Nutritious and Simple Summer Drinks for Kids

Summer vacation is a time of endless energy and adventure for children. With schools out, kids love to spend carefree hours playing outdoors with friends. However, as parents, we can’t help but worry about the scorching summer heat and its potential to leave the kids dehydrated.

Keeping kids hydrated is crucial but there is a constant dilemma. The child demands sugar-laden, packaged drinks to sip on while the parents try to strike a balance between their desires and well-being. This blog lists 5 homemade summer drinks for kids that not only hydrate them but also satisfy their taste buds without the guilt of excess sugar and additives.

Nutritious Summer Drink Ideas for Kids

1. Watermelon Lemonade

This is a brilliant summer drink for kids to keep them nourished and excited. A simple twist to the regular lemonade that is a popular summer drink in Indian homes. The presence of vitamins A and C, minerals, and antioxidants make this a healthy drink for summers.

You will need:

• 1 medium-sized watermelon (approximately 2-3 kgs)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 inch ginger
• A few sprigs of mint
• 1/2 cup sugar (optional)
• Slices of lemon and mint leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Chop the watermelon into chunks, removing the seeds as you go.
2. In a blender, combine the watermelon chunks, lemon juice, cold water, ginger, mint sprigs, and sugar (if using).
3. Blend the mixture for about 30 seconds until smooth. You may need to do this step in batches.
4. Once blended, strain the mixture into a pitcher to remove any remaining seeds. Try to retain as much fiber as possible for added nutrition.
5. When ready to serve, add a few cubes of ice, and garnish each glass with a slice of lemon and a few mint leaves for a refreshing touch. (Consume within 30 minutes of making it.)

Enjoy your homemade watermelon lemonade on a hot summer day!

2. Cucumber and Mint Cooler

Abundantly available during summers, cucumbers are 95% water and therefore a great way to stay hydrated. In addition, the presence of potassium, vitamin K, and C makes this vegetable nutrient-rich. Take a look at this refreshing summer drink idea that can be put together in under 10 minutes.

You will need:

• 1 large-sized cucumber
• 1/2 a lemon
• 6-8 leaves of mint
• 1-2 teaspoons of honey
• 1 cup chilled water
• A pinch of black salt

Instructions:

1. Peel and dice the cucumber into small pieces.
2. Add the diced cucumber with freshly squeezed lime juice, honey, mint leaves, and water to a blender.
3. Blend the mixture for about 30 seconds until smooth.
4. Pass the fluid through a strainer and press with the help of a spatula or spoon to get the maximum juice out.
5. Serve it with some black salt, a few cubes of ice, and mint leaves.
3. Aam Panna

Aam Panna is one of the healthy drinks for summers that can easily be made in a big batch and refrigerated for 2-3 weeks. It’s made from green, unripe mangoes with a mix of spices that lend it a sweet and tangy taste. Children love it and you should too for its immense health benefits. The cooling properties of aam panna prevent heat stroke, the spice mix aids digestion, and raw mangoes and jaggery make it vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant-rich.

Instructions:

1. Add 2 big green mangoes to a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water. Pressure cook it for 2 whistles on medium heat.
2. Once the cooker cools down, remove the mangoes and peel them.
3. With the back of a spoon or a knife, scrape off the pulp from the mango seed and place it in a bowl.
4. Add jaggery to the pulp in a 2:1 ratio. Whereas jaggery is double the amount of mango pulp.
5. Add the spice mix to this. It consists of 1 teaspoon of cumin powder and cardamom powder each, 2 teaspoons of black salt, 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon of black pepper powder, and table salt to taste.
6. Blend this with the help of a mixer and store it in a clean glass bottle in the refrigerator.
7. When you are ready to serve, add 2-3 tablespoons of the aam panna mix to a glass along with some ice cubes and a few drops of lemon juice. Top it with chilled water.
4. Spiced Buttermilk

Curd is protein-rich and contains intestine-friendly bacteria that are important in preventing digestive issues in children resulting from rising mercury. The spice mix aids digestion and makes this summer drink for kids tastier.

There are several ways to prepare this healthy drink for summer, the quickest being by using a blender.

You will need:

• 3/4th cup of curd
• 1 ¾ cups of water
• 6-8 mint leaves
• 1/8 th cup coriander leaves
• 1/4 th teaspoon black pepper powder
• A small piece of ginger
• 3/4th teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• Black salt and table salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Finely chop the ginger, coriander & mint leaves.
2. Add the curd and water to a blender and process till it becomes smooth.
3. Add the spices, salt, chopped ginger & greens and blend it again for 30 seconds.
4. Serve it cool to your child.
5. Thandai

Thandai is one of the popular North Indian healthy drinks for summers. The name comes from the Hindi word ‘Thand’ meaning cold, because of the cooling properties of the drink. In addition, it is an immunity booster, aids digestion, and gives instant energy.

You will need:

• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup pistachios
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• 4 cups milk
• Ice cubes (optional)
• Rose petals and chopped nuts for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Begin by soaking almonds, cashews, & pistachios in water overnight or for at least 4-5 hours.
2.  After soaking, drain the water from the nuts and seeds. Peel the skin off the almonds if you prefer.
3.  In a blender, add the soaked nuts along with fennel seeds, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, saffron threads, and sugar.
4. Blend everything until you get a smooth paste. You may need to add a little water to help with blending but try to keep the consistency thick.
5.  In a large mixing bowl, pour the milk. Add the blended paste to the milk and mix well until everything is well combined.
6. Strain the mixture using a strainer to remove any coarse particles. This will give your Thandai a smoother texture.
7. Chill the Thandai in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
8. Serve the chilled Thandai in glasses over ice cubes if desired. Garnish with rose petals and chopped nuts for an extra touch.

This mix of modern and traditional recipes of homemade summer drinks for kids is sure to keep the kids nourished and hydrated this season.

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