Juicing with my kids

I originally began to juice for me, for my health. My boys just happened to be out of town visiting their grandparents when I began so it was just me for the first few days. As soon as they got home they were both very interested in the new silver thing on the counter! It didn't take long for me to realize that including them would be a wonderful thing for so many reasons.

We now have a routine of juicing together every day (when we are home) around 10:30am. The boys look forward to this and so do I. The peace I get knowing that all of us are getting our healthy foods in us each morning makes me feel so great!

Keep in mind we are novice juicers and are still trying things out and reading to learn. This is our current process, which very well could change as we learn more! For now, here's how we do it...

1. The boys help me get the produce together, we talk about the different kinds of veggies and fruits we use. After selecting with me, we place it all (unwashed) in a big silver bowl.
   
2. The boys go play in the living room while I prep the produce for juicing (peel carrots, wash produce, etc.)
3. I then place it into 2 piles for the boys to help me put into the juicer...
4. They then take turns with me putting it in, while we name every piece!
5. Our usual juicing produce is: cucumber, celery, green leafys (spinach, romaine, etc.), carrot, apple, a few purple grapes, tomatoes, cabbage. We don't use all every day and try to mix it up. We have also juiced sweet potato, green pepper, and broccoli. We use all organic produce too, which is all washed in Veggie Wash.
   
6. Once the juice is ready we move over to the blender, which I prepared while the kids were in the living room playing (better to have it ready I learned). I always add 1 banana and the rest is variable. We use any of the following things to mix in (not all at the same time, I vary it up from day to day)...berries (fresh or frozen), flax seeds, Wheat Grass Powder, Coconut Oil, coconut milk, plain yogurt.
7. I pour all but about 8 ounces of the juice into the blender along with the mix for the day and the kids help me blend it up for them. I drink the plain 6-8 oz of just juice myself, and then a bit of the kids' smoothie also.
8. The boys guzzle it down...no matter the color (usually deep green or dark orangish-green). K, my 3 year old begs for more with a huge mustache all over his lips. He seriously can't get enough, I have to stop him!!! My 7 year old likes it, but doesn't beg for more!

Juicing with my kids is way more fun than I thought it would be. I am not a big fan of cooking with the kiddos (I know, horrible mom I am), but this process has been so much fun! I love that I am teaching them so much through this process and nourishing their young bodies. It is really a neat bonding time for us too, and something they now really look forward to. When Daddy is home, he will drink our juices and smoothies too!