Juicy Juice - do your kids like this?

[Kari C in SC]

My kids have been making lemonade Popsicles like crazy. I thought the novelty would wear off, but it isn't. I got to thinking I could sneak healthy juice into them with Juicy Juice. My dd doesn't care for orange juice or I would try that. Neither of them think an apple juice Popsicle sounds good. I tried Juicy Juice years and years ago with my oldest and he didn't like it. I think they have added a lot of flavors since then. I just remembered he said it was too strong of a taste. Which flavors do your kids like? Thanks!

[klmama]

Yes, they like Juicy Juice. I buy frozen juice concentrate, too, from some other company - Old Orchard, maybe? - that mixes apple juice with other kinds of juice. It's cheaper that way. Apple/Kiwi/Strawberry is our favorite, but there is also Apple Raspberry, etc. For frozen juice pops, it's sweeter if you don't mix in quite as much water as usual, if your dc prefer it that way.

[Brenda in FL]

Oh yeah! They love it. I do too, occassionally. I grew up on kool-aid. I love having 100% fruit juice to give them. I water it down though.

 

They do have some good flavors - cherry, orange-tangerine, watermelon-kiwi, I think theyed make great popsicles. I like to stock up when its BOGOF at Publix.

[Mrs Mungo]

We don't do Juicy Juice because we boycott Nestle. We also don't do pre-mixed juices because my son is allergic to apples and pears and mixed juices usually have one of the two as a base.

 

However, we do have grape juice spritzers made with grape juice and club soda if they want something a bit different.

 

Also popsicles can be made with all sorts of things!

 

Here are some ideas from Martha Stewart's website:

 

 

For each recipe, combine the fruit, herb or spice, juice (if called for), and a dash of salt in a blender on high for 30 seconds, until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds, and freeze for six hours.

 

Honeydew-Basil

Mix 4 cups of honeydew melon cubes (which contain potassium) with 1/4 cup of vitamin-K-packed chopped fresh basil and 1/2 cup organic frozen lemonade concentrate.

 

Pineapple-Cinnamon

For an exotic tropical pop, use 3 cups of pineapple chunks (known for anti-inflammatory properties), 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 cup fresh orange juice.

 

Mango-Parsley

Combine 1 ripe mango (an antioxidant powerhouse) and 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped parsley (a bad-breath fighter). If the mango isn't ripe, add 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate.

 

Banana Blueberry Pops

Makes 10 ice pops

 

• 3 to 4 ripe bananas (1 pound)
  
• 1 1/2 cups yogurt
  
• 3 tablespoons sugar
  
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
  
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

 

 

1. In the bowl of a food processor, puree bananas until smooth. Add yogurt, sugar, and lemon juice; pulse to combine. Remove half of the yogurt mixture; set aside.
   
2. Add blueberries to processor, and pulse until just combined. Layer blueberry and reserved yogurt mixtures into ten 1/3 cup ice-pop molds. Using a wooden skewer, swirl the two flavors together. Insert ice-pop sticks. Transfer to freezer until frozen, about 8 hours
   
3. Dip molds quickly in hot water to unmold.

 

[johnandtinagilbert]

hope you're well in SC...always think of you when I go to the library....which is about every 5 days or so...I digress....with the exception of the orange flavor, we like juicy juice...love the white grapefruit and the black cherry.

 

love to all,

[Spy Car]

Does he like it? Yes.

 

Do I believe it is good for him? No

 

Does he ever drink them? Very rarely.

 

There are a lot of "sugars" in refined "juice". Its not that far off from just giving the kids sugar-water. It's bad for the teeth, throws off insulin levels and sets up proclivities for developing a "sweet-tooth". The epidemic of childhood obesity is pretty well linked to the increased consumption of "sweet-drinks" by our youth. For me "juicy-juice is a "gateway-drug."

 

We go very light on the juice here, and when we do go there it is a juice where the anti-oxidant qualities are maximized (such as pomegranate, aronia berry, or unsweetened cranberry cut with bubble-water). Or home-made carrot juice.

 

Bill (who favors water as a drink of choice)

[Sue G in PA]

There isn't any "added" sugar in Juicy Juice. It is 100% juice. There are natural fruit sugars in it, of course. Correct me if I am wrong, but I always figured if it said 100% juice there wasn't any added sugar. I'm looking on the ingredients list now and don't see sugar as an ingredient.

 

In answer to the original question: My kids love Juicy Juice. Since we only buy 100% juice (no HiC or Hawaiin Punch or Tropicana, etc.), Juicy Juice has become a fave. We use it to make popsicles as well. Nowadays, the the prices of everything going up...we dilute the juice. 1/2 water and 1/2 juice. It makes it a lot less sweet.

[Sue G in PA]

We don't do Juicy Juice because we boycott Nestle.

 

I know I am going to regret asking this :D but why do you boycott Nestle? Like I need another cause, but my curiosity is killing me. :D

[Mrs Mungo]

I know I am going to regret asking this :D but why do you boycott Nestle? Like I need another cause, but my curiosity is killing me. :D

 

Here you go: http://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/boycott.html

 

I've boycotted them for over 11 years. It's not easy, they own a LOT of stuff.

[Spy Car]

There isn't any "added" sugar in Juicy Juice. It is 100% juice. There are natural fruit sugars in it, of course. Correct me if I am wrong, but I always figured if it said 100% juice there wasn't any added sugar. I'm looking on the ingredients list now and don't see sugar as an ingredient.

 

Yes Sue...they are "natural" sugars. But Juicy-Juice is made using either highly filtered white grape juice or apple juice as a "sweetener" to make the claim "100% juice". The difference between the way the body deals with these "low-value" juices and sugar-water is almost nil.

 

The manufacturer is deliberately misleading well-intended parents into believing Juicy-Juice is a "healthy" choice because it is 100% juice.

 

Bill

[kortney in AL]

All my kids like this (and that's saying alot!). Their favorites are: Fruit Punch, Grape, Berry.

[Chris in VA]

We don't do any fruit juice except orange, and that's only every other week or so, and that half-gallon is gone in two days! I agree with Bill about the natural sugars.

But making popsicles is still possible--we use yogurt most often (and no, sadly, it's not homemade). I also use lemonade mix made with Splenda.

 

So, you pick your battles, and sometimes I'm not consistent!:lol:

[fshinkevich]

I try to avoid fruit juices, sometimes I get orange. I do make my own pops though with some blended fruit (any combo you like) and some vanilla soy yogurt....the kids might have fun trying the different fruits together.

 

Also, if you have a really yummy watermelon it is sooo good blended and frozen :)

[Kari C in SC]

I try to avoid fruit juices, sometimes I get orange. I do make my own pops though with some blended fruit (any combo you like) and some vanilla soy yogurt....the kids might have fun trying the different fruits together.

 

Also, if you have a really yummy watermelon it is sooo good blended and frozen :)

 

I did not know you could do that with watermelon! We have a TON of watermelons growing in our garden. I will have to try that. Thanks!

[Slartibartfast]

I also boycott Nastle. :001_smile:

 

We do like making smoothies. Dh bought me a Magic Bullet a couple years ago when I actually asked for a juicer.

 

It pulverizes to snot out of everything but it does smoothies alright.

 

My dd loves melon smoothies, honeydew is delicious.

 

Another good thing about smoothies/Popsicles is you can sneak other crap into them, like flaxseeds or kale. :o

[Mrs Mungo]

Another good thing about smoothies/Popsicles is you can sneak other crap into them, like flaxseeds or kale. :o

 

Kale? :ack2: That is so wrong.

[Slartibartfast]

Kale? :ack2: That is so wrong.

 

Er..honestly that was a veggie thing I kept making with V-8 when I was pregnant. The Dr was getting lippy about my iron so I was sticking greens in everything.