10 Christmas snacks that won’t send them bouncing off the walls

Christmas has a knack for turning even the sweetest children into sugar-crazed whirlwinds bouncing off the walls. You know the pattern – they’re perfectly happy munching on chocolate coins one minute, and then having a complete meltdown over nothing the next – and unable to settle, unable to listen or just completely wired.

This is blood sugar chaos. And those sweet Christmas treats can spike their glucose levels sky high and then crash them back down, leaving you to pick up the pieces with a child who’s exhausted, emotional and hangry, despite eating constantly.

The good news is that you can still make Christmas delicious and fun without the sugar spikes. And, the answer isn’t deprivation or boring food, it’s just being a bit cleverer about what you offer them. Here are some of my most popular kid-friendly Christmas snack recipes that balance sweetness with protein, fibre and healthy fats, keeping their mood steady and their tummies happy.

What a blood sugar high and low looks like

When kids eat sugary snacks on their own without the balance of protein and healthy fats, their blood sugar levels rise quickly and then plummet just as quickly. This can trigger irritability, fatigue and even more food cravings. By pairing carbohydrates with protein and healthy fats, you slow down digestion, stabilise their blood sugar and you will likely see much calmer behaviour.

A blood sugar high often shows up as a sudden burst of energy and your kids may seem excitable, hyperactive and even a little giddy. They may also find it hard to settle down and fall asleep at night if they eat sugar later in the day.

But this is usually short-lived, and when their blood sugar crashes, you might notice mood swings, tears, irritability, or even a full-on meltdown. Some children become clingy or complain of feeling tired and hungry again, even if they’ve just eaten.

How protein and healthy fats help

Protein and healthy fats act like a buffer for your child’s blood sugar. They slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, preventing those sharp spikes and dips.

When a child eats enough protein and healthy fats, this can mean steadier energy, better concentration, and fewer emotional ups and downs.

Luckily, Mother Nature has created nutrient-dense foods which contain a wonderful balanced mix of protein and healthy fats together. These include eggs, cheese, nut butter, seeds, chicken, turkey, or yoghurt and adding them to their snacks can make a huge difference to how your child feels throughout the day.

Ten blood-sugar friendly Christmas snack ideas

Here are some of my favourite snack ideas to feed your kids over Christmas and new year. They are all from my recipe blog and some are totally simple no-cook recipes. You’ll notice that some are sweet treats. How can that be blood-sugar friendly, you may ask? Well, they all have lower glycemic index than standard equivalents. So while it would be better not to have sweet treats, I know you sometimes have to be practical, and these will spike blood sugar less than shop bought ones. That way you can manage their ups and downs better, while not getting accused of being a Christmas Grinch with the goodies!

1. Pomegranate & Pea Christmas Trees – whizz up my spiced pea dip and use a Christmas tree cutter to make shapes out of wholemeal wraps, then decorate with pomegranate seeds.
2. Orange Choccy Christmas Puds – you can get your kids to decorate, these no-bake little balls of goodness. They are so cute and taste amazing.
3. Figgy Father Christmases – these mini Santas will put a smile on their face and make a wonderful Christmassy twist to chocolate-dipped strawberries. 
4. Christmas Chocolate Fudge Treats – not only is this fudge irresistible, but it is also free from all the main allergen ingredients, so this fudge is perfect to serve if you have a child with allergies to cater for in your household or visiting for Christmas.
5. Chia, Sunflower Seed & Pomegranate Dip – this creamy dip is the perfect party pleaser, and it is super quick and easy to make. Serve with lots of crunchy veg sticks.
6. Chocolate Coins – Christmas is not Christmas without choccie coins, and these ones are packed with nuts, seeds and goji berries for a scrumptious and nutritious treat.
7. Christmas In A Cookie – enjoy these soft and delicious cookies with a lovely orange spice. They store really well in the freezer.
8. Cream Cheese & Pomegranate Logs – these little Christmas ‘logs’ are made from three simple ingredients you probably have in your fridge already, and are super quick to rustle up.
9. Chestnut Swirl Brownies – soft and squidgy with a chestnut swirl through the dough, these brownies are sublime and can again be baked ahead and stored in the freezer.
10. Chewy Florentine Biscuits – sweet and squidgy with all those Christmas flavours in one. Always a winner in the Miller household!

Round up

Christmas is meant to be fun-filled, but some kids go bananas when they are on a sugar rush, and this can stifle everyone else’s Christmas mood. Now, armed with these recipes, you can actually enjoy Christmas knowing you’ve done your bit to keep everyone’s blood sugar steady, and they won’t be bouncing off the walls in a heady sugar rush.

Thank you so much for being part of the NatureDoc family this year. Your support means absolutely everything to us, and we are so grateful for spreading the word about NatureDoc to your friends and family.