Here are some of the many reasons smoothies make good food sense for your children's breakfasts, lunches or just about any time of the day:

• They take no more than 5-10 minutes to prepare.
  
• They are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
  
• Smoothies provide a great opportunity to hide healthy ingredients. Adding things such as protein powder, vitamin supplements, fruits and vegetables are easy to do with these versatile drinks. And, for kids who don't like milk, they provide a good source of calcium.
  
• The variations are endless. You can experiment with soy milk, almond milk, flavored yogurts, nuts and any combination of fruits.
  
• They can be prepared year-round with fresh or frozen fruits.
  
• Best of all, they taste delicious!

Try the variations below, or feel free to mix and match to create your own

Mixed Berry Smoothie (Serves 4)
Fresh or frozen berries can be used for this smoothie. Keep in mind that the riper the fruit, the sweeter the drink will be. Add more fruit or even a little honey for a sweeter version.

Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
2 cups fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)
¾ cup lowfat milk or soy milk
¾ cup fruit juice (cranberry, apple or orange are all good choices)
5 ice cubes
1 teaspoon honey (optional)

Place all of the ingredients in the blender. Blend to desired consistency.

Peachy Keen (Serves 4)
Nothing compares to the taste of fresh, juicy peaches. This smoothie captures the stone fruit's best flavors without the sticky mess of biting into one!

Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice)
1-2 cups fresh peach slices (enough to fill your blender to 3/4 full)
4-5 ice cubes

Place all of the ingredients in the blender. Blend to desired consistency.

Perfect Plum (Serves 4)
Quite often plums are a bit tart. Adding a little honey or an extra banana will balance the flavors. The optional addition of nuts provides body and crunch. Be sure they are chopped well before blending.

Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1 cup plain yogurt or lowfat milk
2 plums
5 ice cubes
2-3 tablespoons chopped almonds (optional)
2 teaspoons honey

Place all of the ingredients in the blender. Blend to desired consistency.

Tropical Surprise (Serves 4)
Mix it up a little with this tropical treat of kiwi, mango and papaya. Feel free to add plain yogurt, or just enjoy the pure fruit flavors of this tangy combination.

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced
3/4 cup peeled and diced mango
3/4cup peeled and diced papaya
1 cup orange juice
4-5 ice cubes

Place all of the ingredients in the blender. Blend to desired consistency.

July 2005