The summer holidays have begun, the kids are off school. It wont be long before the chorus of “Im bored?”, “is it lunch time yet?” “can i have a snack?” “Can we spend your whole weeks wages on one day out?”. No matter how much us parents plan for, the summer holidays are a very long and grueling six weeks that make us so grateful of our children’s right to an education. Baking with kids.
Across the internet there are a plethora of suggestions on how to keep your kids entertained over the summer, I’m sure that baking with kids or getting them to help cook dinner is on every 6 weeks of summer survival guide. Of course, if baking is something you like to do with your kids, feeding them full of sugar and butter all summer may not be in their best interest…or yours either come to think of it… run and hide from those sugar rushes! Here’s a list of healthier baking alternatives that are super yummy and nice and simple great for the young ones. I’ve even thrown in a couple of alternative instructions to make your kids love baking even more!
1. Chocolate Avocado Muffins
My son cant get enough of these muffins, nor can I, nor can my friends. When I say they’re a game changer they’re the biggest game changer of all time. In this recipe, the traditional butter in muffins is replaced with avocado. Yes, that’s right, these muffins are made with vegetables and you would never know. Not only do they taste as good as regular chocolate muffins but they rise as well too. If your making these with children i would recommend sticking to regular cocoa powder instead of cacao (details on substituting in recipe) as cacao can be a little bitter on young tongues. Not only does this recipe scrap the high fat content but it actually is lower in sugar too as sugar is substituted for maple syrup.
2. Yogurt Bark
Yogurt bark is a great make for kids because its so easy! It doesn’t actually require any baking but it does need a couple of hours in the freezer so bare that in mind when organizing your day. My recommendation would be to make these in the evening and tell the kids they can have it for breakfast, that way, you don’t have to hear “Is it ready yet?” for 3 hours straight. And yes, you can have dessert for breakfast because fat free greek yogurt is a really healthy option!
3. Spaghetti and Meatballs
If your kids more of a savoury lover then why not get them to help out making dinner with this super easy and simple meatball recipe that can be made with even the smallest of hands. This is also a great opportunity to teach them about food safety and washing hands after touching raw meat. Spaghetti and meat balls is a favourite for all ages so your children will enjoy eating this meal just as much as they enjoy making it.
4. Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
These Peanut Butter Oat Cookies are packed full of nutrient rich ingredients. Yes, that’s right! healthy cookies! Peanut butter is a healthy fat and great source of Vitamin E. Cacao is high in magnesium, the chocolate alternative that you can eat plenty of even on a low calorie diet! Even the oats contribute to this healthy snacks advantages. Oats are super filling. They’re full of fiber so you could even have these cookies for breakfast with a piece of fruit. What a great way to start the day!
5. Maple Nut Brittle
This Maple Nut Brittle was a very happy accident I created whilst trying to come up with a good cereal bar recipe. This vegan recipe was way too nutty to be a true cereal bar but it makes a great snack that never lasts long in our house and it’s great for the kids to make.
6. Oil-free Focaccia
This focaccia recipe was designed for people like myself who don’t respond well to oil but you would never know this recipe is any different from other focaccia recipes as it tastes just as good. It’s a super simple bread to make and kids will love decorating the tops with various vegetables.
7. Skinny Muffins
These skinny Muffins currently come in three slightly different recipes. The one linked is a skinny blueberry muffin but you will also find recipes for skinny cheese muffins and skinny raspberry muffins but they all have the same base recipe. These muffins are much healthier and lower calorie than traditional recipes so perfect for kids with big appetites.
So now you have 7 great recipes to do some baking with kids and keep them entertained and with full tummies during the summer holidays this year. Happy baking!
