Healthy Advent Calendars for Children
The Christmas holiday too often induces a holiday away from healthy eating. Delicious treats dripping with sugars and syrups take over. Kids are bombarded with sweets everywhere they turn. Dentists for children absolutely cringe at the thought.
Here’s a list of 5 healthy alternative Advent calendars for your young ones this Christmas.
5 Healthy Alternatives:
Whether you’re looking for a nativity, snowman, or Santa scene, there is no end to the various sweet chocolate-packed and gummy bear-filled Advent calendars. But what if children could experience surprise and anticipation in a different way? You’ll be hard-pressed to find an Advent calendar with edible, health-conscious goodies. Maybe some of these ideas will at least inspire you as you do your best to keep your family healthy this holiday season.
1. A Spot of Tea
Do you have a little tea-lover in your midst? Although regular tea drinking can lead to stained teeth, an Advent calendar’s worth of tea won’t. Teas actually bear antioxidants that protect teeth and promote a healthy mouth. Advent calendars like these are widely available in stores and online. If you are concerned about staining, encourage your child to sip through a straw and drink a cup of water immediately following tea time.
2. DIY Options for You & Yours
After a quick search for healthy advent calendars, you will find that there are very few edible alternatives out there. Perhaps the best choice for your child is a calendar that you personally fill with healthy, homemade treats. Stunning wood-carved Christmas tree calendars and even paper sacks with stickers allow you to control what kids discover behind tiny doors or within their bags. Plentiful, healthy recipes may be found on Pinterest and other sites. Bliss Balls, packed with delicious superfoods, are perfect, small delights.
3. Smile & Say Cheese
You’ll have to travel or know someone willing to ship you a package from the UK in order to have this Advent calendar. From the blog “So Wrong It’s Nom” comes the one and only Cheese Advent Calendar! If you can get your hands on one or some of these gems for your young ones, you’ll be providing them with calcium instead of sugary candy. Cheese is also a known saliva-maker, which will help your children’s mouths fight off bacteria. Some studies even suggest cheeses prevent cavities!
4. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
Did we say no chocolate? All children are different, so if yours love the bitter richness, you can certainly find Advent calendars containing dark chocolate. Look for chocolates with at least 65% cocoa so that they’re not loaded with fat and sugar. If caffeine worries you, because an Advent calendar offers such small portions, kids will, of course, have this in moderation. Some of you probably already allow your children a dark chocolate treat occasionally or maybe even routinely. Now is your chance to bring the snack into an exciting tradition.
5. More of a Mental Kind of Health
If you want to depart from edible delights altogether, that is certainly possible in the Advent calendar market. You can find calendars that incorporate puzzles, colouring pages, Christmas decorations, ornaments, stationery, pop-up storybooks, and more. This may, indeed, be one of the best options for your children. So many unhealthy Advent calendars exist. Toys, trinkets, and activities are exciting for kids as well.
Happy, Healthy Holiday!
To end on a similar note, don’t forget to make regular dentist visits with your children. Contact us to schedule checkups and appointments. Give your family the gift of healthy gums and smiles. Let this be a season of anticipating Christmas instead of cavities, and give JC Dental a call today.