21 February 2023 is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day. Here are some ideas for making sure your pancake recipes support children’s nutritional needs
Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is a tradition that marks the start of Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday. Also known as Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, cooking pancakes helps to use up all the rich, fatty foods ahead of what was traditionally a period of fasting and reflection before Easter. While not all families will be celebrating Easter or Lent, many children will enjoy the tradition of making and eating pancakes at this time of year.
Between syrup, chocolate spread and lashings of lemon and sugar, it can be tricky to ensure that your celebration doesn’t disrupt your aim of providing a balance and nutritious diet for children.
Ingredients (serves eight)
300ml milk
one egg
one teaspoon of vegetable oil
100-125g wholemeal plain flour
Method
Sieve the flour into a large bowl.
Using a whisk, beat the egg, milk and oil together in a jug.
Pour the milk and egg mixture into the flour and whisk until smooth.
Heat a little oil in a suitable frying pan.
Pour in two tablespoons of batter and coat the base of the frying pan.
Cook for two to three minutes, or until the base turns golden brown.
Flip the pancake and cook for another two minutes on the other side.
Keep the pancakes warm in the oven until they are all ready to be served.
Sweet topping ideas
Keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon juice and a handful of blueberries. If that’s too sharp for the children, add a small spoon of low fat fromage frais.
Soften a chopped apple in a pan and spoon over pancakes with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Grill sliced peaches – canned ones will do – and serve on top of pancakes with some Greek yoghurt.
Try peanut or almond butter spread on top and add a sprinkle of defrosted frozen raspberries (remember to check for any allergies). Frozen berries tend to be more economical than fresh and are usually frozen when they are in season.
Sprinkle grated dark chocolate over a sliced banana and add to the pancakes. This has less sugar than chocolate spread and by grating it you’ll likely need to use less.
Savoury topping ideas
Try smoked salmon, or smoked salmon trimmings, which are cheaper, served with cream cheese and lemon juice or black pepper on top of pancakes.
Use your pancakes as a base for a healthy cooked breakfast and top them with grilled mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans and a poached egg.
Spinach and ricotta pancakes are a fun way to introduce children to spinach.
Instead of ham and cheese, which can be quite salty, try adding sweetcorn, chopped spring onions and some grated cheese to your pancakes instead.