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Sweet Treats for Tots

Healthy and Sweet Ideas for Valentine's Day

By Donna Smith

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Be Sweet on Safety

And no matter if the food is sweet, salty, bitter or sour, always keep safety in the forefront. "The most important things to never offer a toddler are things that would pose a choking hazard – some of the most common are anything that is small and round – like a grape or cherry tomato – always cut these into several pieces that are not round prior to eating," O'Shea says. "Also stay away from hard candies, jelly beans, any hard fruits or vegetables, nuts, seeds, popcorn and any large chunks of food, especially those that are hard to chew or sticky."

Food allergies are another issue to keep in mind when serving toddlers any new foods. "Some common ones are milk, nuts, eggs, citrus fruits and juices, soy, fish and even strawberries and chocolate, but food allergies are on the rise and can take many different forms," O'Shea says. And she reminds parents that honey should also never be given to a child under the age of 1.

"Toddlers should also stay away from juice, and most especially from any sweetened beverages like punch or soda," O'Shea says. "Also stay away from anything that is too sweet and sticky as these will stick to a child's teeth and can cause problems even from a very young age."

Oh-so-sweet Recipe Ideas

Try these fun, healthy recipes out on your family!

Sweet-on-you Banana Split

1 banana
1/2 cup yogurt, plain or fruit-flavored
1/4 cup diced strawberries or raspberries, or a combination of both
2 tablespoons granola or other unsweetened cereal

Cut the banana in half lengthwise and place in a bowl. Top with the yogurt, then add diced fruit and sprinkle with cereal.

Strawberry Shortcake Kebobs

12 medium strawberries
12 cubes of angel food cake (store bought are fine)
6 8-inch bamboo skewers
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Alternately thread two strawberries and pound cake squares on each skewer. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, melt chips. Drizzle chocolate over kebobs. Refrigerate until set. Makes six.

Maraschino Lemonade Pops

1 jar (2 1/2 ounces) maraschino cherries
1 can (3 ounces) frozen pink lemonade concentrate, partly thawed
1 teaspoon water
2 3-ounce paper cups
2 wooden craft sticks

Put a colander or strainer in a bowl. Pour cherries into the strainer, saving the juice in the bowl. Put one whole cherry in each paper cup. Put the remaining cherries on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, carefully cut cherries into small pieces. Put chopped cherries, lemonade concentrate, water and the juice you saved from the jar of cherries in the container of an electric blender or food processor. Puree or blend until smooth. Fill paper cups with equal amounts of cherry mixture. Freeze 30 to 40 minutes, or until very slushy. Place wooden craft sticks in the center of each cup. Freeze one hour longer or until firm. To serve, peel off paper cups.

Raspberry Sherbet

5 cups raspberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Put the raspberries in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until they start to render their juices, about 10 minutes. Push this mixture through a sieve to remove seeds and set aside. Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Simmer about 10 minutes, then add the raspberry mixture and lemon juice. Cool. Once cool, fold in egg whites. Pour into an ice cream freeze and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Tofu Strawberry Mousse

8 to 10 very large strawberries, stems removed
1 1/2 pounds firm tofu
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor. Pulse until almost liquefied. Add the tofu and pulse until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar; blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. To serve, spoon into individual serving bowls. Garnish with additional sliced strawberries, if desired.


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