Do you know a fun recipe for pre-school kids with no sugar and minimal starch?

Question

I need a fun, easy recipe for pre-school kids to prepare. It can't have any sugar (or stuff with sugar in it) and should include only a minimal amount of starch. We've done fruit kabobs a lot - so if you know of something other than that - especially something that might require baking or cooking - that would be great.

I don't have anything against sugar. BUT - when you work in a pre-school environment - you are forever trying to keep the sugar down to a minimum. Everything in moderation. And just for the record - sugar has .10 of 1% of any kind of nutrition in it for you. It's empty calories. If it didn't have that very little tiny bit of nutrition - it would have to be listed with the FDA as a drug. So while I don't think sugar is really harmful to kids - if they are eating it - the kids are not taking in other healthy calories. So please - in trying to please parents and keep sugar to a minimum - I'm asking for non sugar recipes. I have PLENTY of recipes with sugar in them. Thank you.

Answer 1

I've made these with my son's Kindergarten and they loved them. And I felt good knowing they were not getting a sugary snack like you mentioned... If you think it is too much for your preschoolers you can prepare part ahead of time. Such as adding the dry ingredients together then letting them help with the remaining ingredients.

Biscuit Sticks
2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup shortening
2/3 Cup shredded cheese, cheddar
1/2 Cup chopped ham
3/4 Cup milk
Add the dry ingredients together. Then add in the shortening and mix together until mixture is crumbly. Stir in cheese and ham and then milk. Dough should be soft. Knead several minutes. Than pat dough into a square onto cookie sheet. Cut into sticks and bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Hope you like them-we sure do!
Debbie
http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com

Answer 2

I had a project in a class similar to this one. I made "Strawberry Shortcakes" At home I made the strawberry shortcake. I made an angel food cake out of the box and baked it in a rectangular pan. Then when the cake has cooled you pour over strawberry jello mix. But first you must prepared the jello according to the instructions. (Which I think is to simply add water to the powder). In class I brought strawberries (already cut up and cleaned), cool whip or canned whipped cream, and the cake. I also brought plastic cups and forks. I used a round cookie cutter and cut pieces of the cake out. I placed some strawberries in the bottom of the cup, then a round of the cake, then more strawberries and then topped it with the whipped cream. You can use whatever order you want. I'm not sure if this will work for you because you can't use an oven. I wasn't sure if that just meant no oven in the classroom. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Answer 3

Do you have anything against sugar or is that restraint an operational one?
There is a chocolate candy which is very popular in Brazil called "Brigadeiro".
You use 1 can of condensed milk, two table spoons of chocolate powder or cocoa, one tea spoon of butter. Mix the ingredients in a pot, take it to the stove and cook it, stirring it all the time, until the mixture is thick and detaches from the bottom of the pan.
Set this dough on a plate ointed with butter and let it cool.
Here comes the fun part: children pick one tea spoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Here we do the finishing rolling the chocolate ball or a plate with chocolate granulate.
They can spoon eat it also.
I don't see why people are so concerned with children eating suger, unless they have any sort of disease.
Sugar is energy, and children need a lot of it.

Answer 4

In Australia we have one called damper.

All you need is a cup of self raising flour, teaspoon of salt and water.

Mix the self raising flour and salt.

add water until the mix is like pizza dough.

Put on a flat tray.

Place tray in preheated oven until damper is golden brown.

Take out of oven when it is done and slice while it is still warm and apply butter, peanut butter or melted cheese to taste.

Always popular when we were kids.

Another one you can try is celery sticks, carrot sticks with salsa dip or guacamole

Answer 5

For a fun twist, you can make Rocky Road Fudge by stirring in nuts and mini-marshmallows.

4½ cups sugar
12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup butter
7 ounces marshmallow cream
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup marshmallows
1 cup chopped nuts (if desired)
2 cups mini-marshmallows (if desired)
In a large mixing bowl or food processor, combine butter, marshmallow cream, chocolate chips, and ½ cup marshmallows. Set aside.
In a saucepan combine sugar and milk. Cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Boil and stir for 8 minutes.
Pour boiled mixture into mixing bowl containing other ingredients and beat until creamy. Stir in nuts and/or mini-marshmallows if desired.
Pour into a 9 X 13 tin foil lined pan and allow to cool. (Although, our kids can’t wait that long and each grab a large spoon and scoop out the warm gooey stuff .)

Email me for better recipes I'm a cook and I have two pre-school kides to.