DIY Superfood Popsicles
Posted on: Wednesday July 10th, 2019
Posted by: Lisa Ruscica
Superfood is a word you likely hear quite a lot. Although there's a ton of buzz around superfoods, there's also some confusion. What exactly is a superfood? What makes them so super? Should my children be eating these foods every day?
Alright … let’s start at the beginning. What is a superfood? While there is no exact definition of what defines them, superfoods are foods which have high levels of antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients. Where practically all whole plant foods offer benefits, it’s superfoods which provide maximal health benefits!
From a nutritional standpoint, there's really no such thing as a superfood. The term was actually created by marketers to influence food sales. While there is no single food that is the key to optimal health, there are some foods that have super levels of nutrients. Since the term superfood seems to be here to stay, here are some of the top superfoods for kids and what exactly makes them so super!
Dark Leafy Greens
There’s a reason your mom used to insist you to finish your greens! Dark leafy greens are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They have an abundance of nutrients including folate, zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and fibre.
Blueberries and other berries are packed with nutrients such as vitamin C and manganese. They’re a great snack for toddlers as they’re small, soft and sweet!
Chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. They also contain a ton of iron and calcium! Make your own Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding or add them on top of a yogurt parfait!
Bananas contain high levels of vitamin C, potassium and other vitamins and minerals that provide amazing health benefits. Maybe that's why bananas are the most popular fruit in the world!
Greek yogurt contains nutrients such as protein, calcium, probiotics and vitamin B-12. The probiotics can help with gut health and the calcium and protein help build strong bones!
If you’re wondering how to add more superfoods to your child’s diet — I have the recipe for you!
Super Superfood Popsicles!
These yummy homemade popsicles feature not one or two but THREE amazing superfoods! Kale, berries and bananas!
1 cup 100% orange juice
1 cup baby kale
1 ¼ cups frozen berries
- Blend orange juice and kale together.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a popsicle mould and freeze!
The key to these yummy popsicles is blend, blend, blend. If you blend the kale and juice together first, you’ll limit the number of vegetable chunks! Try these at home this weekend and let me know how you and your kiddies like them!
Chef Lisa Ruscica
Chief Food Ambassador