Healthy Holiday Breakfast Ideas

As a child, I loved filling every pocket of a Belgian waffle with maple syrup. On special mornings, like Christmas, I would top the little syrup swimming pools with tiny twisted-star- swirls of Redi-whip. There was something so magical about the way the syrup and whipped cream slowly melted into the walls of the waffle, creating a tender sugary breakfast delight.

I still love waffles, I still love filling the pockets with syrup and I still save the Redi-whip for special occasions, like Christmas morning.

Being a dietitian, I do try to make things a little more nutritious, even at Christmas time.

The easiest way to make any baking recipe more nutritious is to use whole wheat flour.

Whole wheat flour is healthier for two reasons:

1. It has more fiber

2. It has more nutrients

The extra fiber slows down digestion, which prevents blood sugar spikes and feeds the good bacteria in your gut.

Whole wheat waffles are just as yummy when you make them with whole wheat flour.

Here's my go-to whole wheat waffle recipe from King Arthur Flour: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/whole-wheat-waffles-recipe

I always use canola oil because it's healthier than butter, and a lot less expensive.

image source: King Arthur Flour (link above)

I'm always on the lookout for other whole wheat recipes that taste just as good as the white flour version. One of my favorite nutrition bloggers makes these whole wheat crepes for her family every Christmas: https://www.realmomnutrition.com/recipe-whole-wheat-crepes/

The recipe is also a hit at my house, no one will ever guess that they are whole wheat.

image source: Real Mom Nutrition (link above)

Lately my husband has been really into making cinnamon rolls for our family. He will probably make some for Christmas morning. It's hard to make healthy ones taste good, but this recipe looks promising, I think we will give it a try! https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/whole-wheat-30-minute-mini-cinnamon-buns-and-they-are-healthy/

Image source: Half Baked Harvest (link above)

Last I'm going to share a favorite recipe that I make all the time, but could be special for your family if you've never had it before: https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/baked-oatmeal

My kids lovingly refer to this as "oatmeal cake." The walnuts on top really make it delicious IMO. I always make it with canned pears because fresh are just too hard to get ripe.

Image source: DDInutrition.com

That's all I have for healthy breakfast recipe ideas today! I hope you time off to make some yummy breakfast recipes for your family!

See you in January!

Vanilla Milk: Hot Coco's Healthier Cousin

Did you know that the sugar in a cup of hot coco often exceeds a child's sugar limit for the day?

Look at the added sugars in this container of coco: 19g added sugars

If you add 5-6 marshmallows, the sugar content will total about 25 grams.

Remember that the limit for kids is 25 grams added sugar PER DAY.

I'm not saying that you can never have hot coco.

I love hot coco, especially with marshmallows!

What I would like you to consider is that maybe hot coco should be saved for special occasions, and should not be a daily addition to breakfast or afterschool snacks.

So what warm sweet drink can you have instead?

Vanilla milk!

My son is drinking vanilla milk in this photo. Vanilla milk is the go-to hot drink at our house, I call it coco's healthier cousin.

Vanilla milk meets that need for warmth without all the added sugar.

Here's how you make it:

1. Microwave a mug full of milk until warm.

2. Stir in vanilla extract and a tiny bit of almond extract (just a drop).

3. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon sugar.

Stir and enjoy.

If you start out serving this when your kids are young, they will come to love vanilla milk and enjoy it all their days. If you've only ever served hot coco, vanilla milk might taste bland to them.

Give it time.

My older kids warmed up to vanilla milk after I stopped buying hot coco. Now hot coco is something I save for special occasions!

Let me know what you think if you try it!

Happy Holidays!

Healthy, Fun & Inexpensive Holiday Snacks for Kids

I love making Christmas cookies. Making sugar cookie dough, rolling it out, cutting it out into snowflakes and Christmas trees.......holiday baking is the best.

Unfortunately, too much holiday baking leaves me feeling yucky.

And I don't want to feel yucky.

So I came up with a few fun + healthy snack ideas that involve cookie cutters, Christmas trees and fun.....but no yucky feelings.

A healthy snack will always include a protein and a complex carbohydrate (like fruit or whole grain....not sugar or white flour). I hope you enjoy.

#1 Kiwi Tree

You could add pomegranate seeds for lights. Serve with yogurt for the protein.

#2 Cracker and Cheese Cutouts

You could add red and green olives for more decor...but I don't usually have those on hand.

The only crackers I buy for older kids are "hint of salt" Triscuits. They are lower in salt and higher in fiber than other crackers. These are a choking risk for kids 2 and under.

For kids 2 and under, I recommend whole wheat ritz type of crackers. They are less of a choking risk. Aim to buy crackers that are high in fiber and low in salt. Buying unflavored varieties usually helps.

#3 Pear Polar Bear

The polar bear is playing in cottage cheese snow and has banana + raisin ears and paws. So cute, so easy, so healthy.

If you have young children, get into the habit now of having healthy snacks....and get into the habit of making them fun!

See you next week with another healthy holiday snack idea.

Nicole