Christmas is quickly approaching—a time for sparkling lights, happy gatherings, and the irresistible aroma of freshly baked Christmas treats and cookies.
It’s without a doubt the most wonderful time of the year for kids.
While it may seem impossible to balance the delicious Christmas treats with the need to control blood glucose levels (BGL), with a little creativity everything is possible.
This post offers 10 Christmas treats that have been carefully chosen to delight kids with type 1 diabetes with minimal effects on their BGL.
The Food Holidays
Thanksgiving and Christmas are two family-centered holidays that revolve around food. They’re all about sharing a meal with your loved ones, which can be difficult for people with diabetes who may have special dietary requirements (or at least, dietary preferences).
With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s time for parents to start thinking of ways to include their children with diabetes in these celebrations by thinking of treats and meals that they’ll enjoy while still maintaining the holiday spirit.
But it’s not only about what foods they eat, it’s up to parents to also guide their children through portion control, stress moderation and any other factors present during this season that can impact diabetes control.
With that said, let’s take a look at some diabetes-friendly options to substitute your usual Christmas treats.
10 Kid-Friendly Christmas Treats to Try This Year
1. Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
- Unsweetened almond milk- 2 cups
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – 2 tbsp
- Powdered erythritol or stevia – 1 tbsp
- Vanilla extract – 1/2 tsp
- A pinch of salt
Preparation
- Warm the almond milk in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Mix the sweetener and cocoa powder thoroughly in a different bowl.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder mixture gradually into the warm almond milk. Keep whisking until the cocoa has completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt.
- Transfer the hot cocoa into a Christmas-themed mug.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 30 kcal
- Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
2. Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – 2 ½ cup
- Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
- Salt – 1/4 tsp
- Ground ginger – 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon – 1 tsp
- Ground cloves – 1/2 tsp
- Unsalted butter, softened – 1/2 cup
- Granulated erythritol or stevia – 1/4 cup
- Egg – 1
- Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Beat the erythritol (or stevia) and softened butter together in a large mixing bowl until fluffy and light.
- Add the egg and the vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
- Mix until a dough forms and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. To make the dough less sticky, you can add a small amount of flour.
- Split the dough in half, flatten each into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and let it chill for a minimum of 60 minutes.
- After chilling, cut it out with cookie cutters and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool and serve.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 80 kcal
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
3. Snowman Cheese Sticks
Ingredients
- Cheese sticks – 4
- Small black olives – 8
- Medium-sized carrots – 2
- Small pretzel sticks – 4
- Cream cheese or hummus for “glue”
Preparation
- Cut one of the cheese sticks in half.
- Using one whole cheese stick as the base and stack half a stick on top. Then add the other half on top of the first half.
- Cut tiny pieces of black olive for eyes and buttons.
- Use a small amount of cream cheese or hummus onto the snowman’s face to hold the olive slices in place.
- Cut a small piece of carrot into the shape of a triangle for the snowman’s nose.
- Put it on the snowman’s face with cream cheese or hummus.
- Break off the pretzel sticks and insert them into the sides of the snowman to resemble arms.
- The cheese stick shaped like a snowman is ready to serve.
Nutritional Information
- Calories – 180 kcal
- Protein – 14g
- Carbohydrates – 10g
- Fat – 10g
- Fiber – 2g
4. Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Ingredients
- Fresh strawberries, washed and dried – 10
- Dark chocolate – 1 cup
- Chopped nuts such as almonds, pistachios – 1 tbsp
Preparation
- Melt the dark chocolate while stirring until it becomes smooth.
- Start by dipping the strawberry into the melted chocolate, covering roughly two-thirds of the fruit, and let any extra chocolate fall off.
- Sprinkle some chopped nuts, and chill for fifteen to twenty minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 50 Kcal
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
5. Sugar-Free Jello Cups
Ingredients
- Sugar-free flavored gelatin (such as sugar-free Jello) – 1 package
- Boiling water – 1 cup
- Cold water -1 cup
- Whipped cream (sugar-free) for topping – optional
Preparation
- Boil some water and dissolve the sugar-free flavored gelatin in a heatproof bowl. Mix the gelatin until it dissolves completely.
- Stir thoroughly after adding cold water to the gelatin mixture.
- Transfer the liquid gelatin mixture into separate serving glasses and keep them chilled for a minimum of four hours.
- For added flavor, you can top with a dollop of sugar-free whipped cream.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 5 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Protein: 0g
6. Santa Brownie Bites
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – 1 /4 cup
- Granulated sugar- 1/2 cup
- Cocoa powder – 1/4 cup
- Salt – 1/8 tsp
- Vanilla extract – 1 /4 tsp
- Egg – 1
- All-purpose flour – 1/4 cup
- Whipped cream- 1/4 cup
- Mini marshmallows – 4
- Red and black icing or gel
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, or 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a bowl, then thoroughly mix in the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Add the vanilla extract to the egg and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour and fold gently until combined.
- Fill the muffin tin and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Top each bite of brownie with a dab of whipped cream or cream cheese frosting and place a small marshmallow in the center of each brownie.
- Use red icing gel to create the hat’s pom-pom and black icing or gel for Santa’s eyes.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 250 Kcal
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
7. Christmas Fruit Skewers
Ingredients
- Fresh strawberries – 1 cup
- Green grapes -1/2 cup
- Blueberry -1/2 cup
- Unsweetened Greek yogurt- 1/4 cup
- Vanilla extract -1 /2 tsp
- Wooden skewers – 2
Preparation
- After cleaning the fruits, combine the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
- Take a skewer and alternately thread strawberries, green grapes, and berries onto it.
- Drizzle the yogurt mixture over the fruit skewers with a small spoon and serve.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 70 Kcal
- Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
8. No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs (sugar-free) – 1 1/2 cups
- Melted unsalted butter – 1/3 cup
- Cream cheese (softened) – 2 cups
- Greek yogurt (unsweetened) – 1 cup
- Sugar substitute – 1/2 cup
- Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
- Mixed berries for topping
Preparation
- Combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs in a bowl.
- To make the crust, press the mixture into a pie dish.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth in a different bowl.
- Add vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, and sugar substitute. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
- Fill the crust with the cream cheese mixture and chill until it solidifies.
- Before serving, sprinkle mixed berries on top.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 260 Kcal
- Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
9. Pumpkin Pie Bites
Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree – 1/2 cup
- Cream cheese, softened – 1/4 cup
- Almond flour – 2 tbsp
- Powdered sugar substitute (e.g., erythritol or stevia) – 2 tbsp
- Pumpkin pie spice – 1/2 tsp
- Vanilla extract – 1 /2 tsp
Preparation
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.
- Form the mixture into bite-sized balls.
- Chill in the fridge for at least thirty minutes and serve.
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 150 Kcal
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
10. Gingerbread Man Smoothie
Ingredients
- Bananas – 2
- Rolled oats – 1 cup
- Almond milk (or any other milk of your choice) – 2 cup
- Ground ginger – 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon – 1 tsp
- Ground nutmeg – 1/2 tsp
- Vanilla extract – 1/2 tsp
- Ice cubes (optional)
Preparation
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients.
- Blend till creamy and smooth.
- Add extra milk to the smoothie if it’s too thick until you get the right consistency.
- If necessary, taste the smoothie and adjust the sweetness or spices.
- Fill glasses with the smoothie.
- Add some ice cubes if desired.
- Enjoy your Gingerbread Man Smoothie after adding a pinch of cinnamon as a garnish!
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Protein: 7g
- Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Fiber: 10g
Your Child Can Still Enjoy Christmas Treats
For a child with diabetes, holiday treats can still be something to be enjoyed. There’s a whole world of diabetic-friendly options to discover, ranging from sugar-free gingerbread cookies to festive parfaits and savory skewers.
Without sacrificing their health, kids with diabetes can still enjoy the magic of Christmas with thoughtful decisions and a little creativity.