Discover 10 yummy and healthy organic juice recipes for kids. These drinks are full of goodness from fruits and veggies, making them a delicious and natural choice for your little ones to enjoy.
Are Drinks Like Juice Good for Kids?
When it comes to keeping your body hydrated, water is the best option for kids. Juices are like a special treat that they can enjoy sometimes, but it’s better if they mostly eat whole fruits and veggies.
There are different kinds of juices you can buy, like 100% juice, concentrated juice, and juice that’s mixed with water. Drinking a little bit of 100% fruit juice as part of a healthy diet can give kids some good stuff for their bodies without making them gain too much weight.
But you know what? Some store-bought juices have extra sugar or other things added to them. That’s why it’s important to check the label before you buy them.
Juices can be helpful in a few ways:
- They can be a way to get kids interested in eating whole fruits and veggies.
- Drinking a bit of fruit juice with no extra sugar can give kids things called flavonoids, which help keep them healthy, especially their hearts.
- Juices have some special things like polyphenols, oligosaccharides, and nitrates that can be good for the tummy’s health.
- If you make your own juice without adding sugar and keep the fiber in it, it can be a better choice than soda or other drinks with lots of sugar. But remember, whole fresh fruits and veggies are the best pick always.
- When you make juice at home, you get to decide what goes in it. That means you can avoid stuff you don’t want, like extra things that are put in store-bought juices. Plus, it’s a good way to keep away from things that might keep the juice fresh for a long time.
- Before you start making juice, make sure to wash the fruits and veggies really well with water. This helps keep away any germs that can make you sick.
- Now, let’s have some fun with juice recipes you can make for your kid!
Here are some yummy juice recipes that your kids will love! They’re easy to make and full of good stuff for their bodies. Let’s take a look:
1. Apple Lemonade:
This is a refreshing drink to help cool down on hot days.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of apple (peeled, cored, and sliced)
- ½ cup of fresh lemon juice
How to make it:
- Make apple juice and mix in the lemon juice.
- Put it in the fridge for ten minutes and serve it cold.
- To make it even tastier, you can add crushed mint leaves and a bit of cinnamon.
2. Pineapple and Kale Juice:
This is a healthy drink that’s good for kids of any age.
Ingredients:
- 100g of fresh kale (chopped)
- 1 cup of pineapple (chopped)
- Water
How to make it:
- Juice the kale and pineapple until it’s smooth.
- You can drink it fresh or put it in the fridge for five minutes.
- For an extra boost, you can add chia seeds to make it even more nutritious.
3. Carrot and Orange Juice:
This juice is packed with vitamin C and fiber, making it really good for kids.
Ingredients:
- 2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 orange (peeled and deseeded)
How to make it:
- Juice the carrots and orange until it’s a bit thick.
- Serve it right away or put it in the fridge for a short while.
- If you want, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or mint leaves to make it taste even better.
4. Apple, Sweet Potato, and Carrot Juice:
This juice is filling and rich in nutrients and fiber.
Ingredients:
- 1 apple (cored, peeled, and chopped)
- 1 sweet potato (peeled and diced)
- 1 carrot (peeled and chopped)
How to make it:
- Juice all these ingredients until it’s creamy.
- You can drink it immediately or keep it in the fridge for a day.
5. Apple and Beetroot Juice:
This juice is called ABC because it has apple, beetroot, and carrot – all really healthy stuff!
Ingredients:
- 1 apple (cored, peeled, and chopped)
- 2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
- ½ beetroot (peeled and chopped)
How to make it:
- Juice everything until it’s kind of thick. If the juice is too thick, you can make it thinner by adding a little bit of water. Let it chill in the fridge for about ten minutes before drinking. You can keep it in the fridge for a couple of days.
6. Minty Berry Juice:
This juice is really good for kids of all ages. If your child likes strawberry and blueberry juice, they’ll definitely love this one.
Ingredients:
- 1 apple (take out the core, peel, and chop it)
- 1 kiwi (peel it and chop it)
- 1 cup of mixed berries (blueberries and strawberries)
- 4-5 mint leaves
How to make it:
- Mix the chopped apple, kiwi, and mixed berries together until it’s kind of thick.
- Add the mint leaves and put the juice in the fridge for around ten minutes.
- Serve it with a snack, like a vegetable sandwich.
7. Green Juice:
This juice is super refreshing and full of good things like spinach, cucumber, grapes, and orange.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of chopped spinach leaves
- 1 cup of peeled and chopped cucumber
- 1 cup of grapes
- 1 orange (peel it and take out the seeds)
- 1 teaspoon of ginger juice
- A little pinch of cinnamon
How to make it:
- Juice the spinach leaves, cucumber, grapes, and orange until it’s kind of thick.
- Right before you serve it, add the ginger juice and a tiny bit of cinnamon.
- It’s perfect to enjoy with your favorite grilled food!
8. Tropical Twist:
This juice is full of energy and has a tangy-sweet taste.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of chopped pineapple
- 1 cup of peeled and chopped carrot
- 1 cup of peeled, cored, and chopped apple
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon of ginger juice
How to make it:
- Juice all the veggies until the juice is thin. If the juice seems too thick, you can make it thinner by adding a little water.
- Mix in the lemon and ginger juice and serve it right away.
- You can make it even tastier by adding some mint leaves!
9. Tangy tomato Juice:
This juice has a tangy flavor and is really good for boosting your immune system.
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe tomatoes (take out the core and chop them)
- 1 carrot (peel and chop it)
- 1 celery stalk (chop it)
- A little bit (about ¼ teaspoon) of black pepper powder
How to make it:
- Juice the tomatoes, carrot, and celery until it’s smooth.
- Add the black pepper and serve it right away.
10. Fennel and Blueberry Juice:
This summer drink helps boost your immune system. If your child doesn’t like the taste of fennel, you can use mint instead.
Ingredients:
- 1 fennel bulb (chopped)
- 1 apple (peel, take out the core, and dice it)
- 50g of frozen blueberries
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
How to make it:
- Juice the fennel bulb, apple, and blueberries until it’s smooth.
- Mix in the lemon juice, give it a good stir, and serve it right away.
Enjoy these tasty and healthy juices with your kids! Just remember, it’s good to drink them in moderation and follow the tips to keep them safe and healthy.
Taking Care When Giving Juice to Kids
There are some important things to remember when giving juice to children. These steps can help make sure that juices are good for them.
- Choose Safe Juices: Only pick juices that are 100% fruit or vegetable juice and have been pasteurized or are shelf-stable. This helps prevent any bad effects from the juices.
- Be Careful with Homemade Juices: Don’t give unpasteurized juices from a farm to young kids. It’s safer to go with juices that have been treated to kill any bad stuff.
- Serve Juice with Meals: It’s better to give juice when your child is eating, not between meals. Having juice between meals can harm their teeth.
- Don’t Replace with Water or Milk: Juice is nice, but don’t make it the only thing your child drinks. water, milk, and other healthy drinks are important too.
- Spread Juice Across Meals: If your child drinks juice, don’t let them have it all at once. Give a little bit at different meals.
- Avoid Bottles and Sippy Cups: Drinking juice from bottles or sippy cups for a long time can hurt young teeth. Use regular cups instead.
- Wash Hands: Before and after making juice, wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.
- Keep the Pulp: Don’t filter out the pulp from the juice. It’s good to have because it has fiber.
- Be Mindful of Sugar and Salt: If you’re making your own juice, a tiny bit of sugar or salt is okay for taste. But don’t add any to packaged 100% fruit juices.
- Watch When They Drink: Avoid giving fruit juice close to bedtime. It could lead to tummy troubles like gas, indigestion, and diarrhea.
These steps will help keep your child safe and healthy while enjoying some tasty juice!