Baking is one of life’s most simple pleasures, no matter how old you get. It’s therapeutic, it’s satisfying, and it’s also a fantastic way to bond with your preschool child while teaching them valuable life skills.

But baked goods do have a bit of a reputation for being full of sugar and fat, and in general, not being the most healthy of choices. And while many children tend to have a sweet tooth, we know you want to make sure that they grow up to be healthy (and preferably not too dependent on a consistent sugar supply!).

So, we thought it would be useful to demonstrate how you can continue the joyful activity of baking with your little one, while keeping their sweet treats more nutritionally balanced!

5 tips for healthy baking with your child

Replace sugary frosting with fruit or spices

We know how much kids love sugary frosting on baked goods like cakes and cookies. But if you’re looking for a healthier alternative that also tastes really good, then you can try replacing the sugary frosting with a variety of options. For example, try topping cakes with sliced fresh fruits, pureed fruit, or perhaps a dusting of cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or powdered ‘sweet’ spices like nutmeg or cinnamon. This is also a great way to open up your child’s palate to some more variety early on!

Experiment with using less sugar or sugar alternatives

This may sound like it might not be particularly effective, but you’d be surprised what a difference it can make! When it comes to using less sugar in cakes and cookies, for each cup of flour use ½ cup of sugar, or for muffins and quick breads, use 1 teaspoon of sugar for each cup of flour.

Sugar alternatives such as stevia or aspartame are almost calorie-free, and although they don’t function in exactly the same way as sugar in baked goods, they still taste delicious when added to cookies and cakes. So give them a try and see what your little one thinks!

Enhance sweetness with ‘sweet’ spices

Warm foods like baked goods are ideal for enhancing sweetness with extracts and so-called ‘sweet’ spices. This is because peppermint, almond, lemon, orange, vanilla, and other such sweet extracts get their concentrated flavours from aromatic substances. Fragrant spices such as cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mace, and nutmeg also enhance the sweet, natural flavours in other ingredients, making perfect additions to a fun baking session with your child. The variety of spices you can choose from also gives your child a chance to experiment and try out something new.

Experimenting with baked desserts

If you and your preschool child want to bake a yummy (but health-conscious!) dessert, there are a few ways you can reduce the amount of sugar and fat. For example, if you wanted to bake a gelatin dessert, rather than opting for flavoured gelatin (which tends to contain a lot of sugar), dissolve unflavoured gelatin in fruit juice and then use a sugar alternative. You could also try shifting the proportion of sugar in fruit desserts by baking an apple, peach or pear in fruit juice and adding any ‘sweet’ spice. Try topping with crumbled gingersnaps, as the warm temperature of the dessert will enhance the flavour of this delicious spice.

Remember that sugar and fats in moderation are perfectly fine!

We’ve covered some great suggestions for baking in a health-conscious way with your kids. However, it’s important to remember that having a sweet treat with real sugar is absolutely fine once in a while. Life is all about balance, so don’t feel bad for giving them a red velvet cupcake or a chocolate chip cookie during birthdays, celebrations, or when you feel a treat is deserved.

How can I teach my child to bake healthy recipes?

Love the process, says Unii.