6 Low-Sugar Treats To Make With Your Children This Holiday Season

The holidays are a time to be together with the people you love. They also happen to be a time filled with a lot of sugar-laden treats that many of us indulge in until the new year comes.

Many parents are concerned about the amount of sugar their children eat, and it’s definitely something to think about. Sugar can have a disastrous impact on the health and wellness of the whole family if it’s not enjoyed in moderation. Of course, you don’t want to miss out on making holiday memories with your children simply because you want to skip the sugar. But don’t worry! There are plenty of low-sugar treats to make with children this time of the year. Here are some easy, kid-friendly holiday recipes the whole family can enjoy together.

Sugar And Its Impact On Health
Most people are familiar with the food pyramid, and you may notice that sugars and sweets have a very small place on it. While some sugar in the diet is acceptable, it’s easy to go overboard and consume too much, which can have an impact on your health and the health of your children.

Sugar is bad for your heart, for starters – there’s a definitive link between sugar intake and heart disease. Plus, too much added sugar in the diet can lead to issues with chronic inflammation and blood pressure, as well as weight gain. Not to mention that it’s bad for your teeth, gut health, and more! It even impacts how well the brain functions, impacting concentration and performance. Too much sugar is simply not good for you, even if it’s a vital ingredient in your favorite holiday cookie recipe.

The American Heart Association suggests that people not have more than 150 calories of added sugar per day, which is equivalent to about one can of soda. As you can see, it’s definitely easy to go overboard with the added sugars, which is why it’s so vital to think about low-sugar treats and healthy holiday snacks this season with your family.

What Treats Are Low In Sugar?
The name of the game when it comes to controlling sugar in holiday treats is to make sure they also have other important nutrients. Incorporating whole grains, yummy spices, and fruit to create some holiday magic is a wonderful way to keep the holiday spirit alive while keeping sugar consumption at a reasonable level. Here are a few low-sugar treats you can make with kids:

• Gingerbread granola – Gingerbread is a holiday staple, but you don’t have to simply enjoy it in cookie form. Mix together nuts, oats, coconut, cranberries, spices, and perhaps a small handful of dark chocolate chips (which are lower in sugar) to create a great holiday breakfast or snack.
• Cheesy trees – Use pretzel sticks, wedges of soft cheese, and chopped fresh vegetables as decorations to create a tree-shaped snack that’s quick to put together and fun for kids (and adults) of all ages!
• Frozen yogurt bark – Kids usually love yogurt, but be careful that the yogurt you choose isn’t full of added sugar. Plain Greek yogurt is a good bet for a low-sugar option. To make a frozen yogurt bark treat, simply spread some yogurt in a baking dish and top with your favorite sliced fruit, then freeze and break apart when ready to serve.
• Snowman snacks – Gather some plain rice cakes or your favorite round cracker, some cream cheese, raisins, and diced peppers (or fruit if you prefer), and assemble the perfect snowman snack.
• Strawberry Santas – Who doesn’t love Santa? OK, maybe a few small children out there (we’ve all seen those scared Santa photos), but this treat will be a hit with almost anyone! All you need is some whole strawberries, cream cheese, and bananas, stacking them together to create little Santa heads. Cute and delicious!
• Snowflake tortillas – Kids love a good dip, so give this snack a jazzy holiday kick by using a star- or snowflake-shaped cookie cutter to cut out tortillas and bake them in the oven until crispy. Kids can use these tasty shapes to scoop up their favorite hummus or other healthy dips.

Sugar-Free Holiday Candy Recipes
What would the holidays be without candy? You don’t have to leave out the sweet stuff altogether simply because you’re trying to avoid sugar. Instead, try making a few sugar-free holiday candies with your kids. Here are some ideas:

• Almond clusters – Nuts are always a great choice because they’re naturally sugar-free. Combine them with some melted sugar-free or low-sugar dark chocolate and you’ve got a winning combination.
• Peanut butter cups – Peanut butter cups are classic and surprisingly easy to make, even sugar-free. Simply layer no-sugar-added peanut butter and melted sugar-free or low-sugar chocolate in a muffin tin and place in the freezer to set. 
• Meringues – Meringues are fairly easy to make – and better still, easy to make sugar-free! Simply combine egg whites with your favorite sugar-free chocolate or other sugar-free flavoring and bake on low for a crunchy, delicious treat.
• Peanut butter coconut bites – It’s easy to find sugar-free peanut butter and flaked coconut with no sugar added to make these delicious treats!

Sugar is almost synonymous with the holidays, but there are a lot of reasons to try to limit its intake for yourself and your children. Explore some healthier, lower-sugar treats you can incorporate into your festivities this year, and you may find that you don’t need all that sweet stuff to get into the holiday spirit!

Featured image by Casey Chae on Unsplash