Healthy Homemade Snacks for Kids – Gummy Bears
March 11, 2019
The kids in our family love getting hands on in the kitchen, and it’s always nice to take a break from nasal congestion and flu season to talk crafts and DIYs. We love making homemade snacks for kids, and gummy bears are an easy and fun DIY. They’re also a huge hit with all of our little ones.
While making gummy bears is a quick project, we tend to make a whole day out of it, and the kids have a blast. We take a trip to the grocery store to shop for the ingredients we need and pick out the different juices we want to use. Homemade gummies seem to motivate the kids to try new juices and can even be used to introduce new fruits and vegetables. And if your kiddos are feeling a bit under the weather, you can also add some immune boosting goodies to the mix. These delicious treats are a parenting win all around!
What You Need
- The molds. We got these molds on Amazon for around $8. The kids wanted actual gummy bear molds, but there are tons of great options with different shapes and sizes. Try to stick to the silicone ones as they are easier for getting the gummies out and are dishwasher safe.
- 1 cup of juice. We got ours at Trader Joe’s because they have amazing organic juice options, but any juice will work. The brighter the color of the juice, the better! The color does fade a little as the candies solidify.
- 3 teaspoons of honey. You can also add elderberry syrup to give your gummy bears immune boosting superpowers!
- 2 tablespoons of plain gelatin. There are many different options for gelatin. We got ours from Publix, but there are vegan alternatives as well.
How to Make Homemade Gummy Bears
1. Add 1 cup of juice to a small saucepan.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons of gelatin with the juice. Allow the gelatin to settle, and then whisk until it no longer appears grainy. Heat the liquid slowly until it warms throughout. Once the liquid is completely thin, turn off the heat and add the honey.
3. If the juice you are using isn’t very sweet, you can add a little extra honey! If your child is suffering with nasal congestion or cough, adding elderberry syrup is a great way to boost immunity and combat flu symptoms.
4. Transfer the juice and gelatin mixture into your gummy bear trays. Try to buy molds that include droppers because the right tools make it much easier to transfer the juice into the molds. Your toddler or preschooler can be a big help with this part, and using a dropper is a great way to strengthen their hand eye coordination and fine motor skills. In addition, using droppers will strengthen their pincer grasp, which actually helps them hold a pencil better.
5. Place finished trays in the fridge for at least an hour. The gummy bears should last for about a week if properly stored.
Wrapping Up Homemade Snacks for Kids – Gummy Bears
Sometimes it’s hard to find an activity that engages all age ranges, but these healthy homemade snacks for kids really seem to do the trick! All the kiddos love this DIY, and with a little honey and elderberry syrup, these fun sweet treats become a healthy option, too!
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