Kids can cook- Healthy Ice Cream Sundae Bar

Kids can cook- Healthy Ice Cream Sundae Bar

Before you know it, the kids will be out of school and it will be hot enough to cook an egg on the sidewalk. Ice cream and popsicles are kid-friendly ways to keep cool, but the ingredient lists can get a little scary. How about leaving the artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup at the store and enjoying something natural and just as delicious?

Making ice cream at home the traditional way requires special equipment and a lot of patience. I don’t really have either of those things, which is why I love this simple ice cream recipe so much.

Kids will love this cool treat plain or with toppings. Check out some neat flavor ideas below.

While this recipe doesn’t take a lot of work, you do need to plan a bit ahead in order to freeze the bananas. This is a great way to save bananas when they’re getting too ripe too fast or when there’s a sale at the store too good to resist.

Simply peel ripened bananas and store them in a plastic zipper bag in the freezer. The bananas are great for ice cream, in smoothies, in banana bread, or just plain. To make the ice cream, you’ll want to freeze them for at least three hours. I typically have a bag in the freezer at all times. They last at least one week.

You’ll need one banana per person but I’d freeze a few extra in case you want seconds.

Once your bananas are frozen, pop them in a blender and voila! You have made ice cream. If you have a strong blender, this is a one ingredient recipe. If you have a traditional blender, add a little milk (1-3 tablespoons) to help it blend easier.

A grown up should make the ice cream because the blades on blenders can be sharp for little fingers and mom or dad will need to scrape the ice cream out from the bottom with a rubber spatula or spoon.

The ice cream can be eaten plain or with your favorite toppings. Kids will love the freedom of choosing what goes on top. You’ll be the coolest house in the neighborhood when you set up a do it yourself ice cream sundae bar. Just put out little bowls of toppings with spoons and let the kids take over.

Some popular toppings are peanut butter, chocolate chips, strawberries, blueberries, granola or cereal, raisins or dried fruit, and nuts. It may be easy to buy chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries but take a peek at the ingredients on those things. I wouldn’t want to be around for that sugar crash. Keeping it natural is the best choice for you and the health of your kiddos.

Hope this new treat keeps you cool all summer.

Found this helpful? Megan Hogan is a Certified Health Coach and Savvy Kitchenista helping you bridge the gap between knowing you should eat healthier and actually doing something about it. Check out the how-to recipe video for banana ice cream and two other desserts that won’t make you fat on www.TakeoutIntervention.com.