Seattle's Child: Happy (Healthy) Birthday Celebrations

April 2006

Health Notes:
Happy (Healthy) Birthday Celebrations

Birthdays and other celebrations bring families and friends together, but the special foods that are central to many occasions are usually high in fat and sugar and have little nutritional value. While a healthy diet can include an occasional treat or sweet dessert, families can celebrate holidays and other special days in ways that encourage children to choose healthy and nutritious food.

Many recipes for treats and desserts can be modified to lower the fat and sugar content while increasing nutritional value by including more fruits, whole grains and vegetables. Whole-wheat waffles topped with crushed fruit or cobblers made with lightly sweetened fruits may provide important nutrients such as vitamins A and C. Also remember to consider portion sizes – cut cakes and bars into small pieces. Special toys, in place of candy, may also appeal to children.

Try making food less of a focus by centering the celebration around a new active game, an art project or a special outing.

An easy idea is to build an obstacle course from household items – chairs to climb over, boxes to crawl into or out of or around, tables to go under, pillows to jump over. Another is to plan a cotton ball relay race. How quickly can the children get a cotton ball on a spoon, carry it across the room, and drop it in a large bowl? Keep going until all the cotton balls are transferred, or set up the game with a specific time limit (30 seconds or 1 minute). Count the balls together at the end.

Anne Curtis, MSPH, is a health educator with the Child Care Health Program of Public Health – Seattle & King County.

Ideas for Your Next Celebration
(These foods are appropriate for children older than 3)

C	Carrot-apple cake (see recipe below).
E	“Egg cream” – Pour a quarter cup of skim milk into a glass. Add 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup and stir. Slowly pour in three-quarters of a cup of club soda and stir quickly for a delicious and festive drink.
L	Low fat frozen yogurt – serve in cones for special occasions.
E	Early summer fruit, such as strawberries and raspberries. Serve with a yogurt dip.
B	Banana – fresh or frozen.
R	Raisins – Small boxes are fun to eat.
A	Apples – sliced, whole or in applesauce cups.
T	Trail mix – Combine Chex® and Cheerios® cereals, pretzels, raisins, dried fruit and seeds (e.g. sunflower or pumpkin).
E	Easy orange smoothies – Blend two ice cubes, three-quarters of a cup of orange juice, 1 cup low-fat flavored yogurt, and half a banana or a half cup of berries for each smoothie.

Carrot-Apple Cake

1.5 cups whole-wheat flour
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
Half teaspoon nutmeg
Half teaspoon allspice
Quarter teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Half teaspoon baking powder
Eight egg whites
Two-thirds cup honey
Half cup packed dark brown sugar
Three-quarters cup vegetable oil
Three large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
Two medium Golden Delicious apples,
unpeeled and coarsely grated

Glaze:
2 tablespoons lemon or apple juice
One-third cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside. Sift together the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking soda and baking powder. With an electric mixer, beat together egg whites, honey, brown sugar and oil. Slowly add the flour mixture, beating until incorporated. Stir in carrots and apples. Transfer the batter to prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until cake tests done. Remove cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Stir together the lemon or apple juice and powdered sugar. Spoon over hot cake, and cool before cutting.

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