When it comes to enabling good habits in kids, the general recommendation is to practice what you preach, since kids learn more from what you do than what you say. Unfortunately, they also pick up your quirks too! While I try my best to eat healthy so that my kids follow suit, one food that I just can’t seem to adopt are dates! And like good children, my kids have decided that they don’t like what Mommy doesn’t like, and have declared war on dates.
Now dates are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, especially for growing kids, so completely eliminating them from our diet is not an option. So, this leaves me always on the lookout for recipes where I can sneak in dates somehow, without my kids finding out. And an easy way to get this done is by making date syrup. Yes, you’ll get ready made syrup in stores, but we already know about all the additives in supermarket brands. And why would you go for those, when you can make it so easily at home with just two ingredients – dates and water! This syrup is great to pour over waffles, pancakes, ice cream, roti, bread – anything at all!
If you’d like to know how and when you can start feeding your baby dates, check out this post. For more recipes for kids that feature dates, scroll down to the end of this post.
Benefits of dates
- Loosens bowels and fights constipation
- Rich source of iron, prevents anemia in babies
- High in minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium as well as in Vitamin A
- Good source of dietary fiber
How to make Dates Syrup for Babies
Ingredients
- Dates – 1/2 kg
- Water – as required
Method
1. Chop the dates into small pieces to reduce the cooking time. If you are using seeded dates, de-seed them first.
2. Put the chopped dates into a pan and add water to completely submerge them.
3. Allow it to boil on a medium flame till you get a thick, syrupy consistency.
4. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Transfer to a jar with a tight lid.
There you go – super easy and delicious!! Not to mention 100% free of additives and preservatives. Now go ahead and enjoy all your treats with some extra natural sweetness!
- Dates - ½ kg
- Water - as required
- Chop the dates into small pieces to reduce the cooking time. If you are using seeded dates, de-seed them first.
- Put the chopped dates into a pan and add water to completely submerge them.
- Allow it to boil on a medium flame till you get a thick, syrupy consistency.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool. Transfer to a jar with a tight lid.
1. Dry Fruit Balls for Toddlers
2. Paneer Kheer
You can buy homemade cookies made with dates from our store:
1. Mutigrain Eggless Foxtail Millet Cookies with Figs and Dates