Child obesity is a big problem in the United States.
With the holidays approaching, what can parents do to help their children maintain a healthy weight?
- Provide healthful snacks: vegetable sticks (carrots, cucumbers, celery); fruit slices (apples, pears, orange sections), cheese cubes, whole-grain crackers.
- Watch meal portions: for example, make a habit of measuring cereal before you pour it into the bowl (most cereals call for ½ to 1 cup as a serving size); use salad plates instead of dinner plates, especially for young children…you will be less likely to serve too much…this works for adults as well.
- Keep eating out to a minimum and avoid fast-foods as much as possible: if you make food for your family yourself, you can pass on the additives and preservatives and high sodium content present in most restaurant offerings…and you will probably save money.
- Make a batch of these nutritious cookies with your child: they are high in fiber, low in sugar, salt and fat…and no preservatives or artificial colors.
OVERNIGHT COOKIES
You will need: 2 egg whites, ¼ cup sugar, 1 cup ground almonds, 1 cup raisins, large bowl, electric mixer and a lightly greased cookie sheet.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
3. Add the sugar and mix in.
4. Add the raisins and the ground almonds and fold in gently but thoroughly.
5. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 5 minutes.
7. Turn off oven.
8. If you like softer cookies, you can remove them from the oven after about 30 minutes. If you like crispier cookies, you can leave them in for an hour…or overnight.
9. This recipe makes about 12 – 18 cookies, depending on the size you drop onto the cookie sheet.
What a fun recipe to prepare with your child during this holiday season! You could even make several batches and give some away as gifts. Cooking with children is a super learning activity…science (how do the runny egg whites change when you beat them), math (fractions, counting), better pre-literacy skills (reading the labels of the egg carton, bag of sugar, etc.). Best of all, cooking with kids is one of the best ways to strengthen the parent-child connection and build their self-esteem as they master tasks and skills.
Please visit the Show Me How website where you can find out more about the book that provides many more quick and easy cooking activities for kids along with simple arts and crafts activities and story summaries of the 100 picture books every young child should hear.
The book has received praise from many mom and dad bloggers as well as picture book authors and self-esteem experts. http://areelcoolsummer.blogspot.com/2011/08/five-gold-stars-for-show-me-how.html
The New Year is almost here…make a resolution to spend 15 minutes a day, reading or crafting or cooking with your young child…the positive impact it will have on your child cannot be measured.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 
These are wonderful tips, and those cookies sound scrumptious and as easy as you said. I hope the holidays are filled with joy and blessings. Thank you for being a wonderful educator.
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Thanks, Amberr!
It is a great recipe…and thank you for the kind words. 🙂
Hope you and your family have a beautiful holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year!
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They look great . . . AND gluten free! 😀
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Thanks Nancy…for pointing out that they are gluten-free…I should put that in the title. 🙂 Happy season of love and caring and sharing. 🙂
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The recipe looks so simple… I am a not good cooker so what I need is the simple recipe! I will try out this one. Thank you vivian 🙂
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Hi Yulia,
I hope you do try it out…your little boys will enjoy watching the runny egg whites turn to stiff snow-mountain-like peaks! The cookies are a snap to make and always come out delicious. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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The cookies sound delicious and easy to make during this “busy” season.
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Hi Stacy,
Thanks for stopping by…yes, these are absolutely the easiest, quickest and one of the healthiest cookie recipes I have ever used. My husband has a sensitive gut…and he is able to eat these…no problem! Have a wonderful holiday season…Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!
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They must be delicious. I like the idea of reduced sugar goods… 🙂
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It’s really amazing how much sugar is in so many of the packaged and processed foods we buy…many manufacturers can “get away” with lower quality ingredients by bumping up the sugar and salt content. Parents really have to beware and read all labels. 🙂
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I will have to try this sometime! Thank you for sharing your ideas with us on The Sunday Showcase Have a happy New Year!
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So glad to contribute it, Aimee. Your Sunday Showcase is a wonderful resource for parents! I hope I can continue to link up and add fun activities for kids.
I’ve started a 2012 Positive Parental Participation Challenge to encourage parents to read every day with their young children. The prize will be a picture book at the end of every momth..and a special $5 discount off the price of my book. The only requirement is to comment on my blog as often as you like, telling what book you read or craft you did or recipe you made with your child/children. If you think it’s a good idea and a great way to encourage parents to read with their children, I’d love you to pass it along to the moms and dads you know. https://viviankirkfield.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/project-365-and-the-2012-positive-parental-participation-challenge/
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These are awesome!! Thanks for linking up 🙂 I have quite a few gluten free friends that will put this recipe to good use!!
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Hi Susan,
I was really happy to link up…wish I had the time to check out more linkys…they are lots of fun and a great opportunity to connect with wonderful folks. 🙂 Glad the gluten-free recipe will help others out…I make it for my husband every week.
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Yay! I found you via Susan’s linky. I am GF and am always looking for new recipes. I tend to get in a rut sometimes and my poor hubby gets so burned out. THANK YOU 🙂
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Yay! Hi Kelley! Glad you liked the recipe! I went to see your blog…WOW…what a great site and I’d love to participate in some way. I’m following your blog now. 😉 If you’ve taken a look at my website and my book, do you think it is something you might want to review and/or recommend to your readers? I’m always looking for ways to spread the word about Show Me How! because I know that it provides great themes for teachers with the picture book recommendations, quick and easy craft project and even a recipe that can be made in school (the no-cook ones) or taken home for encouraging the parent to extend the learning experience. My email is vivian@positiveparentalparticipation.com
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