According to Eat Out Eat Well, 58 million pounds of chocolate are purchased for Valentine's Day each year, as well as millions of heart-shaped chocolate boxes. While you would probably rather have your child forgo all treats on this day, it's probably not possible. However, if you purchase your child a regular chocolate bar or a chocolate box, he or she may be tempted to eat it all in one sitting. An entire box of chocolates could easily range between 300 to 1000 calories of empty nutritional value! Here are some ideas for treats that will be fun for your child and slightly more healthy.
Kinder Chocolate Bars
The Kinder brand is a confectionery line by the Italian company Ferrero. They have many different bars that are lower in calories. For instance, the Kinder Bueno bar is only about 120 calories and has a lower sugar, sodium, and cholesterol content, compared to other candy bars. These bars are also wrapped individually, in a single serving, so your child can have one at a time, instead of an entire box.
You could also look into Kinder Surprise eggs. These chocolate eggs are special because inside the egg, your child will find a fun toy to play with. While your child will certainly appreciate the chocolate, the toy inside can really make Valentine's Day fun and special! Just keep in mind that Kinder surprise eggs are not appropriate for very young children, since the toys inside could be a choking hazard.
Lastly, Kinder chocolate bars are great because they don't contain artificial dyes. Forbes says there is a lot of controversy over whether artificial dyes are toxic and cause behavioral problems in children.
Kudos Bars
Kudos bars are granola bars that have some chocolate, like M&Ms, mixed in. Like Kinder bars, they are low on calories, so your child won't ruin his or her appetite for the day. Kudos bars are also a good source for calcium. Again, while your child won't be getting a ton of nutrients, this is certainly a healthier option than an entire box of chocolates.
Organic Dark Chocolate Bars
If your child isn't a picky eater, then dark chocolate is the way to go. Dark chocolate is considered to be the healthiest chocolate choice. Dark chocolate is beneficial because it
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is rich with antioxidents that destroy free radicals
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improves cholesterol levels
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improves heart health
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lowers blood pressure
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stabilizes blood sugar
You could make a small dark chocolate cookie at home, as a fun activity with your child. You can melt the chocolate inside of a cookie cutter, with grease on the inside, and then let it chill and harden for about 15 minutes in the fridge.
As you can see, you don't have to dread sugar comas on Valentine's Day. There are many fun treats that will satisfy your child's cravings but that won't give them a bellyache for the rest of the day.
For more information, talk to companies like Zest U.S.
