By Heather Boger
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Safety is a priority anytime children are helping out in the kitchen, so before your children come in to help you must check to be certain that all knives are put away and burners are turned off and cool. Encouraging children to assist in their own food preparation increases the odds that they will like it and eat it, no matter what you make. Smoothies are no exception, and many children find the actual process of creating a homemade smoothie rather intriguing.
Here are the elements that you will require to make homemade smoothies with children: Blender or food processor, Silicone Spatula, Juice smoothie ingredients, crushed ice, cups, aprons, straws, aprons, and food coloring (optional).
The blender is essential because it is the tool that finely chops vegetables and combines all of your ingredients. Blenders can range in price anywhere from $10 – $500 but you can use any brand of blender as long as your ingredients get mixed together thoroughly. The blender I use is a Oster 18-Speed with a very powerful ice crushing mode. The Vitamix is considered to be the best blender on the market, and could be a worthy investment if you plan on making smoothies often.
I use a slanted silicone spatula to scrape down the sides during blended (if needed) and also to get all the smoothie out of the blender when I’m finished blending. It is important to scrape the sides of the blender to ensure that you don’t end up with any unblended ingredients. A chunky or chewy green smoothie is not appetizing to children of any age. The spatula that I use a basic one that was purchased inexpensively from QVC.
There are thousands of healthy smoothie recipes, so your ingredients will vary greatly depending on what kind of smoothie you are trying to make. You can use fresh or frozen produce, although including at least one frozen ingredient will make the smoothie much colder, and therefore more appealing. Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, and bananas are very popular for smoothies. Green smoothies are growing in popularity. Green smoothies are made by using vegetables such as baby spinach, celery, and cucumbers. Most smoothies are made with a liquid ingredient as well. You can use milk, fruit juice, water, or even thin yogurt as your liquid ingredient. Smoothie ingredients can be purchased from your local grocer or farmer’s market. It would be ideal to use a combination of fresh, seasonal and frozen ingredients.
Adding a little bit of ice to the blender during the smoothie process will keep your smoothie colder longer – which is always a good thing. Be careful to not add any more ice than you need, as it will water down your smoothie, and also your smoothie’s nutrition. As smoothies warm to room temperature they can separate and be less visually appealing to children.
You can use a regular cup, insulated cup, or travel mug depending on when and where you plan on drinking your smoothie. In the Summer, you may opt for an insulated cup to help keep your smoothie cold, or you may want to use a travel mug if you drink your breakfast smoothie in the car. Children also like fun straws to drink their smoothies! Tervis Tumblers are great because they are double wall insulated and don’t sweat, and you can use hygienic disposable straws from the dollar store or Walmart. Reusable straws are difficult to clean properly, and you don’t want to take the chance.
Kids find a way to make a mess! Children can wear a store bought or homemade apron or even an artists smock to keep their clothes clean. If an child-size apron is not handy, at least be sure they are wearing play clothes, or clothes that you do not mind getting dirty, as certain berries and juices will stain.
The use of food coloring can help make several smoothies more interesting to younger girls and boys. Just a bit of red or pink will make a festive Valentine-themed smoothie, red and blue layered smoothies are fun for the Fourth of July. Orange and black swirls could be a real treat on halloween, and red and green smoothies are appropriate for the Christmas holiday. Just be careful to understand your coloring wheel – because no one wants to consume a dark brown or black fruit smoothie every day!
