Let's face it, kids (and adults, for that matter) love potato chips. The implosion of salty, greasy goodness with every satisfying bite makes this lunchtime side dish and snack hard to resist. But, like so many mouthwatering treats, potato chips are not the healthiest to munch on.
Potato chips contain 155 calories, more than 10 grams of total fat and 149 milligrams of sodium per ounce (about a dozen potato chips). And a 2011 study discovered that eating an entire bag of potato chips will make people fat more quickly than almost any other food.
But as the classic potato chip falls on hard times in the concerned parent community, there are crunchy—and healthier—alternatives to keep your kids smiling while munching.
Carrot Chips
1 of 9Full of vitamin A to keep the spectacles at bay, these chips offer a sweet alternative to the sodium-filled potato chip.
Directions:
- Cut carrot slices 1/4 of an inch thick
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- Sprinkle paprika, nutmeg, or cinnamon for flavor
- Bake for 45 minutes
Spiced Apple Chips
2 of 9As the adage goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Well, it's an adage for a reason—it's true.
Directions:
- Slice apples as thin as possible (with a mandolin, if possible)
- Preheat oven to 220 degrees
- Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice
- Bake for 2 hours, flipping the slices after the first hour
Banana Chips
3 of 9Famous for their Hulk-like levels of potassium, bananas are a quintessential food to living a healthy life. With this recipe, even your kids won't be able to get enough of the yellow fruit.
Directions:
- Cut banana slices 1/8 of an inch thick
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees
- Brush slices with lemon juice
- Bake for 2 hours
Orange Sweet Potato Chips
4 of 9A perfect fall-flavored snack, sweet potatoes (combined with oranges) offer a delicious in-between meal packed with vitamin A. In fact, sweet potatoes carry more vitamin A than veggie rival carrots plus vitamin C and fiber.
Directions:
- Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of orange zest
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Cut sweet potato slices 1/8 of an inch thick
- Brush with olive oil and orange zest mixture
- Bake for 25 minutes
Pear Chips
5 of 9The perfect pear for any dip (see what I did there?) these crispy, sweet snacks are a healthy and enjoyable option for people of all ages.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees
- Cut pear slices 1/8 of an inch thick
- Bake for an hour on each side
Cinnamon Sugar Radish Chips
6 of 9Kids would normally scowl at the idea of eating anything resembling a radish. That is until you douse the dirty tasting veggies with cinnamon and sugar. Radishes are full of fiber, vitamin B6 and potassium, so even with a generous dose of sweetness, this snack makes for a healthy treat.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Thinly slice the radishes
- Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon honey, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar
- Coat sliced radishes with mixture
- Bake for 25 minutes
Beet Chips
7 of 9Beets are, well, gross. But the earthy vegetable that offers antioxidant betalain reveals a subtle sweetness when baked. Kids will never look at beets the same way.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Thinly slice beats
- Add a pinch of salt
- Bake for 20 minutes
Zucchini Chips
8 of 9A solid source of niacin and thiamine, zucchinis, the younger cousin to squash, are low in calories and satisfy any potato chip craving the youngsters might have.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Dip thinly sliced zucchinis in egg whites and coat them in parmesan, black pepper and breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 10 minutes on each side
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