102 HAWAII PARENT March/April 2025 HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES If your child is like most, he loves to snack on cookies, brownies, cupcakes and anything that usually has a significant amount of sugar and is high in unhealthy fats. Some alternatives to traditional cookies are oatmeal-based cookies or bars that contain whole oats and less sugar. Your child can easily grab a bar on the way to sports practice or before heading to a dance rehearsal. Some food bars are designed to give your child the energy he needs to participate in high-intensity sports and exercise. A healthy alternative to peanut butter is almond butter, which is higher in protein than peanuts and lower in sugars and fats. When cooking for your child, it is not recommended that you use a lot of unnecessary butter. Using olive oil is a healthier choice. Adequate nutrition will give your child the boost he needs to focus in school and still have enough energy to excel in afterschool enrichment programs and completing homework. Next time, instead of letting your child reach for the bag of chips, offer her a delicious strawberry banana smoothie! ing fruits and veggies and reaching for the chocolate chip cookies for their afterschool snack. It helps to mix up fruit and veggies with other kinds of nutritious and tasty foods to complement them. Apples with peanut butter, celery with some honey and nuts and yummy fruit smoothies are delicious snacks that give your child their daily dose of fruits and veggies. ANTS ON A LOG 5 stalks of celery 1/2 cup peanut or almond butter 1/4 cup raisins Cut the celery stalks in half, spread peanut butter and sprinkle with raisins for a whimsical treat. CHEESE AND FRUIT KABOBS Kabob sticks Cheddar/American cheese squares Strawberries Kiwi Banana Cut the fruit, and place them with the cheese squares on the stick. BANANA BREAD 2-3 ripe bananas 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup melted butter 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten In a bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the melted butter. Mix in the baking soda, salt, sugar, beaten egg and vanilla. Once smooth, mix in the flour. Pour the batter into a loaf pan, and bake for an hour at 350 degrees. Check the center with a tester to make sure the bread is fully baked. Healthy After-School Snack Recipes “It’s no surprise to many parents that healthy eating starts in the kitchen.”
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