Family Fitness Magazine

Easter can be a difficult time if you’re trying to keep yourself and your kids on a healthy diet or if they have an allergy to chocolate. Nutritionist and Cookery Expert Christine Bailey shows how to make some delicious, healthy treats which not only taste great but will give your children hours of fun in the kitchen..

No sooner have you packed away the Christmas decorations Easter arrives in the shops – shelves crammed full of chocolates, eggs, chicks, bunnies and no endless number of sugary treats. But before you ditch your New Year resolutions or attempt to tackle hyperactive children gorging on a mountain of chocolate, why not try an alternative approach this year? It is possible to create some scrummy treats with your kids that are considerably healthier (and often cheaper!!) than the supermarket options. You can also make them dairy free or switch to chocolate alternatives if your children have allergies or you simply want a healthier option.

While it may have some health benefits there’s no getting away from it – chocolate is a high calorie/high-fat food. Typically it’s contains 30% fat, 6% protein, 61% carbohydrates and 3% moisture and minerals. Much commercial chocolate especially those marketed at children contain a large proportion of added sugars, flavourings and other additives. But chocolate in its purer form i.e. one which has a higher percentage of cocoa solids does have some nutritional good points. It is a good source of folic acid, copper, potassium and magnesium and contains smaller amounts of some B vitamins. Chocolate is also rich in antioxidants, polyphenols including flavonoids (commonly found in fruits and vegetables). You can also buy raw chocolate – un-heated cacao which is particularly rich in antioxidants, including flavonoids and heart-nurturing polyphenols.

Don’t be fooled by low-fat chocolate brands – low fat doesn’t necessarily mean low calorie. They can also taste bland and be high in sugar or sweeteners. If you suspect you or your child may be allergic to chocolate it could be due to the additives such as soy lecithin or dairy. Carob is a healthy alternative and is available in bars and powder making it an easy substitute in recipes

Easter is a great time to get your kids into the kitchen and prepare some delicious treats together. Spring is the perfect time for trying out lighter, fresher dishes – or go egg mad and make up batches of pancakes, drop scones and eggy bread.

Try these recipes on the following page or book onto my cookery course
Healthy EasterTreats for Kids on 27th March 2010

Chocolate Nut Baskets
Fill these with little chicks or other non-edible treats and get your kids involved with making them too. Simply melt some dark chocolate (100g) in a small pan with 1tsp coconut butter or use 2tsp milk and tip in 175g mixed unsalted nuts and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower seeds, chopped hazelnuts, flaked almonds, chopped mixed nuts).

Spoon into little paper cases and press down in the centre to form a hollow.
Allow to cool until set then fill with little chicks or other gifts.

> Chocolate, Almond and Coconut Fudge
> Fruity Eggy Bread