The Ayurveda Experience Blog
Healthy Snacks For Kids
Snacking is important for children because their smaller stomachs fill up fast and they burn energy quickly. Children also need the right nutrition to support growth. Let’s take a look at recipes for some easy-to-prepare Ayurveda inspired healthy snacks for kids.
Snacks between meals give their growing bodies the nutrients and hydration they need. That’s why the snacks you give to your kids need to be healthy and nutritious.
Parents always have trouble choosing nutritious and healthy snacks for their kids in grocery stores.
Most of the times the snack your kids prefer won’t be healthy and if you do get healthy snacks for them, they might not find them appetizing enough.
Ideally, during the week, children should have a nutritious midmorning and midafternoon snack at school to meet the nutrient demands of their growing bodies and brains.
You should definitely try to give your kids homemade snacks for school.
Here, I’m sharing some of my favorite easy-to-prepare Ayurveda inspired recipes that make for delicious and healthy snacks for kids.
1. Crispy Vegetables
For as long as I can remember I loved crispy food as a kid and now these are my kids favorite too!
Choose the choice of your vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, and others. Wash and cut them into small chunks and spread the vegetables in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle salt and chili flakes (optional). Now preheat the oven to 400 F and bake for 40 minutes flipping halfway through.
The vegetables will be well cooked and crispy outside and your kids can take these with their favorite sauce (I like ranch).
2. Whole Wheat Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup wheat flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Organic brown sugar – ¼ cup [¼ cup sugar + 3 cardamom pods]
Method Of Preparation
Mix all ingredients well except powdered sugar to make a soft dough like cookie dough. Then cover it & leave it for half an hour. Then sprinkle flour and evenly roll it & cut into your choice of shapes.
Heat oil in a pan then deep fry till golden brown on medium hot oil. Drain out in an absorbent paper
Then sprinkle 1 tbsp of powdered sugar cardamom over the cookies and let it cool. Store it in an airtight container use within 5 days.
3. Bread Tofu Roll
Ingredients
- 1 tsp oil
- ¼ tsp cumin/jeera
- ¼ tsp ginger garlic paste
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- 2 pinches of garam masala powder
- 1 pinch of turmeric
- Salt as needed
- 1 handful of green peas
- 6 slices Bread
- 1 tbsp butter for brushing
- 1 cup crumbled tofu
Method Of Preparation
Trim off the edges of the bread. Heat the pan with oil, add cumin and let it crackle. Sauté ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off. Add green peas and saute. Add red chili powder, salt, turmeric, and garam masala.
Switch off the flame and stir well. Add crumbled tofu, coriander leaves and mix well. Flatten the bread slices well with a rolling pin. Make a thin paste of the cornflour with little water. Brush the edges of the bread with this paste.
Place a part of tofu mix ball at one edge of the bread. Roll it and press off the edges on all sides to seal the edges. Preheat the oven to 350 F and place the Rolls for 8-10 minutes until toasted well.
You can also shallow fry with a tbsp of ghee. I have been using these recipes for my kid and it’s working. You can always include your choice of vegetables, nuts or dried fruits in these recipes.
Other things to keep in mind when providing your kids with snacks.
- If giving whole fruit, don’t mix with milk or make a milk-based fruit smoothie since that impairs digestion.
- If giving flavored or Greek yogurt as a snack, let them have it before evening. Having yogurt at night increases the Kapha.
- If not allergic, nuts can be a nutritious and filling snack.
- Try to give your kids healthy snacks and avoid using artificial sweetness if possible.
- Don’t give the same snacks for days in a row. Make sure you change up the snacks once a while.
See Also: Ayurvedic Lunch For Kids
