Guest Post
When you think about party food, “healthy” isn’t the first word that comes to mind. Unhealthy ‘treats’ like pizza, chips, crisps and sweets are the regular birthday bash staples. After all, there is some truth in the argument that the odd day of indulgence keeps life interesting.
That said, even on party days there will be a little niggle about what your kids are eating. Junk food is known as such for good reason, party or no party. Plus, feed a room full of eight-year-olds their recommended weekly sugar intake, in the space of a few hours, and you might find yourself on a one-way journey to domestic Armageddon – kids bouncing off walls, ceilings, each other and the cat.
It doesn’t have to be this way. You can make party food your kids will love and that is good for them too. Here are some of my favorites:
1) Smoothie Jellies
This recipe is a good alternative to jelly, which is often full of sugar and preservatives. The smoothies are made by soaking leaf gelatine in cold water until it is soft. Gently heat the smoothie in a saucepan but don’t let it come to boil. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine, and then add it to the pan and stir until smooth. Place the mixture in setting molds, and chill for an hour. Voila – fruit disguised as delicious treats. Add low-fat ice cream to make this recipe extra special.
2) Low Calorie Drinks
Soft drinks are jam-packed with sugar, and consequently bad news for your children’s teeth. It’s easy to replace these with the diet varieties, but it’s much more entertaining to get a little creative. Plain water flavoured with orange and cucumber slices is a healthy alternative. You could also try mashing up raspberries, and adding them to mineral water for some messy fun.
3) Fresh Fruit Kebab Dribbled With Chocolate
Kebab sticks and chocolate are two sneaky ways to make fruit more interesting. Thread on strawberries, peeled kiwi fruit, melon and pineapple, and then dribble chocolate over it all. Fresh fruit is one of the healthiest things for kids, and this twist gives it a little extra something to make it more tempting.
4) Home-made Chicken Nuggets and Chips
Lots of things stereotyped as junk food can actually be pretty healthy if you make them yourself. Putting in a little effort in means that you can use fresh, quality ingredients that don’t have added preservatives and flavourings. Simple changes, such as using extra virgin olive oil and adding less salt, can make a huge difference. Try Cooking Light’s recipe for home-made chicken nuggets and chips.
5) Banana Cupcakes
This recipe is a healthier alternative to other types of cake, as bananas are a good source of dietary fibre and packed full of vitamins. Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and egg in a bowl until light and fluffy. Then add the mashed banana, bicarbonate of soda, flour and milk, and bake for 20 minutes. When they’re cool, create the perfect party atmosphere by presenting them on colourful tableware.
Getting creative in the kitchen is a fun way to make your party food healthier. Packaged food is quick and convenient but it often comes with lots of nasty additives. Not only do fresh ingredients taste better, but they will look prettier on your table. Once the kids get munching, I’ll bet there won’t be any complaints about these healthy alternatives.
Elise Leveque loves cooking and entertaining, and always likes to deliver the healthier option.
These recipes sound yummy! I especially like the smoothie jellies and banana cupcakes. 🙂
Thank you for sharing. Have a great day ladies!
Chocolate kebabs would be a hit here
I have never heard of those smoothie jellies before – that’s an interesting concept that I bet the kids would be all over!
I definitely agree about making your own chicken & fries.
The fruit with the drizzle would be a huge hit over here, even with me!
Homemade chicken nuggets would be right up my sons ally my daughter would be more on the fruit side.
I’ll have to try those smooth jellies. It sounds like a nice alternative to plain jello.
The fruit dribbled with chocolate would be a hit! I have never heard about making the smoothie jellies that way. I would like to try them myself.
We are huge fruit eaters, favorite way to consume them is in a smoothie but that banana cupcake recipe looks absolutely amazing!
These sound like a bunch of super fun suggestions! I think my kids would like them all.
M m m m m…..cupcakes!
I have to try making the cupcakes! It’s my daughter’s safe food 🙂
The banana cupcakes sound delish!!
Homemade Chicken Nuggets and Chips would be a HUGE hit with my kids!
Really enjoyed the recipe for smoothie jelly. Thank you very much for that. The fruit kebobs are similar to something we do here at my house. My kids love it when I cut up fruit and let them dip it in chocolate melted in my fondue pot. It’s a semi-healthy and tasty fun dessert treat.
I cannot wait to try these out at my house.
These do sound delicious! Healthy doesn’t have to mean boring, and I love offering some healthier fare at parties…it’s surprising how tempting that fruit can be!
It is sometimes hard to get little ones to eat healthy. These are some great recipes that sound very yummy!
Thanks for the information, these sound YUMMY for Adults too!
All of these ideas sound great!
These are all great ideas for foods for kids and I think most adults would like them too. I have always wanted chocolate dipped fruit and I have never made it.