Fun blender drinks for kids?

[ShadowMom]

Does anyone know of fun drinks one can make at home, either mixed drinks or blender-type ones, that kids love?

I have found a few online but they mainly use koolaid and such.

I imagine it would be really easy, but if I had a starting recipe or two with the right proportions or some good ideas I could tweak them or modify them...

Surely, with a blender, I could make a slushy-like drink?

TIA for any suggestions.

[Storm Bride]

What about smoothies?

If you want something more like a slushie, I do one for us that ds2 loves. DD doesn't care for it, though.

One peeled grapefruit, in sections.
1/2 cup of orange juice
1 Tbsp. lime juice
Honey to taste (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 to 1 1/2 cups ice cubes

I find it really refreshing on a hot day.

[AFWife]

subbing

[notjustmamie]

We make fruit smoothies in the food processor (I assume our recipe would work in the blender, too, though):

3 c frozen berries (chop before measuring if they are larger, such as strawberries)
1 banana
1½ c milk (adding more if it's too thick)

Makes 2-16 oz or 4-8 oz smoothies

[Kinguk]

I make smoothies a couple of times a week and the toddlers get so excited when they see the blender out.

I use equal parts milk, plain yogurt, frozen berries (about 1/2 cup of each) and then a whole banana...you could use half a banana. Then, if I'm feeling really spicy I'll add a sploosh of juice from concentrate. Like the tots say, "me-yum, me-yum, me-yum"

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by notjustmamie

We make fruit smoothies in the food processor (I assume our recipe would work in the blender, too, though):

3 c frozen berries (chop before measuring if they are larger, such as strawberries)
1 banana
1½ c milk (adding more if it's too thick)

Makes 2-16 oz or 4-8 oz smoothies

My standard smoothie is similar. I use yogurt, instead of milk (slightly over a cup), 1 banana, and 2-3 cups of frozen fruit. They're not really drinks, though...more like a really thick milkshake. My kids go nuts when I do the berry one.

Another really good one - but I've lost my recipe and don't have the proportions - is a tropical one:

Coconut milk
Pineapple
Orange juice
Banana

I know it was one banana. I think it was about 1/4 cup of OJ, 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, and 1 cup of chopped pineapple...but I may be way off. It's been a while.

[Ellp]

How about just plain frozen fruit and enough plain juice to make the blender work? That should make a slushy type drink.

[Carley]

I am sooo in the tropical boat! I'm always freezing leftover banana/pineapplecores/etc in a big freezer bag. I LOVE frozen pineapple... sometimes it's hard to sacrifice it for a smoothie

For a slushy you'd probably have to use more liquid. Try freezing juice in cubes or using frozen concentrate.

I bet frozen watermelon would be amazing! Sometimes we put watermelon, mint & cucumber in our water pitcher. Never thought of blending it frozen! Yum!

We've been on a honeydew smoothie kick lately. DH & I love frozen honeydew + coconut + lime zest + lime juice... DD gets coconut milk in lieu of citrus. I like mine chunky. Makes a good popsicle too!


So MY favourite smoothie EVER is frozen banana, cocoa powder & enough milk, whey (AWESOME addition to smoothies!) or water to make it ice creamy. If' I'm feeling especially PMS'y I add some chunky peanut butter (or roasted peanuts) to the mix. Mmmm... *drool*


Another nutrient rich smoothie that sounds unprobable is cashews, lemon zest, lemon juice, milk (soy/nut whatev) & cooked millet. It's actually the filling for the "uncheesecake" from The Uncheese Cookbook. It makes FANTASTIC puddingesque deliciousness. Frozen strawberries and/or chocolate (cocoa powder or melted chocolate) make a nice touch. It is, of course, great chilled for a cheesecakesque texture, but it's also yummy frozen or as is (some of us might eat it out of the blender )

[nurturebaby]

Really any combo of frozen fruit and enough liquid of your choice will make a good smoothie - add a bit of honey if needed.

But here is the best, most awesome one that my kids love -

one package of frozen strawberries or raspberries, one half frozen avocado (can't taste it - just gives a good texture) and enough orange juice to get it going (freshly squeezed makes a big difference if you're willing!). You could also use a fresh avocado, but I always have some frozen laying around.

I've found that the simpler, the better when it comes to blended drinks - don't get too crazy with too many different varieties of fruits in one drink.

[Baby Makes 4]

When the kids want something slushy we fill the magic bullet cup with frozen strawberries, add a couple teaspoons of sugar, a generous squirt of lemon juice and fill the spaces with water. Makes a yummy strawberry-lemonade slurpee.

[tanyam926]

Baby Makes 4, I love the Magic Bullet! Mine broke and I am really sad

We love smoothies over here too, but we also do fruit slushes, which are just juice and ice in the blender. My kids think they are a special treat, they don't know that it's just juice.

My fave is mixed berries, almond milk, and stevia.

I agree w/a pp that it's best not to get too crazy w/ingredients. I either make a tropical smoothie, or a berry smoothie, I wouldn't mix the fruits bc it doesn't taste very good.

I am def going to try some of these recipes though, keep em comin!

[nurturebaby]

I just made a super yummy icy drink - try this:

2 cups water
juice of 2 lemons
sweetner - I used about 1/4 cup agave nectar and a bit of honey
frozen strawberries - half to full small bag

blend up, then add ice and blend again to make really icy

SOOOO good - like a strawberry lemonade slushy.

Once I get popsicle molds, I going to make these into popsicles - it would be so good!

[Savoir Faire]

We currently use the "whatever fruit we have that's about to go bad" smoothie.

Today we have peaches, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries and ice (with a bit of pineapple juice and water). Was too tart so I put in some vanilla yogurt.

I'd suggest getting ice cubes and a fro fruit of your choice. I'd add in a bit of water or juice at a time until you get the right consistency of a slush.

[jimblejamble]

This is my favourite smoothie, which is about the same consistency as a Jamba Juice smoothie:

1/2 bag of Trader Joe's frozen mango chunks
Handful of blueberries
1 banana
Blob of honey
About a cup of ice cubes

But now I live in Utah, so no more Trader Joe's mangos for me. The ones from Smith's just don't cut it. Sigh...

[eirual]

I found this recipe in one of my grandma's cook books when I was a kid.

Count Down Coolers:

4 Servings:

-1/2 C. frozen O.J. concentrate
-1/2 C. milk
-1/2 C. water
-1T sugar
-1/2tsp vanilla
-6-8 ice cubes

Blend until smooth. The vanila and sugar make it really sweet and more dessert-like than a healthy smoothy, but they're really freakin' good.

[karne]

Right now dd is all over a smoothie I make with just frozen strawberries and strawberry kefir. Sometime I add a bit of banana for "body". It also freezes for a nice cool pop.