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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Raisins. Villan or Super Hero?
Cat Herder 11:37 AM 09-17-2014
I love to give kids raisins and craisins. I add them to many recipes and homemade trail mixes.

Raisins help with fiber intake, have B-6, calcium and a wee bit of vitamin C. Craisins offer fiber, antibacterial effects on the bladder and have antioxidants.

The AAP removed them from the choking hazards list over a year ago, but it seems so many people are unaware of that.

Do you serve them? If so do you find yourself having to defend yourself constantly?
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Heidi 11:41 AM 09-17-2014
I serve raisins quite often, but craisins less so because they have added sugar (at least any I've found).

I like craisins on a salad, or in coleslaw made with poppy seed dressing, plain greek yogurt, granny smith apples, and cabbage.
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NeedaVaca 11:44 AM 09-17-2014
I serve both of them and have never had a complaint! Good source of Iron too! I do the same as you and bake them in things, trail mix, plain, I even add them to my coleslaw-yummy!
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Cat Herder 11:45 AM 09-17-2014
Originally Posted by Heidi:
I serve raisins quite often, but craisins less so because they have added sugar (at least any I've found).

I like craisins on a salad, or in coleslaw made with poppy seed dressing, plain greek yogurt, granny smith apples, and cabbage.
Very true on the sugar. I should have mentioned that.

I use them where I would have used M&M's or choc chips in the past. Cookies/trail mix...

They kick things up a notch. I recently found the blueberry ones, but they are pricey compared to the others.
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SignMeUp 11:55 AM 09-17-2014
Never found a need to defend myself, but I use dried cranberries in a salad of romaine, cucumber, sweet onion and chicken, with raspberry vinaigrette. I usually "reconstitute" the cranberries a bit by letting them soak in a little water. When our raspberries are in, we use those instead though.

They're also good added to a chicken salad sandwich.
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SSWonders 11:59 AM 09-17-2014
My food program won't allow us to serve them.
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Blackcat31 12:27 PM 09-17-2014
Raisins are a FAVORITE around here!!

My kiddos react to them as if I am offering them gummy bears verses dried grapes.

We make our own in the winter time. The kids get a kick out of it.
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Heidi 12:36 PM 09-17-2014
Originally Posted by SSWonders:
My food program won't allow us to serve them.
raisins????
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sharlan 01:01 PM 09-17-2014
Raisins are listed on my food program, but you have to serve them with another fruit or veggie.

Not one of my grandkids would eat raisins so I stopped buying them years ago. I probably haven't served a raisin in 5 years when I last tried feeding them to the grandsons.
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Meyou 01:17 PM 09-17-2014
We eat them almost daily. Craisins too. I get slightly sweetened ones from a farmers market....very low in added sugar. I never have had to defend them but I do have all whole food eating kids who cheer for them. On days they get to pick....well...I'm the superhero. lol
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TwinKristi 01:39 PM 09-17-2014
We so raisins once sometimes twice a week. Kids love em but like someone else said they have to be served with something else so lunch is really the only meal I can serve with.
Craisins are a bit too tart for my crew but my kids and I love them!
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Controlled Chaos 01:48 PM 09-17-2014
We love them for "ants on a log". Or I will mix them into a trail mix or just serve them with crackers and juice for snack.

I don't give them to the babies but the 2-4s love them.
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CraftyMom 01:49 PM 09-17-2014
Originally Posted by SSWonders:
My food program won't allow us to serve them.
Yup! No dried fruit of any kind to any child under the age of 3, so for me that rules them out all together

Although I can serve raisin bread toast, the reasoning is that the bread moistens them
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AmyKidsCo 01:50 PM 09-17-2014
I don't do raisins because I tend to forget about them so they dry up to little hard rabbit turds in the pantry. I don't have anything against them (except when parents feed their toddlers tons of raisins on a Sunday) I just forget to serve them.
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SilverSabre25 01:53 PM 09-17-2014
My favorite use of raisins (aside from in oatmeal cookies!) is to toss a bunch in the pan of water when I'm making oatmeal. Put them in firs thing and as the water heats they soften and it sweetens the oatmeal naturally and perfectly. Add some cinnamon...delicious.

my kids love it when i put raisins on the plate as part of snack. I don't do it often though, to keep them sort of special.
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KiddieCahoots 02:01 PM 09-17-2014
Super Hero!
My kids and I love raisins, over 3yrs. here too, with an alternate added.
The dried cherries are to die for! And funny thing, I'm allergic to cherries, but not when they're dried up.
Parents haven't said anything yet.....after all....it is natures candy
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nannyde 02:06 PM 09-17-2014
Love both. I make oatmeal raisin craisin breads and hot cereals. I do shiver them before adding to the mix.
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CraftyMom 02:07 PM 09-17-2014
I should add, that is for the food program reimbursement, not a state reg. So do I serve raisins and craisins? Yes, but I don't claim it on the fp The kids love them!
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e.j. 02:31 PM 09-17-2014
Raisins are definitely "Villain" as far as I'm concerned. I can't stand the taste, looks, feel or smell of them so I rarely buy them! I do have Craisins, though, and don't mind them. I've shared them with the kids just to see if they liked them. Most of the kids tasted them but weren't overly excited by them. They haven't asked for them since so I just stick with fresh fruit instead.
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daycare 03:05 PM 09-17-2014
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Love both. I make oatmeal raisin craisin breads and hot cereals. I do shiver them before adding to the mix.
Nan- what does that mean you shiver them?
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nannyde 04:34 PM 09-17-2014
Originally Posted by daycare:
Nan- what does that mean you shiver them?
Chop into little shreads
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Second Home 04:34 AM 09-18-2014
I use both and have never had any complaints . I have seen the no sugar added craisins , I believe they are from ocean spray.
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Blackcat31 06:13 AM 09-18-2014
Originally Posted by Second Home:
I use both and have never had any complaints . I have seen the no sugar added craisins , I believe they are from ocean spray.
As an avid label reader, "No sugar added" isn't always a good thing.

Usually when no sugar is added, "other" things are to make up for the no sugar. When my DH got diabetes, we thought it would be easy since items are clearly marked "fat-free" or "sugar free" or "no sugar added" but then we actually started comparing and most times the items with those claims are worse than the original version.
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Blackcat31 06:15 AM 09-18-2014
Apparently the craisin or raisin debate has been going on for a while now!

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/...isin-tensions/

"Keep it Real" (Sunmaid raisins) or "Make the Swap" (Oceanspray craisins)
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Cat Herder 08:42 AM 09-18-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Apparently the craisin or raisin debate has been going on for a while now!

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/...isin-tensions/

"Keep it Real" (Sunmaid raisins) or "Make the Swap" (Oceanspray craisins)
That is funny. I had not heard that.

My food program still says no raisins, choking hazard. I am not on the food program so... meh . Others still believe they can dehydrate a kid (maybe if that is all they eat ). IMHO, If a handful of raisins a month can cause severe dehydration in a kid, I'd bet the kid has bigger issues to begin with.

I don't give them "as is" to the under twos or younger 3's. My general rule is once whole kernel corn is their friend at home (ykwim ) then I offer raisins/craisins here. It is offered as a plus, to sweeten/tart things, not a meal component.
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 10:09 AM 09-18-2014
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Love both. I make oatmeal raisin craisin breads and hot cereals. I do shiver them before adding to the mix.
Shiver them? Are they cold?

For us raisins are no longer a credible food. I was told it was a portion problem. I like them and will serve them with other items.
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daycarediva 10:36 AM 09-18-2014
I serve them, all but one of my daycare kids love them. My local grocery store has no sugar/organic/all natural varieties in bulk.

I also do prunes. I've received a few raised eyebrows over this one, but I tell them to google the benefits and they always say how surprised they were. (http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/prunes.php)
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melilley 10:53 AM 09-18-2014
I serve them every once in a while and they are credible for our fp. Only one of the kids will eat them. To me they are a villan. I cannot stand them, bleck! I will however eat them in breads sometimes and in oatmeal raisin cookies.
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SignMeUp 11:13 AM 09-18-2014
Raisins or dried cranberries alone are not creditable on the FP according to my sponsor. But you can serve them with another fruit or vegetable, or just as an ingredient. (And we too are told it is a quantity problem, just like peanut butter - kids can't possibly eat enough to meet minimum requirements Have they met any kids?)
Honestly, the one thing I don't like about raisins and little kids is the squished ones on the floor Maybe that's why I mostly use them as ingredients.
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Tags:choking hazard, grapes, raisins
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