Fruit Whip

If you’ve been following along on our blog for a while—or maybe over on Instagram—you’ll know that I often talk about parents worrying that their kids are fussy eaters, especially when it comes to vegetables. Honestly, it’s probably the number one concern I’ve heard from parents over the years. And I get it! Even in my own home, with my four kids, veggies have often been the trickiest food group to navigate.

There are plenty of reasons for this. The texture can be challenging for kids, and the slightly bitter flavor makes other foods much more appealing. That’s why I often talk about how fruit can provide many of the same nutrients as vegetables. If your child isn’t super keen on veggies—or as I like to say, still learning to like them—offering more fruit can be a great way to get those important nutrients in. Since fruit is naturally sweeter, most kids are more willing to eat it.

But every time I say this, I hear from plenty of you saying, “But my kid struggles with fruit, too!” Yep, I hear you. As a pediatric dietitian, I’ve worked with many kids over the years who have a hard time with both fruits and veggies. Often, it comes down to texture. A piece of fruit can be both crunchy and juicy at the same time (think watermelon), or unpredictable—an unripe banana tastes completely different from a ripe one, and an apple might be crisp one day and floury the next.

Sometimes, kids just need a different way to experience food before they learn to like it. Removing the texture issue and making it fun has always been my go-to strategy. Smoothies have been a big win in my house and in my clinic, but lately, I’ve been playing around with something even more fun—this fruit whip. Some of you might know it as “nice cream,” but personally, I think ice cream is already pretty nice, and I’m not about fooling kids into thinking this is the same thing (though the texture is very similar to sorbet!). Plus, I don’t love putting a moral label on food—food is just food, and we need all kinds of it in our lives, both for nourishment and enjoyment!

This fruit whip is a super yummy blend of banana and strawberry, with a little maple syrup for sweetness. If you’ve never blended a frozen banana before, you’re in for a surprise! It turns into these soft, velvety folds that look exactly like soft serve, and the texture is spot on. We even had a bit of fun piping it into cones to get the full soft-serve experience. (Side note: We did this on a 40-degree day, and it melted FAST, so keep that in mind if you’re making it in hot weather!) You can also freeze it in an airtight container and scoop it out later, but just a heads-up—the texture will be a little icier.

If your kids are still warming up to fruit, this could be a fun way to get them to try it in a new form.  It's a great one to offer as an after school snack whilst the weather is still warm. Let me know if you give it a go!

Banana & Strawberry Fruit Whip - makes 3 serves (work with a ratio of 1 part fruit : 3 parts banana to adjust the serving size)

100g frozen strawberries

300g frozen banana slices (approx. 3 banana)

1 TBS maple syrup

1/4 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)

Directions:

Add fruit and maple syrup to your food processor or high powdered blender. Start by adding half of the almond milk then gradually adding the rest as you blend to ensure you get a thick velvety texture.

For fun- decorate some waffle cones by dipping into melted chocolate then into a bowl of sprinkles. Sit in a cup to set while you're making the fruit whip. 

Use a piping bag to pipe the fruit whip into the cone giving in a soft serve like appearance. Alternatively simply pile into the cone (or a bowl) with a spatula or spoon.

Option: can be frozen in an air tight container and scooped out with an ice cream scoop. Keeps for around 6 months in the freezer.