During the summer months, smoothies are a good way to slide essential vitamins and minerals into your child's diet. With a yogurt or milk base, you can use over ripe fruit like bananas, berries or a mixture of fruits and vegetables. If your child is allergic to milk, you can try soy or rice milk.

Another base for a smoothie can be silken tofu with wheat germ, flax seed and protein powders added along with various fruits. Smoothies taste good and many children will drink them especially if they are made with their favorite fruit. Fruit provides its own sweetness so no sugar is really needed. You might try honey if you feel a touch of sweetner is needed. Blueberries, peaches and pineapple are favorites. Try different flavor combinations.

For a truly healthy smoothie you might try this recipe. Place one banana, one cup of seedless grapes, one 6-ounce container of yogurt, one-half apple, cored and chopped, and one and one-half cups of fresh spinach leaves into a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Delicious with the apple flavor foremost. Do you or your kids love cantaloupes? Then, the Cantaloupe Frenzy is for you. Place a ripe cantaloupe cut into chunks into the blender with ice or vanilla yogurt. Yum!