Healthy Banana Muffins for Kids (No Sugar) - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

Healthy Banana Muffins topped with oats, a delicious afterschool snack for older kids, but also great for babies and toddlers. The muffins have no refined sugar added, their sweetness coming from the mashed banana. Fluffy and moist, and so easy to make, these banana muffins are great any time of the day.

Feeding our kids can be pretty overwhelming. From the moment you start the weaning journey, you constantly worry about the quality and quantity of food that is offered to them.

Later on, when they discover the sweet taste, it becomes quite though to still get them to eat healthy food, and that's when the hunt for healthier recipes starts. With my first daughter I started the traditional way with pureed food, and she was not really the best eater ever.

By the time I had my second, I relaxed a bit and I started with the baby led weaning, which proved to be a lot less stressful, and a lot more successful. And although the main meals are pretty good, I still want to offer them healthy snacks in between meals. And that's when these muffins come to the rescue.

As with myBaby Led Weaning Savoury Muffins, these banana ones are a nutritious breakfast or snack not just for little ones, but even for grown-ups too. You can't tell that these muffins are sugar free, because they are sweet and simply delicious!

Is refined sugar bad for kids?

Yes, without a shadow of a doubt! While we can't expect kids to go on diets like adults do, limiting the amount of refined sugar is the best you can do for them. Kids need carbs for energy and growing nicely, and a balanced meal is all they need. Fruit and veggies have plenty of naturally occurring sugar, thus no need for extra one.

My banana muffins have absolutely no refined sugar added, not even brown one, which people swear is healthier (is it, though?), and I did not sweeten them with honey or maple sugar either. If you really want to go for honey though, please be mindful that honey is a big no no for children under one year, but the older kids can safely consume it.

But they are just perfect if you choose a well-ripen banana which is naturally sweet. Mash it with a fork, and add it to the other ingredients, and you get the best muffins ever.

As a grown-up I might think they are not sweet enough for my taste, but that's because I am so used to the sweet taste, where a baby can't tell the difference. You can add any pieces of fruit to the muffins, nuts or seeds for extra goodness (again, careful with bigger pieces of nuts, as kids can choke on them).

Ingredients needed

• flour - plain flour can be used here, there is no need for self-raising flour
• banana - a large banana that is ripe and sweet
• yogurt - I prefer Greek yogurt for its creaminess, but plain yogurt can also work
• baking powder - it helps with the fluffiness
• egg
• butter - unsalted butter works better
• oats - for topping the muffins, they are optional though
• vanilla extract - it can be optional, this adds extra flavour though

Step-by-step photos and instructions

• In a bowl, sift the flour, add the baking powder and mix.
• Beat the egg until frothy, add the yogurt and cooled melted butter, vanilla extract (if you use) and gently fold everything together.

It's best to use a silicone spatula, and mix the ingredients gently before adding the batter to the muffin tin. It does not have to be beaten to perfection, even a few lumps here and there are ok.

• Grease a 6-hole muffin tin with butter, then divide the batter between the 6 muffin holes, and sprinkle some oats over.
• Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
• To remove the muffins from the tin, use a sharp knife to loosen the edges, the muffins should pop out easily.

Tips, variations and FAQ

As with all muffins, there is one big tip when it comes to great taste and texture.

• always pre-heat the oven before baking
• have the ingredients at room temperature
• DO NOT overbeatthe batter, the muffins will become too dense and unlikely to rise as nicely.

Another tip is never to open the oven before the muffins are baked, and that is true for baking in general. I know the temptation is great, but better check nearer the time, and not too often.

Also, make sure the bananas are fully-ripen, the ones starting to brown are actually the best, as they are very sweet, and thus the muffins won't need extra sweetness.

If you’ve liked myNO SUGAR BANANA MUFFINS FOR KIDSor any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, and PINTERESTto see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.