Children are usually fussy about food and feeding them nutritious food is a challenge for parents. Kids are more active than adults and need constant nourishment. In winters, their appetite is better than warmer months and parents often run out of healthy food options. Offering them deep-fried stuff, biscuits, candies and other such quick-fixes can make your child’s immunity low and it is advised to include healthy ingredients in their diet. Seasonal vegetables, fruits, jaggery, nuts and seeds can be used to make healthy recipes for kids. (Also read: Healthy broccoli recipes to boost heart health in winter)
“It’s that time of the year where all our hearts yearn for is to tuck in our blankets and stay cosy. All that kids demand for is some hot crispy fritters and some hot chocolate. As children are physically active and are constantly moving around, their body temperature automatically maintains the homeostasis and they in turn feel hungry more often. The Mother Nature has its own way of producing seasonal foods according to what suits best in that weather. While all that glitters is not gold as parents and their well-wishers we must be careful about what we serve them is tasty yet healthy at the same time,” says Falak Hanif, Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Bangalore, Old Airport Road.
Tips to make your children’s snacks healthy
Hanif also shares some healthy tips to manage children’s menus in winter season:
-Do not force your kid to drink plenty of water as their thirst decreases in this weather. Rather include more soups, stews, fruit desserts etc in their diet.
-Avoid deep fried foods as it can make them lethargic.
-Try to give them foods that are healthy yet tasty so that they do not become fussy on seeing what’s on their plate.
-Some foods to include can be whole wheat, pulses, gourds, beans, melons, chicken, red meat, sweet potatoes etc.
Healthy winter snacks recipes for your kids
Here are a few recipes that will keep your baby going:
1. Happy belly soup
Ingredients:
25 gm chicken
50 ml curd
1/2 onion
200 gm broken wheat
500 ml water
Salt as per taste
Pepper – a pinch
Ghee – 5 ml
Mint leaves -5-6
Ginger, garlic – as per taste
Method
– Soak broken wheat in water for half an hour. Add 5 ml ghee in a pan.
– Add chopped onion to it.
– Once the onions turn golden brown, add chopped ginger-garlic and saute for a while.
– Add chicken and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of pepper and salt.
– Lower the flame, add curd and let it settle for 5-10 minutes.
– Pressure cook the soaked broken wheat with 500 ml water and add a pinch of salt.
– Add the chicken mixture to the cooked broken wheat and let it cook for 15 minutes.
– Add 4-6 mint leaves for aroma.
2. Milky Way
Ingredients
5 cups milk
2 tbsp powdered almond
1 tsp whole wheat flour
1.5 tbsp jaggery
1 tbsp desi ghee
1 strand saffron
A pinch of cardamom powder
2 pistachios
Instructions
– Add ghee in a pan.
– Add wheat flour into it and roast until it turns light brown. Keep stirring.
– Add almond powder and roast on low heat until the colour changes to golden brown.
– Add milk and saffron and boil it for 5 minutes. Let it cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
– Add cardamom powder and turn off the flame.
– Garnish with pistachios, shredded almonds and serve hot.
