[For Seniors] April Snack Activity: Ideas to Enjoy Spring with Homemade Sweets
April, when the spring breeze starts to feel pleasant, is the perfect season for snack activities that let you enjoy seasonal flavors and colors.
From classic Japanese sweets like sakura mochi and strawberry daifuku to visually delightful treats such as cherry blossom–flavored cakes and jellies, we’re introducing recipes that capture the spirit of spring.
Some can be made without using heat or while seated, so they’re safe and enjoyable for older adults as well.
How about savoring a spring moment through lively, fun snack-time activities?
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[For Seniors] April Snack Activities: Ideas to Enjoy Spring with Homemade Sweets (11–20)
Matcha Dorayaki
Perfect for a spring snack activity! Introducing matcha dorayaki, with a beautiful green hue and the aroma of matcha.
The ingredients are eggs, honey, mirin, milk, pancake mix, whipped cream, sweet red bean paste (anko), and matcha powder.
It’s easy to make—just add the ingredients and mix.
Once the batter is cooked, sandwich anko and matcha cream between the pancakes to finish.
It’s fun to customize with extra anko or extra cream to your liking.
By making it together—assigning roles like mixing, cooking, and filling with anko and cream—with older adults, conversation will flow and you’ll have a wonderful time.
It will make snack time even more delicious, so give it a try!
Strawberry daifuku
Among the many strawberry desserts, strawberry daifuku reigns supreme in popularity.
It’s a confection where the sweet-tart flavor of strawberries intertwines with the gentle sweetness of mochi to create a unique harmony.
First, mix shiratamako (glutinous rice flour) with water and granulated sugar, then heat it in the microwave.
Next, dust the mixture with potato starch and shape it, then wrap the strawberries in white bean paste.
Finally, use the microwaved dough to enclose the strawberries, and slice through the center of the daifuku with a thread to finish.
Why not try making this treat—beloved since the early Showa period—as a snack for older adults?
strawberry daifuku
How about welcoming spring with a cute Japanese sweet filled with strawberries—ichigo daifuku? You can make it authentically using shiratamako or mochiko, but if you use pre-cut mochi blocks, it’s easy to whip up! Put the mochi blocks, sugar, and water in a bowl and microwave until it forms a gyuhi-like dough.
Dust it all over with potato starch, cut into your preferred sizes, then wrap red bean paste and strawberries inside to finish! Another great option is to fill only with red bean paste and place the strawberry on top.
Strawberry Awayuki Kanten (Strawberry ‘Light Snow’ Jelly)
Awoyukikan is characterized by its snow-white color and fluffy, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Let’s make this gentle-tasting dessert that spreads softly across the palate.
First, put egg whites and sugar in a bowl and whip until foamy.
Next, heat a saucepan with water, powdered agar, and sugar, stirring as it warms.
Pour the agar mixture into the whipped egg whites and gently fold to keep the foam.
Finally, add diced strawberries, chill in the refrigerator, and it’s ready.
Try making this seasonal sweet that signals the end of winter and the arrival of spring.
Wheat Gluten Rusk
Colorful rusk that looks like hina-arare.
Believe it or not, you can make it with dried wheat gluten (fu)! Mix condensed milk and butter, melt them in the microwave, then combine with the fu and add sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven, then tint some pieces pink with sakura or raspberry powder and others green with matcha powder.
Dust each with powdered sugar, and you’re done! These bite-sized treats are easy to eat even for seniors and make a super simple snack—give them a try!
Simple recipe for making ohagi (sweet rice balls)
Doesn’t spring just make your heart flutter? How about “rice cooker ohagi,” perfect for this season? It’s a lovely way to spend time together, enjoying nostalgic flavors as you make them in a friendly, cheerful atmosphere.
With a rice cooker, they’re easy to prepare and turn out delicious with minimal effort.
You can customize them with chunky red bean paste or kinako soybean flour—whatever you like.
Share old stories as you enjoy a heartwarming snack time.
It’s sure to become a wonderful memory, enjoying both nostalgia and new discoveries together with older adults.
For Seniors: April Snack Recreation. Ideas to Enjoy Spring with Homemade Sweets (21–30)
Mixed Fruit Whipped Cream Bread
This is a mixed fruit and whipped cream bread that lets you enjoy seasonal fruits.
As the name suggests, it’s bread topped with mixed fruits and finished with whipped cream.
First, cut sliced bread into pieces in a bowl, then add your favorite fruits on top.
It’s nice to choose seasonal fruits and combine them with canned ones as well.
The more colorful it is, the better it will look.
It’s quite filling without being overly sweet, so it could even work for lunch.
Start by imagining which fruits you’d like to put on top.
