Do I bake too many cakes for my kids?

[IlanaK]

I bake at least twice a week: cakes usually, or oatbar type things. The cakes always have lots of fruit in or veg (apple, courgette, butternut squash, dried fruit) but obviously also have sugar in too.

The reason I bake is because my kids eat snacks twice a day. Once is always fruit, but the other is usually cake or biscuit type things. Shop bought biscuits are not at all filling. The home baked stuff seems to go further for them.

But.....sometimes I wonder if its not that healthy for them to eat so much cake and stuff. I am not sure what I would replace it with though! So, what do you all do?

[MrsMattie]

I would like to live in your house

[PenelopePitstops]

sounds fine to me especially with fruit in, and homebaked are far more healthier than shop bought

[aGalChangedHerName]

Lol never mind you MrsMattie,my dc would like to live with IlanaK !

[PenelopePitstops]

i would also love to live in your house!!

[Lapsedrunner]

.....er ....never bake, and I am a Home Economist by training

[Dragonbutter]

yum. no, it sounds like you might just be the best mum on mn.

[Lapsedrunner]

you sound like a saint

[IlanaK]

lol...ok, it is obvouisly nice to have homebaked stuff around. My husband takes it to work for snacks too so no-one is complaining. I am just wondering about the health side of it!

[pickie]

I do the same as you. Lots of fruit and usually bake 2 a week, kids prefer home baked (and DH)

I usually do one cake/pie a week and either muesli bars or biscuits of some sort. Also started making my own raisin buns (hot cross buns without the cross)which seem to dissapear very quick

[BlackPussyCat]

Sounds positively fab to me! If it's home-baked then there won't be any nasty trans-fats/E no's/preservatives in.

Intrigued by the one with the butternut squash in... fancy sharing the recipe?

[expatinscotland]

i bake at least that often.

cakes, muffins, fairy cakes, flapjacks, brownies, biscuits.

if i can't be arsed to bake i make jellies and custards. or make a fancy bread in the bread machine.

my cakes don't always have fruit or veg.

my family are snackers and i love to bake!

we're a naturally thin family.

i don't see why you are doubting yourself here or feel like you have to justify your love of baking by saying it has to have fruit or veg in it.

[wannaBe]

I bake all the time. And mine certainly don't all have fruit or veg in!

And I make all my own rolls for dh/ds to have for their lunch.

Nothing wrong with that. Anyone who judges is clearly jealous.

[IlanaK]

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/dessert-recipes/butternut-squash-muffins This is the butternut squash one - I don't add the frosting.

I don't feel the need to justfiy my baking exaclty, but we are not a naturally thin family at all (though the kids are fine) so I worried about the sugar. Just not sure what I would replace it with though.

I just found this recipe which I want to try. They look good for taking out and about.

[expatinscotland]

nowt wrong with sugar.

in fact, i think there's more amiss with artificial sweetners, IMO.

[bambi06]

yummy..can i come and share

[BlackPussyCat]

Mmmmm.... those muffins look delish.

Tummy rumbling now!

There is a lovely granola bar recipe in Nigella Express if you've got that.

Agree with expat re sugar - would rather have it any day than sweeteners tbh.

[MorocconOil]

Pickie- Am interested in a muesli bar recipe if you have one?

[expatinscotland]

my fav icings are buttercream and cream cheese.

mmmm.

[phdlife]

what is this "too much cakes" of which you speak?

I mean I understand the individual words, but together they make no sense

[BlackPussyCat]

Oh just found the Nigella one-

Breakfast Bars
1 14 oz. can condensed milk
2 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup dried cranberries
I cup mixed seeds (pumpkin, sesame, flax)
1 cup unsalted peanuts

Preheat oven to 250 degrees and oil a 9×13 pan. Warm condensed milk in a pan, then pour over dry ingredients. Stir to even coat, then press into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. After cooling 15 minutes, cut into 16 portions. When I attempted to cut the bars after 15 minutes, they were too soft and it was a bit messy for a bit. You may want to let them cool a bit longer unless you don?t mind odd shaped chunks.

[Flum]

I think it is healthy to learn to eat a slice of cake and just the one.

I'm sure it is healthier than shop bought stuff.

[PsychoAxeMurdererMum]

I should bake more.

mine are snackers too (and with high metabolism so burn it all off quickly, meaning I need more snacks).

I think I need to start baking.

[MorocconOil]

Wow Blackpussy, that recipe looks so simple, I feel like trying it right now.

[wannaBe]

artificial sweeteners are the work of the devil.

[pickie]

Mimi- I also use Nigella's one (see BlackPussyCat post) but tend to use different nuts and dried fruit for variety. Also I use the pizza cutter which gives good results with little mess (we use crumbs in yoghurt though)