Homemade smoothies are a great way to ensure that your child is getting its 5 or more a day. They take seconds to make and are packed full of all the goodness of the fruit, including the fibre. You don’t need to buy a special smoothie maker, a blender or food processor will do.

I always keep a tub of frozen berries in the freezer for the days when we’ve run out of fresh fruit. Just add them frozen and once blended they provide a refreshing chilled version of your usual smoothie.

Experiment with consistency – add more or less milk or juice to suit your child’s preference. There are no hard and fast rules to making smoothies – have fun with different tastes and textures. Simply put all the ingredients in the blender and blend.

Bouncing Banana Breakfast Boost

1 banana                                                                                                                                                         1 handful of strawberries                                                                                                                             1 handful of blueberries                                                                                                                            1 handful of pumpkin or sunflower seeds                                                                                                           Glass of milk or milk substitute (rice, oat and soya milk work really well in smoothies); or apple juice.

Wonderful Watermelon Whizz

1 quarter of a watermelon, cut into chunks                                                                                               1 handful of pumpkin seeds                                                                                                                              Half a glass of milk/milk substitute/apple juice                                                                                             1 handful of strawberries                                                                                                                                   Half a banana

Power-packed Pineapple Potion

1 banana                                                                                                                                                       Quarter of a fresh pineapple                                                                                                                             A glass of milk/milk substitute/apple juice                                                                                                       1 handful of pumpkin or sunflower seeds

Bananas are a great fast energy source for kids, releasing their sugars quickly, whilst being packed with nutrients. They are a very rich source of potassium which is an electrolyte and essential for heart health. Bananas are also great for maintaining healthy digestion: after a bout of diarrhoea they will replenish stores of potassium that will have been lost, and their high soluble fibre content means that they will help with constipation too.

Seeds will provide your child with a supply of essential fatty acids, important fats for brain function. They also add a crunchy texture to the smoothie.

 Enjoy!