5 Healthy Recipes And Food Habits For Gen Alpha

Contrary to what Spielberg showed you, the era of the Dinosaur comprises multiple periods and not just the Jurrasic era. The massive creatures arrived and thrived for millions of years before humans populated Earth. Interestingly, human civilization has its own era of evolution as per historians. However, the more entertaining ones have to be what marketers have created over the years. 

There’s of course the Boomer generation, then come the Millennials, as in the Millenia parents who are reading this. Following them is Generation Z, and then comes the newest of the lot – Generation Alpha. 

Image source: iStock

Who Are Generation Alpha?

While the term feels like it’s been coined by a 14-year-old high on testosterone on his second day working out, Gen Alpha actually represents the generation born after 2012. Wikipedia suggests that the word “Alpha” refers to the first letter of the Greek Alphabet and they are the first generation to be born entirely in the 21st Century. 

The children of the new century are born in a truly different era. It’s a generation heavily dependent or rather influenced by technology. It’s now an integral part of their holistic growth. Moreover, this generation is surviving the pandemic turned endemic, which is unique to them and so are the challenges brought upon by it. 

And for parents, this has meant tweaking and reworking everything from parenting skills, strategies to even their diet chart. It’s no more just about eating the right but also about building a strong immune system to fight even the harshest of viruses out there. 

Image source: iStock

Obesity In Children In The Times Of The Pandemic

In fact, the last year and a half of the pandemic and the resultant lockdown witnessed a spike in obesity cases in children. A study published by the US CDC https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7037a3.htm?s_cid=mm7037a3_w) concluded that the percentage of obese children and teens increased to 22 per cent during the Covid-19 pandemic, as opposed to 19 per cent before the pandemic. 

School closures, disrupted routines, increased stress, and fewer opportunities for physical activity have been seen as the key factors for the increased weight gain. This only brings more health concerns going forward with diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart ailments.

Children with obesity also deal with psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Kids tend to also struggle with low self-esteem, bullying, fat-shaming among peers and other such issues as well. 

Those should be reasons enough to seriously consider adopting healthy food recipes for Gen Alpha may not be such a bad idea after all. Eating habits in the endemic need to change and you can do it in hope by incorporating healthy food recipes in your little one’s diet.

And make your life simpler, here are five healthy food recipes for Gen Alpha that you must try at home. 

Image source: iStock

5 Healthy Food Recipes For Gen Alpha To Try At Home

1. Roast chicken with sweet potato fritters

Ingredients

• 2 whole chicken
• 2 onions (halved, peeled)
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 sprig lemon thyme
• 4 tbs olive oil
• sea salt
• Black pepper

• 650 g sweet potato (coarsely grated)
• 1 brown onion (finely diced)
• 6 eggs
• 2 tsp butter
• sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 250-degree Celsius 
• Begin by preparing the chicken — Insert the onion and 1/2 sprig of lemon thyme into the cavity of each chicken.
• Make a small incision above the cavity under the skin (beneath the skin and breast), insert 1 tbsp butter under the skin. Do these to both chickens and then place them both in an extra large baking dish.
• Drizzle each chicken with 2 tbsp olive oil and season.
• Pop the chickens on the high shelf in the oven and reduce the temperature to 190°C. Cook for 60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the sweet potato, flour, eggs, onion and seasoning in a mixing bowl.
• Heat the butter (or coconut oil) in a pan. Place a 1/4 of the sweet potato mixture in the pan and flatten down with a spatula. Cook for 4 minutes on one side before flipping and cooking for a further 2 on the other side.
• Remove from the heat and season.
• After 60 minutes remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 10 minutes).
• Remove the meat from one chicken and serve with the fritters. Remove the meat from the second chicken and set aside until cooled. Refrigerate and use for lunches or dinner tomorrow night.

2. Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4 field mushrooms
• 1/2 avocado
• 4 slices gluten-free bread
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbs fresh rosemary
• 1 tbs chives
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 100 g feta
• 2 cups baby spinach

Dressing 

• 2 tbs oil
• 4 tbs lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Preheat oven to 180-degrees Celsius
• Wipe mushrooms and place them on a tray lined with baking paper.
• Slice avocado and distribute evenly between mushrooms.
• In a food processor, whiz bread, garlic, rosemary and chives until bread is in coarse crumbs.
• Drizzle in oil and whiz again briefly to combine.
• Firmly press breadcrumb mix into mushroom cups – you should have enough to have a nice pile on each one.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and top is golden and crisp.
• To prepare the dressing, combine oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small jar and  shake well
• Serve each piece of mushroom with the dressing. Throw in some spinach leaves for dressing. 

3. Blueberry Overnight Oats

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup light milk
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2/3 cup blueberries
• 2 tsp toasted almonds

Method

• Place all the ingredients in a bowl, except the almonds, and mix well.
• Divide the ingredients into two bowls. Cover and place them in the fridge overnight.
• Top the mixture with almonds and milk and have a sumptuous breakfast. 
• Add milk according to the consistency your child likes. You can also use soy milk if your child is lactose intolerant.

4. Cornflower pancakes

Ingredients

• 4 tbs coconut oil
• 2 tbs honey
• 6 egg (large)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (sifted)
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 tbs butter

Method

• In a large bowl, mix the coconut oil and honey with a whisk vigorously until they are creamed together
• Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk thoroughly.
• Gradually whisk in the coconut flour, bicarbonate soda and salt until you have a nice batter consistency.
• Heat a frying pan over medium heat with a teaspoon of butter. When melted, pour in 1/3 cup measures of pancake batter. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and then flip over to cook for a minute on the other side or until cooked through.

5. Kale and Mushroom Omelette

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 leaves kale
• mushrooms (sliced)

Method

• Quick and easy to make Whisk together two eggs and milk and pour into a non-stick pan.
• Add 2 torn kale leaves and some sliced mushrooms to the egg. Cook on low until the egg is cooked through.

5 Healthy Food Habits To Encourage In Children

While these recipes aim to make your food choices healthier, your need to also inculcate healthy food habits in children. Here are five such habits that you must encourage in kids.

1. Be curious about new foods to tantalise their taste buds
2. Drink plenty of water
3. Breakfast is the food of the champion
4. Sit at the dining table to eat and not on the couch
5. Eat slowly 

Do you have any immunity building recipes of your own? Or have a food habit that your kids follow. Do share with us too!