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On days when it’s too hot to venture outside, and you and your kids just want to watch your favorite animated classics, it’s best to make ready a variety of snacks to keep everyone in a festive mood. But instead of serving salt-laden chips and sugar-laced treats, how about making healthy alternatives to your family’s favorite snacks? They’re actually easy to make, and you can even ask your kids to help out, too! How much of a specific ingredient you’ll use in these recipe ideas depends on your family’s taste and preference.
Healthy Snack Twist #1 Herbed Popcorn
We all love flavored popcorn, be it cheese, barbeque, or sour cream. Most of these movie treats are made with flavored powders but it’s easy to make your own that are as equally tasty.
Make the popcorn according to package directions, and place in a bowl. In a pan, heat up some oil then toss in some dried oregano, dried dill, and dried thyme. Turn off the heat, allowing the herbs to infuse the oil. Drizzle the herbed oil onto the popcorn. Toss in some salt. Serve.
You may also use fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary chopped to bits. Again, make the popcorn according to package directions, and place in a bowl. Toss in the herbs along with some salt and melted butter. Serve.
Your child’s assignment: He can drizzle the oil onto the popcorn or toss in the chopped herbs.
Healthy Snack Twist #2 Chicken Kabobs
Buffalo chicken wings are one of the best snacks, but they’re deep fried and not the healthiest of treats. Instead of frying, why not do a bit of grilling? Get some strips of skinless, boneless chicken breasts and marinate them overnight in your favorite sauce. The next day, thread them onto barbeque sticks and grill them all up.
Pair up your chicken kabobs with some peanut sauce (just mix some peanut butter, lime juice, and soy sauce) or a fruit salsa (just chop up some mangoes, pineapple, and onions, toss in salt and pepper, and mix them all up).
Your child’s assignment: He can make the peanut sauce. If he’s old enough to manage a knife, he can make the fruit salsa as well.
Healthy Snack Twist #3 Fruity Granola Bars
Chocolate wafer bars are delighfully delicious, but you and your children can enjoy the same crispy goodness with these healthy bars.
This recipe requires baking. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Toast some coconuts and oatmeal in the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside. In a saucepan, heat up some butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt, then pour it over the coconut and oatmeal mixture. Toss in some cereal, nuts, and apple slices. Put everything onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for half an hour. Let cool.
Your child’s assignment: He can toss in the cereal, nuts, and apple slices onto the coconut and oatmeal mixture.
Healthy Snack Twist #4 Baked Kamote Chips
Potato chips, cheese curls, tortilla chips—we love wolfing these down, especially during particularly exciting movie scenes when we’re anxious to know what’s going to happen next. Unfortunately, these chips are often laced with salt and other preservatives. The answer: make your own!
Sweet potatoes, or kamote, are not only good sources of vitamins A, B6, and C, they’re also quite yummy. Bake a batch for some delicious chips.
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Cut up the kamote into half-inch thick wedges while mixing up some oil, salt, and chili powder in a bowl. Now place the kamote wedges on the roasting pan, brushing each with the oil mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, turning once.
Your child’s assignment: Let him line the pan with the kamote wedges.
Healthy Snack Twist #5 Frozen Fruit Delights
You can beat the heat without opening yet another tub of ice cream. In a bowl, mix your favorite fruits like mango, melon, strawberry, and banana with your favorite fruit juice. Pour onto disposable plastic cups and freeze. Your cool dessert will be ready in an hour or two.
Your child’s assignment: This is one dish that your child can do all by himself with you just watching over him.
Image courtesy of Mister GC at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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