With a shift in routine, increased access to snacks and a change of environment, it’s no surprise that children’s diets change during the summer break. Busy parents know that it’s tough to keep things in moderation and easy to hand over ice creams and sweets to stop your kids haranguing you. But there are ways to enjoy treats and stay healthy over the summer. Nutritional therapist, Amber Silverman, offers six tips to avoid new levels of sugar addiction and prevent trips to the dentist and doctor at the end of summer.
The leading nutritional therapist who has an Instagram following of over 33k followers will be speaking at Mini Mozart’s summer programme. The programme runs throughout the summer ending on 31st August and features a stellar listing of experts advising on all aspects of family life and health. Follow the link here for the full line-up and bookings can be made here.
Here she shares her strategies on how families can eat their way to good health over the summer:
1) Start as you mean to go on – come up with your family rules for the holiday that everyone agrees on
- One treat a day is enough. Pick something you love and really enjoy it.
- Balance things out. If you had ice cream yesterday, try fruit kebabs or yogurt today. Still fun, just a bit more balanced.
- Ask before diving into the snack stash. It’s important to ask first so that everyone knows what’s going on.
- Slow down and enjoy it. Sit down and really taste what you’re eating without rushing and scoffing.
- Group treats = group choice. If we’re sharing whilst watching a movie we all get a say in what we pick.
- Save sugary food for earlier in the day to prevent sugar highs and hyperactive kids before bedtime.
2) Focus your time on good swaps, moving from processed sugar to healthier homemade options
These tasty treats can be enjoyed by the whole family:
- Homemade lollies – blend your favourite fruits and pour into lolly holders. Get creative by making rainbow colours by filling one layer at a time and freezing in between. Kiwi, melon and strawberry work well.
- Try strawberries and banana dipped in melted dark chocolate.
- Melon medleys – kids love fruit cut up for them! It’s so enticing and you can use all the lovely colours of water, honeydew and cantaloupe.
- Homemade popcorn with cinnamon and icing sugar (only need a tiny bit to get a sweet taste).
- Healthy chocolate mousse
- Chocolate peanut butter dates
- Homemade bounty bar (see below for recipe)
3) Savoury treats are much better for kids and help to avoid sugar completely. You could alternate days of sweet and savoury snacks, encouraging them to enjoy different tastes (whilst also keeping sugar highs in check)
- Cheese and chia seed scones.
- Homemade hummus – quick and easy to blend up a tin of chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon and water or go one step further and soak dried chickpeas overnight.
- Edemame beans are a brilliant handy freezer food that kids.
- Nuts and seeds are quick and easy snacks that will provide nutritious energy and are perfect for a day out.
4) Food doesn’t have to be the only treat that is on the “menu”
- A fun outing
- A later bedtime
- Visit to the local pool or seaside
- Dress up sleepover with a friend
- Camping in the garden
- Making time with mum or dad having one to one time
5) With summer getting off to a sweltering start in the UK, making sure your kids stay well hydrated is important for their overall health and energy levels
- If you let your kids drink fizzy drinks then keep them to a minimum and always make sure they have drunk water first.
- Add slices of orange, lemon, cucumber or strawberries to your water to give it a naturally fruity flavour.
- If your kids aren’t great at drinking water there are lots of fruit and vegetables that have over 90% water content: watermelon, cucumber, radishes, celery, citrus, tomatoes to name a few.
- If you’re out and about and looking for refreshment, coconut water is incredibly hydrating and a great option to steer kids away from fizzy drinks.
6) Use the holiday as an opportunity to upgrade your family eating habits. There is less pressure and more time so cook with your kids, try different foods, go shopping with them, make “fake aways,” experiment and make healthy eating a priority.
- Try one new food or cuisine each week of the holiday – have a special cooking day booked in the diary. Mexican, Italian, Indian, American, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern are all deliciously fun.
- Make your own pizza – kneading dough adds some science and who doesn’t love adding their own toppings?
- Pesto sauce is a delicious and simple sauce to make in a blender. The taste upgrade is worth it and adding raw garlic into your diet is an excellent way to fight off any infections
- Air fryers are a quick and easy way to make healthy crispy food, including homemade chips of course!
- When breakfast is more leisurely in the holidays or even the weekends, making homemade pancakes is a delicious alternative to cereal and toast – why not try this simple, nutritious pancake that might even become a staple in your family (recipe below):
Amber will be sharing more tips at Mini Mozart’s summer programme. Book your place here
Flourless Pancakes
Made with eggs, oats, banana & chia seeds but WITHOUT flour! The chia seeds in these pancakes are so important as they are high in omega 3 fats. Good fats are a vital part of optimal health and vitality.
Recipe for one person:
Whisk 1 egg
Mash half a banana
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 spoon chia seeds
1/4 cup oats
Whisk together.
You can leave the batter for 5 mins, overnight, or cook immediately giving you flexibility. Fry for a minute each side or until golden brown. I like to use coconut oil or ghee. Serve with berries, yoghurt, fruit compote or whatever makes you happy!
Homemade Bounty Bar
Ingredients:
150g dark chocolate
50g coconut oil
100g coconut cream
100g desiccated coconut
Instructions:
- Melt coconut oil in a pan.
- Add the coconut milk and desiccated coconut to the oil and stir well.
- Line a small dish with cling film and add coconut mixture.
- Pat down flat and place in freezer for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and cut into small bite size pieces.
- Prepare a board with grease proof paper ready to place your bars on.
- Melt the chocolate, in a bowl over hot water.
- Dip each piece of coconut bite gently into the melted chocolate allowing excess to drip off.
- Place on prepared board and leave to set.
- Store in fridge and eat as an after dinner treat or a cheeky snack.