Keep Your Kids Healthy

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is essential in keeping your child healthy however our lifestyles often make this a difficult task to accomplish.  The answer to this dilemma is simple -- a smoothie.  What would make your child happier than a cold, sweet, delicious drink.  What would make a parent happier than to have your child eat a really healthy drink that will provide them with some of the nutrients that they need without a fight!

Smoothies are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack and it is a secret that every mom should use to their advantage.

You can make smoothies from almost any ingredients.  So pick the fruits that your child likes best and pull out the blender.

 Great Smoothie Recipes

Purple Mango - 1 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 cup frozen blueberries and 1 cup cubed fresh mango

Banananilla – 1 banana, 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt, dash of milk.

Mango Mango – 1 mango (cut and pitted), 1/4 cup orange juice.

Cherry Vanilla - 1 cup of apple juice, 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 1/2 cups frozen pitted cherries.

Banana Peach  – 1 peach (cut and pitted), 1 banana, 1/4 cup orange juice.

Pineapple Crush - 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks, 1/2 frozen very ripe banana.

Berries Galore – 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup raspberries, ¼ cup of milk.

Strawberry Ice – 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup orange juice, I cup crushed ice.

Smoothie Tips

Frozen fruit makes a thicker smoothie.  So peel some extra fruit, put in a sealed plastic bag and freeze for future use.

Be sure to add a straw and a slice of fruit for decoration.

Add ice cubes if your fruit is not frozen.

Try substituting with other fruit juices, low fat yogurt, skim or soy milk.

Make extra and turn them into smoothie popsicles for a snack.  Use popsicle molds, ice cube trays or paper cups.

Send smoothies to school with lunch by putting it in a thermos.

Remember it is hard to make a bad smoothie so be creative.  The best smoothies are the ones that you make up spur of the moment with the kids.

Be sure to get the kids to help.  They can select ingredients, peel  and cut fruit, man the blender or  measure liquids.