Healthy snacks for kids!

[em]

I am trying to find some yummy recipe ideas for snacks for my 2.5 yr old.  i am trying really hard to get away from preservatives and additives and dont know what to give my ds for snacks as he isnt a big fruit eater!
any suggestions would be great
thanks in advance

[judydawn]

He doesn't like fruit but will he drink a fruit smoothie em? Have you got the the recipe booklet called 'Lunchbox and After School ideas'?  Don't know if the contents have been listed on here anywhere - there doesn't seem to be an index in the booklet.
Your consultant will be able to show you one and even though there are things made from fruit in it, there are other things that may suit your needs too.
I'm sure some Mums with young ones will come to your rescue with some ideas.

[quirkycooking]

Have you tried a healthy fruit dip with pieces of fruit to dip in?  You make it from plain yoghurt and cream cheese, a bit of lemon juice, vanilla, and a bit of sweetener (I'd use Rapadura ground up to icing sugar consistency, or honey or agave syrup).  It's really yummy (if you can have dairy).

Also vege sticks/crackers and dips or nut butter, finger sandwiches, apples cut with a slinky machine (they're great!)...

Here's a few more my kids like:
cheese sticks
our favourite ice-cream, made from bananas
treat balls - made with nuts & dates
berry nougat
smoothies - chocolate-almond & banana-raspberry
pikelets, or fruit fritters like these ones

Hope they give you some ideas! 

[cathy79]

Em, what sort of snacks does your 2.5 year old eat ie what are you trying to replace?  For example, if you're trying to switch from bought biscuits to homemade biscuits, find something that might look and taste similar.  Then you can introduce healthier ingredients gradually.

For example, find a recipe that you think your son will like.  Maybe there are biscuits with rolled oats but he might not like the texture.  So, blend the rolled oats into powder to start with, and gradually change the texture.

Or, gradually replace white flour with wholemeal, slowly increasing the wholemeal.  Muffins etc do taste different.

My girls love muffins with fruit, and there are some great healthy fruit muffins on here with banana, apples, berries, apple sauce, wholemeal flour etc and no preservatives.

Too much change all at once can be hard for toddlers, so this has worked well for me.  Also I find my fussy 4.5 year old will at least try anything that she has helped to cook.

[em]

wow jo thanks, all those recipes look great. i think i will give the cheese sticks a go and i didnt think of pikelets so will try  them to. 
he wont really eat anything good, so i have resorted to hiding vegies in his meals but i havent done as much with fruit.  i made a breakfast smoothie the other day, and he wouldnt have it.  i am trying to cut out rubbishy sweet biscuits and things like that so cathy making my own with healthier ingredients in them is a great idea.
judydawn, i will have to order myself one of those booklets, i have just finished my consultant training and havent got all the books yet so will get that one this week.
thanks guys time to get cooking!

[Wonder]

My son doesn't like any fruit but will eat almost any type of roll up.  The recipe is in the lunch box book but I add honey instead of sugar and just use whatever fruits we have that needs using.  He knows they are fruit but for some reason he's still happy to eat them.

[cathy79]

Em, I recently went to the library and hired quite a few books on cooking for kids.  Some of them were great, some not so.  But at least they were all free!  Don't forget to check out the Babies and Kids section on the forum, there are some good recipes in there.

I've been adding all sorts of things to my pikelets lately to try and make up for what my kids don't like.  My problems are mainly meat and vegies.  Make sure you try these Zuchini Brownies

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I love the link Cathy.  Good work. 

[quirkycooking]

Good plan, Cathy!  I like zucchini chocolate cake.  And I've got a good recipe for chocolate beetroot fudge cake - yum!

[cathy79]

I have a recipe for Chocolate Cake with brocolli and spinach in it that I'm going to try soon.  You'll be the first to know if it's any good.

Like the idea of Chocolate Beetroot Fudge Cake - haven't noticed that one.

[Thermomixer]

OMG - you know how I like beetroot and chocolate.

em - does anything in the Lunchbox book appeal ?  http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=2920.0

[quirkycooking]

you know how I like beetroot and chocolate.

I'm a bit embarrassed to post ANOTHER chocolate recipe on my blog!!!  You'll all think that's all I ever eat! 

Thermomixer, I've finally figured out how to do the URL links - thanks for your advice!! Yay!

[katesjoy]

Now l know Jo hasn't posted this recipe on the forum, but the fruit fritters she has put a link to in this thread are just delicious.  The kids woofed these down.

[quirkycooking]

Glad to hear that, Katesjoy! 

[nazar]

 l borrowed this book from the library and its a great book
 
feeding fussy kids  by julie maree woods and antonia kidman

and they have lots of recipes where you hide allsorts of heathy stuff and the kids would not have a clue