealing either. But don’t worry! Because, we’ve got you covered with these easy-to-make healthy summer snacks.
Yum Yoghurt!
Curd or yoghurt is a summer staple. It cools the body, and is filled with much-needed nutrients. A great way to get your kids to eat yoghurt is by making frozen yoghurt bark. There are tons of easy recipes online like this. Start by taking some Greek yoghurt or hung curd, mix in honey and spread the mixture on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or foil. Have your kids pick from toppings like chopped berries, coconut shavings, dried fruits, and nuts and sprinkle it over the curd. Place the tray in the freezer till the yoghurt bark is completely frozen. Remove, break the bark into pieces and enjoy!
Icy Popsicles
A cold popsicle is a great way to beat the heat. It is healthier than an ice cream, can be made at home and you can experiment with flavours. You can try combinations like coconut water and berries, yoghurt and mango, or even watermelon and mint. Once you make the mixture, pour it in to the Popsicle molds and freeze. You can easily get the molds online, and there are plenty of recipes available, click here for some. This is a cool, delicious treat your kids (and you) can savour on a summer evening.
Great Granolas!
Summer holidays call for tons of outings with the kids – taking them to activities, ferrying them to play dates, etc. Children as we know get hungry often and it’s always a good idea to have snacks handy while out and about. An easy and healthy treat to carry are granola bars. The problem is that most store-brought granola bars are high on sugar. Luckily, they aren’t hard to make at home! All you need is rolled oats, a sweetener like date syrup or honey, a binding agent like almond butter or plain butter, and toppings such as dry fruits, nuts and chocolate chips. There are tons of foolproof recipes online you can follow like this, and this. The granola bars can be stored for up to a few days.
Grazing Platter
Even the most ordinary ingredients when presented in a fun and special way will instantly appeal to kids. This is where snack or grazing platters come in. Take a large bright coloured plate and fill it with healthy foods, and place little bowls for the dips. You can include apple wedges to dip in peanut butter, carrot and cucumber slices to go with a yoghurt-based dip, and boiled egg with pita bread and hummus. The options are endless! You could also cut the fruits and veggies in fun shapes for added kid-appeal. This makes for an ideal play date snack, where the kids can try new combinations of food and eat together.
With these snack ideas you won’t be spending hours in the kitchen, and they are easy enough recipes for the children to help with. Moreover, your kids are guaranteed a delicious snack that is nutrition dense. What’s not to love!