I am a mom of twins. My boys’ have a July 1st birthday… too late for school celebrations but often too soon for a camp party. This was the scenario this year. In a moment of birthday celebration frustration, I needed to find a solution to birthday treats. You see, all June, July, and August birthdays at school are celebrated the last 3 days of class… along with the end of year celebrations. That is A LOT of cupcakes!
The average class size in NY is 23 students (National Center for Education Development). Assum ing each student celebrates their birthday at school, that’s 23 cupcakes, the added holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christ mas, Valentine’s Day), special events (100th Day of School, Book Parties, and End of Year Celebrations), and unexpected extras, and you have more that 35 celebrations a year! If each party includes a cupcake, cookies, or other treats, that’s 35 treats total, or one snack per school day 7 weeks.
Many schools (Hyde Park Schools included) are asking for help in cutting back on sugar. So what do you send?
Here are some healthier options:
Popcorn: Have your child decorate paper cups, small paper bags, or take-out boxes with stickers or markers and then fill with popcorn.
Yogurt Parfaits: In clear plastic cups, layer vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit such as blueberries, strawberries or bananas. (Don’t forget the spoons).
Mini muffins: Carrot, blueberry, and banana are all great choices. Use whole-wheat flour.
Banana or Zucchini: Slice and sprinkle with Confectioner’s Sugar.
Fresh Fruit Skewers: Skewer Apple Slices, Orange Segments, Grapes, Strawberries and other Fruit for a sweet kabob.
Dips: Hummus or Guacamole are great served with whole-grain chips, carrot and celery sticks, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and other fresh Veggies.
Berries with fresh whipped cream: Fill Cupcake Wrappers with any mixture of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Cinnamon Chips with Fruit Salsa: Take wheat flour tortillas and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle the tortillas with cinnamon sugar; cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp. For the fruit salsa, combine chopped apples, strawberries, kiwis, pineapple and blackberries with a little sugar and lime juice. Serve salsa in mini plastic cups.
Dark Chocolate Dipped Fruits, Pretzels or Popcorn: If you use a true dark chocolate, 75% cocoa or higher, it will be low in sugar and high in antioxidants. When melting the chocolate it is best to place a pan over boiling water and let the chocolate melt slowly, this will help in avoiding burning. Never mix milk or water with the chocolate. Though you may find it speeds up the melting time the result will be “tacky” chocolate that never fully dries. Also, keep in mind dark chocolate has a strong taste and should be used sparingly.
Any one of the choices above are sure to be a hit with both students and staff! And, hey I love to hear from my readers! If you’ve got a great, healthy, inventive snack idea let me know! If you leave your social media information I’ll even give you a shout-out in one of our posts.