Creating a Healthy Easter Basket for your Child

Creating a Healthy Easter Basket for your Child

With childhood obesity rates on the rise, this may be the year to try something new for your child's Easter basket. This year, consider buying healthy snacks instead of only candy. Low-calorie or low-fat options don't have to taste bad, and your child may just find a new favorite snack.

Consider Toys for Treats
Keep in mind that you don't just have to stick to edible treats. According to my kids, you can never have too many toys. An Easter basket is about getting a special treat. No one said those treats had to be in the form of candy. Small hand-held electronic games are available at many stores for a reasonable price. For the younger set, try dolls or action figures for great Easter options.

Jelly Beans vs Dried Fruit
Jelly beans taste great, but are packed with sugar. Dried fruit offers nutrition and taste in the same bite-sized portions as jelly beans. Ocean Spray® makes a snack called Craisins®. They are dried sweet cranberry snacks, and come in a variety of different flavors. Also, Sun-Maid®, best known for their raisins, makes dried fruit treats, as well as yogurt- and chocolate-covered raisins. My personal favorite is chopped dates. Try replacing your child's jelly beans with dried fruit this year. Your kids won’t believe that they’re eating something that’s good for them, and you'll have the satisfaction of feeding them a healthy treat.

Snack Size vs Regular Size
If you do choose to add candy to your child's basket, smaller is better. Choose snack-sized morsels like mini sized candy bars or Peppermint Patties®. These candy treats are lower in calories than other, larger, choices. Add three or four for a sweet treat in your child's basket instead of chocolate bunnies or large cream eggs.

Store Bought vs Homemade Treats
We all enjoy going to the store and sweets and snacks, but do you really know what’s in the foods you're eating? Many marketable treats started in someone’s kitchen, and were homemade at one time. Rice Krispy treats®, for example, used to always be homemade. The recipe was on the cereal box long before they became a pre-packaged snack item in the store. Take the time to make healthy low-fat treats for your child's basket. When you know ingredients are in your food, you feel better about serving it to your kids.

Easter baskets don’t have to be chock full of sugar to be enjoyable. Healthy additions provide holiday fun without sacrificing taste.

Article Source: Christian Work From Home Moms- Faithful Grannies