Are you looking for some fun summer recipes to try with your kids this summer? I have a few ideas for you that you and your kids will find super fun to create and eat! So, whether you’re schedule is jam-packed or lazy and free, you’ll want to slow down for sure and give these a try either way.
I have used all three of these fun summer recipes with my kids on vacation, at family reunions, and for summertime picnics. So, I speak from experience when I say each one is a must-do.
Add them to your summer camp activities, try them at the camp site, and have-at-it at the family reunion. Everyone, young and old will love these.
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Fun Summer Recipe #1- ICE CREAM IN-A-BAG
Did you ever make ice cream in a bag? Well, either way, you're gonna want to try this fun summer recipe that's just as much a fun activity as it is yummy treat.
First, you want to put the ice cream ingredients- half and half, sugar, and vanilla, into a small plastic bag and seal it up. Then, add that bag to a larger baggie with ice and rock salt. And last, just have fun shaking, squishing, and squeezing the bags until ice cream forms.
It's just that easy and so much FUN!! I put all of the details into the recipe guide for you along with some more fun ideas and helpful tips. Simply download it for free in the Mindfulness Library.
Fun Summer RECIPE #2- BANANA BOATS
While the ice cream in-a-bag is a nice cool treat on a hot, sunny day, the banana boat is a warm, gooey snack for the campfire. You'll need a banana for each person and loads of fun toppings. Each banana boat becomes a personalized flavor explosion of warm, ooey-gooey goodness.
First, keep the banana in the peel and place it on some foil. Next, split it with a knife, but don't cut it all the way through. Then, squish it a bit like you would a baked potato so all of the toppings have a place to fall into.
Last, add the toppings. Any amount, any flavors, any combination of flavors, basically anything goes!! Here are some ideas:
- chips of any kind, chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch
- nuts of any kind, peanut, walnut, pecan, pistachios
- coconut
- cookie crumbles
- brownie bites
- cherries
Fold up the foil so everything is inside and place it in indirect heat or on a grate on the campfire so everything inside gets warm and melts.
Please be safe with your kids around the fire. You may want to put the banana boats on the fire and remove them yourself depending on the ages of your kids and your campfire setup. Also, the banana boats can get very hot depending on how long you leave them on the fire. Check the inside temperature before you let your kids dig in.
I broke down all of the steps and included even more ideas for you in the recipe guide. Grab it in the Mindfulness Library for free.
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Fun Summer RECIPE #3- BEST LEMONADE EVER
Wait 'til you try this fun summer recipe for freshly squeezed lemonade. You'll never buy lemonade again. And, when you set it up as a lemonade station, it's great fun for everyone.
Set up your station with lemons, simple syrup, and don't forget lots of cups and ice. Add in some simple tools like a cutting board, knife, and a citrus juicer for some classic summertime fun.
You'll find the entire list of ingredients and kitchen tools you'll need to pull off this fun summer recipe. And, of course, the directions for setting up the lemonade station are there, too. Head over to the Mindfulness Library, it's all there waiting for you.
MAKE IT MINDFUL
So, I hear you, you want to add some mindfulness to these activities, right? After all, that's why you're here. No worries, I've got you covered. Here are some suggestions:
- Have your kids notice how the ice cream feels in the baggie when they squeeze it. Have them close their eyes and and use their "feely fingers" to experience and notice the forming ice cream. How does what they are feeling change as they squish and squeeze? What do they notice about the consistency and the temperature of the ingredients inside over time?
- Practice mindful eating with the finished ice cream. Have your kids take a deep breath and settle in. Have them take a bite of ice cream and close their eyes. Instruct them to let the ice cream sit in their mouth and not chew it or move it around. Let them simply sit and notice while it melts. What do they notice- flavor, temperature, texture, etc? Can they resist the urge to swallow it before it melts completely? How does that urge make them feel? You can adapt this raisin meditation using ice cream instead of the raisin.
- Make a "mystery banana boat" and ask your kids to identify the toppings by tasting it blindfolded. Ask them how flavor and texture helps them figure it out. Are they tasting smooth, creamy caramel or salty, crunchy nuts?
- Experience a lemon using the five senses. Use the five senses to notice things about the outside of the lemon and then cut it open to notice things about the inside. What do your kids see, hear, smell? How does the lemon taste and feel? Is the inside different and/or the same as the outside?
So, go ahead and grab your free recipe guide in the Mindfulness Library. You'll find the recipes complete with ingredients and instructions along with fun ideas and helpful tips. You'll be glad you did.
Do you have any favorite fun summer recipes? Share them in the comments below. I would love to try them!
~Dawn
