Healthy, homemade popsicles are a cool treat and a clever way to up your child’s intake of fruits and veggies. Keep them in the freezer for hot days, teething pain, sniffles and any other time your child can use a boost. Make extra; you’re going to want some too!

Pin all 13 recipes for baby-friendly popsicles.

Dole Whip Popsicles

One Lovely Life

If you can't travel to Disneyland for a Dole Whip, these Vitamin C-rich popsicles are the next best thing. These pops from One Lovely Life are made with just two ingredients: diced pineapple and coconut milk, but you can add a sweetener like maple syrup or honey if you'd like (avoid honey for babes under age 1). 

Wild Blueberry & Almond Butter Yogurt Popsicles

The View from Great Island

If you're introducing your child to nuts, these filling and flavorful popsicles are a great way to let them snack on almond butter in a baby-friendly form. Blended with yogurt and blueberries, they offer a nutritional boost along with kid-friendly flavors. Head to The View from Great Island for the recipe.

Blueberry Pomegranate Popsicles

Gimme Some Oven

Superfoods for your super babe! Made with just blueberries, pomegranates and Greek yogurt, these super cute popsicles from Gimme Some Oven are tangy, creamy and sweet. Freeze them in Dixie cups to get this baby-friendly shape.

Swirly Strawberry Creamsicles

Mama Papa Bubba

This fruit-sweetened frozen novelty is packed with protein and calcium. Mix them with your favorite berries (fresh or frozen) to create this picture-perfect, yummy treat. This recipe from Mama Papa Bubba uses medjool dates for sweetness, instead of honey, so it's safe for kids under a year old. 

Veggie Pops

Wanderson1 via Pixabay

Babies get their daily dose of vegetables with these colorful popsicles. The Kids Activities Blog shares recipes such as Berry Red Veggie, Orange Carrot Mango and Lime Green Popsicles (spoiler: this one includes iron-rich spinach!).

Yogurt & Veggie Popsicles

LiveSimply.com

These popsicles are full of calcium and vitamins, thanks to the yogurt, veggies and fruits. Kristin from Live Simply has created three popsicle recipes: Orange Delight (carrots, strawberry, mango), Green Dinosaur (spinach, bananas, pineapple) and Tickle-Me-Red (beets, strawberry, banana). If your child is under age one, swap out the honey for maple syrup.

Rainbow Popsicles

TheFirstYearBlog.com

Taste the rainbow with these beautiful frozen treats. There's prep work involved to blend and then layer smoothies in each of the rainbow colors, so save this one for a special occasion like a birthday or holiday. Get the recipe at The First Year Blog.

Breastmilk Pops

Amazon

Here's a tasty treat for breastfed babes that also provides instant teething relief. Pour pumped breast milk into the cap of a pacifier (1 to 2 ounces per cap), then insert pacifier and freeze for 3-4 hours. 

Strawberry & Yogurt Popsicles

popsicles are a good thing to add to a summer bucket list

Consider this a baby-fied version of the summer favorite strawberries with whipped cream. Full-fat vanilla yogurt replaces cream in this version and adds a little extra sweetness. Head to Pint Sized Baker for the recipe.

Pea & Spinach Green Smoothie Popsicle

My Fussy Eater

This green machine combines peas, spinach, Greek yogurt, banana and chia seeds for a powerhouse snack that includes vitamins A, C and K, magnesium, manganese and fiber. Head to My Fussy Eater for the recipe.

Super Kale Pops

Super Healthy Kids

Kale has many health benefits, including a high amount of fiber that can aid your little one's digestion. Super Healthy Kids blends the greens with frozen berries to sweeten them up.

Fruit & Veggie Pops

Hello, Wonderful

Hello, Wonderful shares four popsicle recipes that are sure to please your baby’s budding palette. Pro tip: To save on prep time, buy cold-pressed veggie juices to mix with your favorite frozen fruits.

One-Ingredient Fruit Popsicles

Ben Wicks via Unsplash

It’s as easy at sounds, and endlessly customizable. Freeze your babe's favorite fruits for a treat they're sure to love. Slice larger fruits like pineapple and watermelon into long pieces. Keep smaller fruits like strawberries, mangoes, raspberries and bananas whole. Avoid dense fruits like whole grapes that could pose a choking hazard. If you’re feeling fancy, insert a popsicle stick into the bottom of the fruit so it’s easier for baby (or you) to hold. Freeze for 3-4 hours, and then enjoy.

Katie Taylor

featured photo: Wanderson1 via Pixabay 

RELATED STORIES:

Eat the Rainbow with These Toddler-Friendly Healthy Recipes

Beyond Purees: 12 Recipes for Baby’s First Finger Foods

Global Flavors: Discover Baby’s First Foods Around the World

The Environmental Working Group, a non-partisan health and environmental watchdog group, released its Dirty Dozen List for 2021. The annual roundup of non-organic produce tests for high levels of pesticides that include chemicals to keep away rodents, insects, and mold.

This year, the study found that nearly 70 percent of non-organic produce sampled tested positive for pesticides. Here is the EWG’s breakdown of the 12 “dirtiest” produce for 2021.

12. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a the cusp of moving out of the dirty dozen, but at this point still contain residues that result in a cause for concern. When in doubt, go organic.

11. Celery

Celery slipped out of the top 10 of the dirty dozen but still contains enough residue to steer you towards organic.

10. Bell & Hot Peppers

Bell and hot peppers haven’t been tested in years and the result was finding they had the most pesticides detected––115 to be exact.

9. Pears

We don’t know the exact amount, but pears were found by the EWG to contain enough pesticide residues to warrant a spot as number nine.

8. Peaches

Peaches are number eight but they were found to contain at least two pesticide residues in over 90 percent of those sampled.

7. Cherries

Coming in at number seven, more than 90 percent of non-organic cherries were found to have residues of two or more pesticides.

6. Grapes

Not a ton of data was shared about the pesticides found on grapes, but the fact that it’s number six on the list has us steering clear of the non-organic kind.

5. Apples

When you switch to organic apples you’ll be avoiding tons of pesticides. Apples were found to contain at least two types.

4. Nectarines

Nectarines come in at four, with more than 90 percent of samples testing positive for two or more pesticides.

3. Kale

A single sample of kale was found to have up to 20 different pesticides, one of which is DCPA a possible human carcinogen.

2. Spinach

Runner-up in the dirty dozen, sampled spinach had 1.8 times as much pesticide residue as any other crop tested. In addition, this leafy green was in the group for testing positive for two or more pesticides.

1. Strawberries

In no surprise, strawberries stayed at number one for the sixth year in a row. Ninety percent of the total samples had at least one pesticide, while 30 percent had residues of 10 or more pesticides.

There’s no question when it comes to strawberries: pay a few extra bucks and buy organic, so you can eat your berries with confidence that you are eating pesticide-free!

Related: The Easiest Way to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables, According to Science

What You Can Do

To keep your family out of harm’s way, it’s imperative to shop organic when it comes to the Dirty Dozen list for fruits and vegetables. If you can’t buy organic (and even if you do), you should always wash your produce thoroughly before cutting, peeling, cooking, or consuming.

Head to the Environmental Working Group’s website to download your own Produce Shopper’s Guide for 2021.

 

 

How can we encourage our children to be more adventurous with vegetables while celebrating the Earth? How about growing our own salads and veggies?

But do kids like greens and salads? Yes, they do! Find out how much they like by exploring all the kid-approved lunchbox ideas on teuko.com that include greens and salads.

If you are ready to introduce more home-grown produce into your child’s meal plan, here are 7 kid-friendly vegetables and herbs to grow!

1. Lettuce
Because it is far superior, in taste and also in vitamins, to the store-bought alternative, we love planting lettuce. It is one of our favorite garden greens! You can plant lettuce in the spring, starting two weeks before frost. If you plant lettuce in the fall, you should start sowing again eight weeks before the fall frost. Then, you can harvest lettuce when full size, but just before maturity. The leaves, indeed, taste better when they’re still young and tender – and the kids will love it!

2. Spinach
Spinach can replace lettuce in salads. We love it because it brings more iron, calcium, and vitamins than most cultivated greens, and one of the best sources of vitamins A, B, and C. Though it cannot grow in midsummer, spinach can be planted in very early spring, as well as in fall and even winter in some areas!

3. Cucumbers
With their refreshing crunchiness, cucumbers are easy-care vegetables as they grow quickly as long as they receive consistent watering and warmth! Did you know that you can get cucumbers year-round? Yes, indeed, by making successive plantings (every two weeks for continued harvests, as long as you have warm soil), cucumbers will grow quickly and ripen in about six weeks!

Oh! And don’t let cucumbers get too large before you pick them, or they will taste bitter and that would not be a big win for the kiddos’ lunch!

4. Cherry Tomatoes
Now let’s ditch the greens and have touches of red in the garden and in the lunchbox! Cherry tomatoes can be planted outdoors in late spring and in early summer. The exact days to harvest has an average of 60 days, and as long as they’re not stolen by wildlife (raccoons stole all the cherry tomatoes planted by the Teuko Kids last summer!), you will enjoy the savor immensely!

5. Radishes  
Other plants very easy to grow are radishes. These root vegetables are crunchy and fresh and bring a lovely pink color to the salad! Radishes can be planted several times in spring and in fall, and they can be harvested as soon as three weeks after planting!

6. Cilantro
What about adding additional flavor to the salad? Aromatic herbs like cilantro will definitely help. Though the leaves and seeds are used most often, did you know that cilantro is entirely edible? Cilantro is a fast-growing plant that grows best in the cooler weather of spring and fall. Try it in salads and in soups.

7. Basil
The other aromatic herb we want to highlight and that is easy to grow is basil. Like cilantro, basil brings an extra delightful touch in salads and in soups. Pair basil with tomatoes, olive oil, and sea salt (fleur de sel is the ultimate gourmet touch), and voilà! a delicious salad the whole family will enjoy. Basil needs a warm-weather environment, with sunlight, but it can perform well in partial sun too!

Wait! What if I don’t have any outdoor space?

Don’t worry! Solutions exist to grow veggies easily at home! Here are our top 3 picks:

1. The least expensive solution is a portable mini greenhouse.

2. An hydroponic system‘s indoor garden germination kit is designed with a water circulation system, increasing the oxygen in the water. Plants are growing in the nutrient water faster than soil.

3. Named the best invention by TIME Magazine, Gardyn is like a farmers market for your home! You can enjoy up to 30 fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs all growing at once!

Where can I get seeds to start growing my own veggies and herbs?

Our friends at Bank On Seeds, a small employee-owned and operated company that wants to help people grow their own food regardless of experience or available space, offer a Salad Pack Mini—a seed selection packed with popular salad bases and toppings. It is curated for indoor and small space growers. These plants are just as happy in a window box as they are filling out an outdoor garden bed.

 

This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

 

Teresa Purzner

I’m the Co-Founder of Cerebelly, an MD neurosurgeon with a PhD in developmental neurobiology but first, a mother of three.

While doing my research at Stanford I had my own babies and realized there was a huge gap in the market when it came to providing specific nutrients during key windows of brain development. Not only did the foods on the healthiest grocery store shelves miss out on these nutrients, they were missing out on the basic nutrients a developing brain and body needs. So, I decided to set out and change that with Cerebelly in 2019. I knew if I didn’t do that, there was a high likelihood of no one else doing it.

But how do we ensure our little ones are getting the right nutrients? Well, I think a lot of parents take great pleasure and pride in making their kids food and there’s so much value in doing that which extends well beyond the nutritional profile of the food you create. I created Cerebelly to give parents one less thing to worry about and really felt (and still do!) that with our products, we help alleviate the guilt around eating and set our kids off on the right path for long-term vegetable eating. No matter how you look at it, Cerebelly has 8x the nutrition to support healthy brain development, among the 7-top selling baby food pouches on the market.

I’ve found shopping to be quite overwhelming -– even on the healthiest grocery store shelves – and encourage all parents to ‘Flip Your Food’ and see how our nutrition stacks up for smarter snacking. There may be all the right ingredients pictured on the front – but what is the first ingredient on the ingredient list? Often it will be apple, banana or pear. Many packages tout spinach and dark leafy greens on the front, only to discover on the back that there is a few percent of the daily requirement of iron on the nutritional panel – the equivalent of ONE calorie of spinach in the actual product. Each pouch has a nutritional panel – cut through the confusion by just looking at it.

Some tips for parents to look for:
Explore Different Veggies and Fruits: There are many essential nutrients that support healthy brain development and they aren’t all in your basic, everyday fruits and veggies. To make sure your little one is getting the nutrients they need, look to a wide variety of vegetables and fruits like kelp, maitake mushrooms, squash seeds, algal oil and sunflower seeds that have high nutritional density including DHA, Iron, Zinc and Vitamin E.
Don’t be Fooled by Baby Food Packaging!: Flip your food, as it’s the nutrition inside that counts. A box, jar or pouch may tout Spinach on the front of the package, but if it only has 2% of a child’s daily value of Iron, you are probably getting the equivalent of 1 calorie of spinach.
Veggies Over Fruit: Look for vegetable-first baby foods, rather than fruit-first foods (which can be jam packed with sugars). Veggies are where so many good nutrients are!

At Cerebelly we’re really conscientious about things like heavy metals and contaminants (hence the Clean Label Award!!) and ensure that our products combine up-to-date early childhood nutrition with developmental neuroscience to provide nutritious, but also delicious, organic, non-GMO, 100% plant-derived, vegetable- first, dairy-free, and gluten-free, with no added sugar products – giving our little ones the best possible start in life with the age-optimized pouches and most recently our smart bars, to grow with.


1

Sweet Potato Mango

Ripe, tart mango and buttery sweet potato pack a bright punch

$2.89

Our purees contain 8x the nutrients of a conventional pouch. They are designed to support the developing brain of children between the ages of 4 - 24 months old, but they make an amazing snack for toddlers, too!

BUY NOW

2

Blueberry Banana Sweet Potato Smart Bars (5-pack)

The smartest of snack bars, this tasty combo supports brain growth in regions like the parietal lobe

$4.99

Our Smart Bars contain 10 brain-supporting nutrients, 0g of added sugar and 3g of protein. Whether it's for your toddler who's ready to start chewing their food, or your older kiddos who need a healthy snack, our bars are the perfect go-to. We like to call it smart snacking.

BUY NOW

3

Cerebelly X Peppa Pig Smart Bars

We’ve partnered up with Peppa Pig and created fun new packaging for her favorite Smart Bars! Who knew eating healthy could be so fun?

$4.99 for a 5-pack

Ancient grains, crunchy carrots and sun-kissed raisins combine in this smart snack bar delivering brain-supporting nutrients including Zinc, Iron and Vitamin C.

BUY NOW

4

The Bright Start Bundle

Set your little one up for success by providing for them the nutrients their developing brain needs, when they need it. The 28 selected items make the job easy for you!

$81.04 + 15% off

The Bright Start pack ensures you are getting the most critical nutrients, like Choline, Selenium and Zinc, during these most critical windows of brain development.

BUY NOW

5

Pea Spinach Pear

These four nutrients are known to support the growth of the cerebellum, which coordinates your little one’s posture, balance, coordination, and speech, as well as their cingulum, which helps regulate things like attention, visual and spatial skills, and memory

$2.17 each BUY NOW

Garden-fresh peas and leafy spinach get a sweet boost from orchard pears, while quinoa adds texture and a hearty helping of Protein, rounding out this puree also high in DHA, Folate, and Selenium

To kick off 2021, Dunkin’ is adding a new on-the-go plant-based option to its menu. The brand is teaming up with America’s #1 veggie brand, MorningStar Farms, to launch the Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast Sandwich, a flavorful, meatless sandwich choice available at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide for a limited time. The new sandwich follows the introduction of the Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich in 2019 and Planet Oat Oatmilk in 2020.

Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast

Dunkin’ continues to give on-the-go consumers more ways to easily make plant-based food and beverages part of their day. Following the success of last year’s Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich launch, the brand is beginning 2021 by adding another plant-based protein patty to its menu, teaming up with America’s #1 veggie brand, MorningStar Farms, to launch the new Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast Sandwich, a flavorful, meatless sandwich that doesn’t sacrifice on taste, now available for a limited time at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide.

The Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast Sandwich features a MorningStar Farms Black Bean Patty packed with southwest flavors, layered with an egg white omelet filled with spinach, bell peppers, and onions, topped with aged white cheddar cheese, served on a multigrain thin. With 410 calories, 26 grams of protein, and 23 grams of whole grains, the new sandwich is the perfect on-the-go option for a new year and a new start.

For Dunkin’s most loyal guests, the brand has made it simple to start 2021 with a plant-based change of pace. Now through Jan. 26, Dunkin’ is giving its DD Perks members 2X points with purchases of the Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast Sandwich, Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich, or a creamy and delicious Oatmilk Latte*.

According to Jill Nelson, Vice President, Marketing & Culinary at Dunkin’, “Dunkin’ is proud to expand our plant-based offerings with the introduction of the new Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast Sandwich to meet the needs of our guests and provide the flexitarian and vegetarian options they crave to keep running any time of day.”

“This sandwich is really exciting for MorningStar Farms because it delivers a veggie-centric option for Dunkin’ guests, giving them a great plant-based protein patty,” said Dara Schuster, Senior Director of Marketing, Plant Based Protein at Kellogg Company. “The sandwich has a kick of heat from the MorningStar Farms Black Bean Patty, offering a flavorful breakfast sandwich that packs 26 grams of protein and celebrates real recognizable ingredients. Flexitarian eating is on the rise and we’re thrilled to deliver new menu items that can satisfy everyone.” 

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Dunkin’

RELATED STORIES

Dunkin’ and BARK Introduce New Dog Toys for a Cause

DIY Donut Kits from Dunkin’ Will Keep Your Kids Busy in the Kitchen

Dunkin’ Just Launched a New Way to Enjoy Your Morning Coffee

Running out of steam with lunch ideas for kids? We’ve been there; sometimes a PB&J just doesn’t cut it. We’ve rounded up a bunch of kid-approved wraps to keep lunchtime feeling fresh. They’re healthy and easy to put together, so they’re a win for everyone. Keep reading to add these ideas to your school lunch arsenal.

Meatless Mondays

The Wimpy Vegetarian

Introduce your kids to the magic of Meatless Monday with this wrap from The Wimpy Vegetarian. With protein-rich quinoa, black beans and hummus, it'll keep them full for hours. To get the recipe, click here.

Taste the Rainbow

Super Healthy Kids

Watch your kiddo’s eyes sparkle in anticipation as you prepare this radiant wrap-up. With red, orange, green, purple and a nice dollop of cheese for a creamy feel, it’s really like eating the rainbow. Super Healthy Kids suggests adding chives (full of nutrients!) for a burst of flavor. Click here to get more recipes.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon of chopped chives
1 wedge of laughing cow cheese
Red tomatoes and red bell peppers sliced thinly.
Orange Carrots and orange bell peppers, sliced thinly
Green avocados and green lettuce, sliced thinly.
Purple cabbage, sliced thinly.

Method
1. Combine chives and cheese and spread this over a whole wheat tortilla.
2. Fill the tortilla with crunchy and colorful veggies!

Hunger Squash-ing

Pinch of Yum

This scrumptious panini is a pocket of sweet butternut squash, warm black beans and ooey gooey cheese. It’s guaranteed to fill those small bellies to the brim. Recipe master Pinch of Yum recommends grilling the wrap for a firmer hold. For more kid-tastic recipes, visit A Pinch of Yum.

Ingredients
3 cups chopped butternut squash, steamed or roasted
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup rinsed black beans
chopped scallions
whole wheat wraps
white crumbly cheese (feta, gorgonzola, cotija, etc.)

Method
1. Mix the first four ingredients together; season with whatever suits your fancy.
2. Place 1 cup of filling on a wrap, sprinkle with cheese, and fold it up.
3. Grill on a griddle or panini press.

Double Take on Tofu

Lunchbox Bunch

Put these eggless salad wraps on the menu today! Lunchbox Bunch notes that steaming the tofu first brings a firmer, eggy bite. We love how this can be eaten cold (aka made the night before) as a real time saver. For more yummy vegan easts, visit Lunchbox Bunch.

Ingredients
18 ounces firm tofu, cubed and steamed - salted to taste
1/2 cup vegan mayo, aka Vegenaise
1/3 cup Dijon mustard (classic Grey Poupon is the best)
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper - fine
2 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion - Vidalia onions work best
also needed: 1 XL wrap tortilla, and greens (red leaf lettuce was used in the wrap seen below)

Method
1. Toss Well.
2. Chill.
3. Fill wrap and serve!

Hearty, Healthy and Homey

Hungry Hannah

We often consider honey mustard to be the king of condiments. With Hungry Hannah's perfect balance of sweet, tangy and salty, drizzle it over your wrap of chicken and veggies and roll the wrap up tight to avoid sauce drippings on clothes. Satisfy that tummy rumble with more recipes at Hungry Hannah.

Ingredients
2 tsp plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp yellow mustard
3/4 tsp honey
1 whole wheat wrap
1 small breast grilled or baked chicken
2 slices of tomato
a small handful of fresh spinach (or lettuce)
1-2 tbsp shredded cheese

Method
1. To prepare the honey mustard sauce, whisk together the Greek yogurt, yellow mustard, and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
2. Lay out your wrap on a flat surface and layer with chicken, tomato, spinach, and cheese.
3. Pour honey mustard sauce on top and roll up your wrap tightly.

A Blanket of Summer in a Wrap

Love Bakes Good Cakes

With creamy avocados, crunchy lettuce, cheese and chicken all rolled up in the center, this California Chicken Wrap makes us miss summer already. Love Bakes Good Cakes' recipe is a fam fave for lunch or dinner, and there's always more meals to come—so shimmy over to her site for more food how-tos!

Ingredients
2 large flour tortillas, warmed
2 slices Monterey Jack cheese
8-12 thin deli-style chicken slices
A small handful of fresh spinach
1 small avocado, pitted and cut into slices
1 small Roma tomato, sliced
¼ cup Ranch dressing

Method
1. Layer the ingredients in the order given, dividing the ingredients evenly between the two tortillas.
2. Roll the tortilla up "burrito-style" around the ingredients.
3. To serve - Cut in half on a bias, if desired.

Beef Up and Roll

Gather for Bread

For that midday pick-me-up, Gather for Bread has the tastiest roast beef wrap recipe. Filled with cheese, spinach, tomatoes and roast beef, this wrap is best when heated in a panini press or grill pan so that the cheese melds everything together. Visit Gather for Bread for more mouthwatering delights.

Ingredients
1 tortilla
3-4 oz of deli-sliced roast beef
1 oz Havarti cheese, sliced
1 oil-packed sun dried tomato, chopped
1 handful of spinach
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons mayonnaise
dash of oregano
dash of salt and pepper

Instructions
1. Heat panini press or grill pan over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, mix together Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Spread down the center of the tortilla. Top with roast beef and cheese. Layer with sun dried tomatoes and spinach. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Slice in half and serve immediately.

Salty and Sweet Delight

Oliver Hallmann via Flickr

With a medley of sweet and salty flavors wrapped in a healthy tortilla, this lunch is made to dance in your little one's mouth. Bonus points to the sweet kernels that add a juicy pop in this roll-up.

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 slice of ham
1/4 cup of corn, drained
Sliced red pepper
2 lettuce leaves, sliced
2 tablespoons of low-fat mayo

Method:
1. Spread mayo on the tortilla.
2. Arrange lettuce, red pepper, ham and corn (in the center) of the tortilla.
3. Roll up tightly and pack!

Jerk in the Right Direction

eMeals

Here’s a paleo chicken lettuce wrap recipe that’s so packed with flavor that your kids will be begging for more. It’s super light, so kids won’t be falling into a food coma during school. We recommend using a big piece of lettuce and pinning it tight with a toothpick for less of a mess. Hop on over to eMeals for more healthy recipes.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4½ cups chopped cooked chicken
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Jerk seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 heads Bibb lettuce

Method
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until onion is browned.
3. Stir in chicken, lime juice and Jerk seasoning; cook 3 minutes. Stir in thyme.
4. Separate lettuce leaves, and fill leaves evenly with chicken mixture.
5. Roll up, if desired.

— Christal Yuen

 

RELATED STORIES:

20 Lunchboxes That’ll Start the School Year Off Right

30+ Unique Lunch Ideas to Try This Summer

Our Favorite Snacks for Lunches, After-School & More

Featured image: Pixabay via Pexels

Smoothie season is here! With so many fruits and veggies in season, it’s the perfect time to dust off your blender. Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite healthy smoothie recipes that kids and adults alike will love. While you’re at it, get your little sous chefs involved in measuring out the fruit and learning how to make a smoothie. Grab some spinach, freeze a few bananas and read on to get started.

Click here to save this list on your healthy recipes Pinterest board.

Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

Lemons Zest

Brighten up your morning with this sweet-tart smoothie from Lemons + Zest. A little lemon zest gives it an extra pop of flavor, while a touch of flaxseed sneaks in some fiber. To get the recipe, click here.

Mango-Berry Swirled Smoothie

Perry’s Plate

This pretty smoothie from Perry’s Plate tastes like summer in a glass. It’s dairy-free and made with fresh mangos, frozen berries and a few other ingredients. Click here to get the recipe.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Split Smoothie

Food Network

Your kiddos will love this "chocolate milkshake," which comes together with the help of Greek yogurt, bananas, peanut butter and hot chocolate mix. It's the perfect treat on a hot summer day. Hint: Serve icy cold!

Ingredients
2 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup 1% low-fat Darigold chocolate milk
3 tbsp hot chocolate powder

Method:

1. Throw all the ingredients in a blender, and blitz until smooth!

Mango Smoothie

Mummyology

Mango is the perfect summer fruit—so why not mix it up into a slurpable concoction? With just a little orange juice and ice, you'll have a tasty treat in no time. Hop over to Mummyology for the recipe, plus lots of other kid-approved smoothie ideas.

Cake Batter Smoothie

Kendra's Treat

There's no doubt your kids will go crazy for this cake batter smoothie from Kendra's Treats. With cake mix and rainbow sprinkles, not to mention a surprisingly light list of ingredients (no ice cream here), what's not to like?

Peach Flax Smoothie

Super Healthy Kids

Flaxseed is super popular among health food nuts, and for good reason—it's got omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain development in kiddos and help maintain a healthy digestive system. This peach smoothie from Super Healthy Kids is the perfect way to introduce flax into your little one's diet without them even noticing.

Summer Delight Smoothie

Tinned Tomatoes

Make the most of that fresh farmer's market produce with this summery recipe using nectarines and raspberries from Tinned Tomatoes.

Honeydew Melon Smoothie

Artsy Momma

If your kiddo loves honeydew melon, this smoothie from Artsy Momma is bound to be a home run. Add a little whipped cream and sprinkles on top, and your kids will think they're having dessert for breakfast!

Monsters Green Smoothie

Mom Endeavors

We couldn't resist throwing a truly green smoothie into the list—after all, the foodie world is crazy for spinach-laden smoothies right now. Luckily, there's a way to make green smoothies appealing to the younger set. Mom Endeavors' clever recipe makes use of lots of fruit, a bit of spinach, and a few fun decorations to make a kid-approved treat perfect for a monster-themed party.

Beet Strawberry Lemon Smoothie

Raw on $10 a Day

Beets, strawberries and lemon juice come together to make the prettiest (and tastiest!) deep red smoothie. Check out the recipe at Raw on $10 a Day.

—Susie Foresman

Featured photo: ElementDigital5 via Unsplash

 

RELATED STORIES:

30+ Unique Lunch Ideas to Try This Summer

26 Summer Meals That Don’t Require a Stove

26 Easy Popsicles to Make at Home Today

 

When my son was younger, he used to say, “Mmm, mommy, this is delicious! Can I have more broccoli?” In his extraordinary growing aptitude of learning what fresh vegetables and fruit meant to a healthy mind and body, my young son was interested in almost every kind of veggies and fruit. Now, several years later, something changed to his palate and now only enjoys certain kinds of veggies. While he still loves a plethora of fruit such as pineapple, mango, apples, and berries, his taste for vegetables has dramatically changed.

It’s true that our palates and tastes change as we go through different stages in life. I once used to enjoy mushy textured fruits, but after pregnancy, I couldn’t bear the texture. I’d assume the same goes for most children in that their parents fed them various types of vegetables just to get some nutrition into their bodies and perhaps teach them about eating healthy. That was mostly what I did for my son—got him to try all kinds of vegetables and force-fed him a few of the not so popular ones. And then I realized that was probably the downfall. I found what my son liked and I kept giving them to him. In turn, he grew tired of the taste and flavor and now won’t even touch them. 

So, I learned a few tricks along the way and I’d like to share them here with you. These are all fairly easy ways to incorporate more veggies into your children’s life.

1. Let them know at a young age that fresh veggies are best. Give them vegetables that are easy to recognize and available such as carrots, broccoli, and lettuce. If they see these common vegetables in their meals, they’ll think it’s just a normal part of eating.

2. Expand your kid’s palates by adding more vegetables such as corn, spinach, and sweet potatoes into their meals. Try fresh corn from the cob or frozen, and try sweet potatoes Tempura-st‌yle.

3. Take your kids grocery shopping with you. Let them touch and smell the various vegetables in the market. Then have them choose 1 or 2 vegetables they’ve never tried before. If kids have the power to choose, they will most likely be interested in eating them.

4. Don’t limit your child’s taste for veggies. Don’t be afraid to let them try a rare or unusual vegetable such as rhubarb or kohlrabi. Sometimes the most unusual vegetable has the most nutritional benefit.

5. Let your child help you with cooking. Depending on the age, have them help you chop vegetables or peel them. The hands-on technique helps strengthen the relationship between making your own food and enjoying eating them.

6. Let your kids plant a mini garden of vegetables. Easy to grow vegetables are radish, carrots, and bell peppers. Depending on the climate and area, these typically grow within a couple of months.

7. Let your kids see that they can add vegetables to their smoothies. Add mild-tasting vegetables such as spinach and daikon. And more vibrant ones such as beets and carrots.

8. And what’s the best way to show them that? Eat them yourselves, of course! If they see their parents or siblings eat vegetables on a daily basis, then they’ll think it’s the most natural thing in the world to do.

I am a mom first and foremost. I might not be a supermom, but I am constantly learning and growing.Topics I stand with are parenting, the environment, and living a healthy and happy lifest‌yle. I work at an elementary school and I have 30 years experience in the health industry.

DC Chefs know that the best ingredients are local ones. Their mouth-watering dishes full of seasonal ingredients are the perfect inspiration for a DIY at-home garden. We asked some of the best chefs in Washington, DC what produce stands out in their dishes. Bonus: these ingredients are easy-to-grow and will have your little foodie picking through potting soil in no time. Keep reading for five foods you can grow from seed to plate.

Tomatoes

Jennifer C. via Flickr

Executive Chef Matteo Venini of Lupo Verde uses delicious tomatoes in many of his pizzas and pasta dishes. Tomatoes are easy to grow in containers on the front porch or balcony. Slice them up for a kid-friendly margarita pie on family pizza night. Or, make a mess in the kitchen with your favorite homemade marinara sauce.

Where to Buy: This veteran-owned garden shop serves all of  DC as well as Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and McLean in VA and Bethesda, Chevy Chase, College Park, Silver Spring and Takoma Park in MD. Due to Covid-19, Old City Garden is only accepting delivery orders (minimum order, $50). 

1325 Rhode Island Ave NE
Brookland
202-412-2489
Online: olde-city-garden.myshopify.com

Spinach

Katrin Gilger via Flickr

Uprising Muffin Company offers pastries with delicious and nutritious ingredients. Spinach is a great hidden veggie in mini muffins for your kiddos, and it is easy to grow at home. Grow the leafy greens in a container, snip off some leaves one week and snip a few more the next. It is a healthy veggie that keeps on giving.

Where to Buy: Home Depot carries a number of spinach seed packs as well as starter vegetable plants. Going to a hardware store to source seeds means it just takes one-stop to gather all you need for raised garden beds. 

901 Rhode Island Ave NE
Brentwood
202-526-8760
Online: homedepot.com

Herbs

Shutterfly via Flickr

Herbs are the perfect and easy at-home garden choice. Last season, Executive Chef Adam Howard of Blue Duck Tavern shared recipes with his weekly community supported agriculture (CSA) pickup. He wanted locals to easily be able to turn their dill or dandelion greens into something yummy. Mason jars are a space-saving way to plant herbs, and your little ones can help take care of the plants as they grow.

Where to Buy: Foliage by Frager's is a boutique garden store with a wide variety of indoor plants. But they also carry seeds perfect for a windowsill garden. You'll find soil, fertilizer and more. Too much to carry? Borrow one of their carts to tote your greens home. 

1115 Pennsylvania Ave
Capitol Hill
202-543-6157

Potatoes

Dirty Dozen- Potatoes
Pixabay via Pexels

Ocean Prime's Executive Chef Leo Harvey is known for epic side dishes featuring the usually dull potato. Find a variety that matures quickly when you plant your spuds at home. Who likes to wait? The kid-friendly options with potatoes are endless. Fry them, mash them, roast them, and your whole crew will eat them up.

Where to Buy: A DC institution since 1933, Johnson's Florist & Garden Centers is a one-stop shop for everything from lawn care to indoor plants. They even offer fresh floral arrangements. Don't forget to pick up potatoes: you'll find a variety of ready-to-grow options here, along with other herbs and vegetable plants. 

10313 Kensington Pkwy. 
Kensington MD 
(301) 946 - 6700

5011 Olney-Laytonsville Rd.
Olney MD 
(301) 987-1940
Online: johnsonsflorists.com

Peas

Jennifer C. via Flickr

Chef Amy Brandwein of Centrolina's restaurant-market hybrid uses seasonally-available ingredients in her creations. She's all about the peas when it comes to yummy side dishes. Littles love those tiny veggies, and they are fun to grow in your backyard. Don't forget to add tall supports to give the little pods room to grow.

Where to Buy: Ginkgo Gardens is a full-service garden center in the heart of DC. You'll find veggie starter kits along with the know-how staffers that can help walk novice gardeners through their first plantings. They can answer questions like which way should your container face for adequate sunlight and how much should you water a starter-plant. 

911 11th St SE
Captitol Hill
202-543-5172
Online: ginkogardens.com

​​​—Angelica Kajiwara and Meghan Yudes Meyers

featured photo: Pexels

RELATED STORIES:

26 Recipes That Will Get Kids to Eat Their Veggies

Easy Ideas for Gardening with Kids (No Green Thumb Required)

7 Easy Indoor Gardening Ideas You Can Create Year Round

 

This hearty fried-egg sandwich packs a punch of flavors! Stuffed with tangy pesto, melty cheese, and a handful of veggies for crunch, it makes the perfect weeknight meal. Scroll down for the complete recipe and how-to. 

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 min.

Hands-on Time: 15 min.

You will need: 

4 slices sourdough bread

1/3 cup prepared pesto

4 slices cheddar cheese

1 avocado, sliced

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Fresh spinach or arugula (optional)

1 fresh tomato

4 large eggs

Ground pepper

Butter, for greasing pan

Directions:

1. Place a pat of butter in a skillet to melt over medium heat. Meanwhile, spread pesto on all four slices of bread. Top each slice of bread with one slice of cheese.

2. Transfer bread to skillet with the plain side down. Cover and grill until bread begins to toast and cheese begins to melt, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a separate non-stick skillet, melt a small pat of butter. Add 4 eggs to the pan, next to each other. Lower the heat, and cook until the white is firm and the yolk is to your liking, about 4-5 minutes. Repeat one more time to create 4 servings of two eggs each.

4. Place each slice of pesto toast on a plate. Top with several fresh basil leaves, spinach or arugula, and sliced tomato.

5.Add fried eggs to the top of each slice of toast. Sprinkle with ground pepper.

6. Eat with a knife and fork, and enjoy!

—recipe and copy by Anna Doogan; photo by Jen Silverstein/Red Tricycle 

 

RELATED STORIES

Weeknight Meal: Mini Egg Pizza

Easy Veggie Stir Fry with Sesame Scrambled Egg

Quick Broccoli & Pepper Egg Bake

Weeknight Meal: Veggie Pasta Bake 

Weeknight Meal: Vegetable Shakshuka