There’s nothing more satisfying than sinking your teeth into freshly picked berries. Buying berries at a local grocery store isn’t the same as picking them from a farm. You actually work to get them!
June is the start of berry-picking season and this is a great activity kids will love to get their hands stained in. Click here to find local berry farms in your area.
ONE issue though — endless buckets of berries and not enough time or mouths to gobble them all up! Not BERRY good if you ask me!
Instead of letting those berries go to waste, have your kids help you transform ordinary berries into delectable healthy treats everyone will eat up! If you can’t think of any Top Chef Junior challenges, here are 5 quick and easy recipes kids can make after a trip to the berry farm.
1. Berry Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or your any yogurt you prefer)
- Handful of berries
- Splash of water or orange juice
- Handful of spinach
- 1 spoonful of Peanut butter or Sunbutter
Directions:
Blend ingredients and enjoy! Perfect for breakfast time or an afternoon snack break after playing in the hot sun.
2. Frozen Berry Yogurt Bites
Ingredients:
- Vanilla Greek yogurt (or any yogurt you prefer)
- Berries
Directions:
- Lay parchment paper over a baking sheet or dish.
- Dip berries into yogurt. Make sure they are fully coated.
- Keep in freezer till hard.
3. Berry Coconut Water Popsicles
Ingredients:
- Coconut water
- 1 cup fresh berries
Directions:
Add ingredients into a Popsicle molding dish. Add Popsicle sticks and set in the freezer until firm.
4. Strawberry Fruit Roll-ups
Bake Time: 5-7 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
- 1 granny smith, partly peeled
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1-2 Tablespoon honey, optional
Directions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
- Wash fruit and cut the strawberries and apple into pieces. Place in a blender or food processor.
- Zest the lemon into the blender, grating only the yellow outer layer and avoiding the bitter white layer underneath.
- Juice half the lemon, eliminating any seeds. Add to the blender with the other ingredients.
- Add honey.
- Blend for 2 minutes or until everything is liquefied and there are no large chunks. •
- Pour mixture over the parchment and spread evenly 1/8 in thick. •
- Place in oven for 3-5 hours depending on the thickness of your fruit. When the edges are done, use clean kitchen shears to cut strips about 1 inch wide and 12 inches long, making sure to cut through the paper and the fruit. •
- Place center back into the oven for another hour or two. Roll strips up and secure with a string or small piece of tape.
5. Berry Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients:
- Chai seeds (great source of nutrients and vitamin B)
- Handful of berries
- Unsweetened or sweetened Almond milk (or any milk of your choosing)
- Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Maple syrup
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and leave over night for a delicious healthy pudding.
