Many parents are most likely buying the traditional Easter candy and goodies that fill the stores. Maybe this year, though, instead of having the Easter Bunny deliver bunches of treats high in calories, sugar, and fats, trans and saturated, you can put together a healthier basket that your child will appreciate and eat.
It is a medical fact that American children are facing an epidemic size problem with being overweight and consequently developing ‘‘adult” diseases, i.e. high blood pressure, and diabetes. This can be reversed if we learn and teach our children healthier eating habits from the start. Getting them excited about nutritious filled foods rather than the empty high calorie treats starts at a very young age. Easter time and the Easter basket can be one way to start introducing healthier food alternatives.
It is not that we should completely deprive children of candy and treats, but limiting them is very important. When choosing treats for the Easter basket there are several things you should look out for:
Look at the ingredient list. If there are partially hydrogenated oils in the product try to steer clear of the product. This type of oil produces trans fats, which are not heart healthy.
Saturated fat is another fat that is not heart healthy, and therefore needs to be limited. If there are more than 2.5 grams of saturated fat per serving you should consider that a high amount.
Trans fats listed on the label, but of late, they are being taken out of most foods and should be avoided completely.
Remember candy or chocolate with coconut will be high in saturated fat.
Get creative when thinking about items for the Easter basket. You don’t have to go for the traditional chocolates and jelly beans. Below are some tips you can use for an imaginative healthy Easter basket.
Make your own candy by using some simple substitutions. To make a chocolate bunny melt milk chocolate or dark chocolate, pour into a mold and let it harden. This cuts down on calories and fat because you aren’t adding lard or heavy cream. Other substitutions you can use depending on the recipes: whipped yogurt in place of butter, egg replacements instead of whole eggs, cholesterol-free, low fat, cooking oil without trans fat instead of conventional oil.
Find sweet, tasty recipes that use fruit to put in the baskets. This promotes getting fruit in the diet, which provides a lot of vitamins, minerals and fiber, but also has a sweet taste.
Homemade cookies from recipes you know and trust. Other suggestions are Teddy Grahams, graduate juice treats made with real fruit juice, Gold Fish, Dole Parfait snack packs.
Find small age appropriate toys that fit into the basket that your child wants and can emphasize learning and imagination. At the Dollar Store you can find pencils with your child’s name on it, erasers, puzzles, reading and coloring books, crayons⁄markers, etc; the possibilities are endless.
Include items that promote physical activity, i.e. day passes to the zoo, or a gift certificate to any favorite place that will engage your child’s mind and body.
For additional information on nutrition, the Semper Fit Health Promotion dietitian holds monthly nutrition classes, and is on the fitness deck the first Wednesday of each month from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Look for her ‘‘Kids in the Kitchen” cooking class.
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