What does healthy food mean to you? Vegetables and fruits? How about your child’s favorite treats? We all want our children to eat healthy, but giving up sweets may not be fun or even realistic for many people. But it IS possible to enjoy healthy food while still treating yourself. A few simple ideas and some creativity will help you and your child enjoy snacks and meal times!
There are a lot of items that keep you warm and cozy during a cold winter. A cup of hot chocolate is absolutely one of them! Although you might think that the sugar content in hot chocolate is bad for your health, hot chocolate can actually be very healthy. A cup of hot chocolate has much more antioxidants than tea and has much less fat content per serving, compared to a bar of chocolate. However, a lot of commercial hot chocolate mixes often have artificial ingredients and a high level of added sugar, which can offset the health benefits that a good cup of hot chocolate offers.
So, why don’t we just make one?
Making healthful hot chocolate is quick and easy. Play around with the recipe below and get the just the right flavor for your taste!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk (You can also use soy milk or almond milk)
- 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- ¼ teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey OR 3 pitted dried prunes, dates, or any other dried fruits.
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients together. If you are using dried fruits to sweeten the hot chocolate, put the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Gently heat in a pot on a stove.
The Power of Play 