Juices for Children and Babies: Recipes & What You Need to Know

Looking for how to prepare juices for children? Here’re some of the best recipes and important information to keep in mind.

First, it’s essential to mention what experts recommend about juice consumption for babies / infants and children.

Is it okay for infants / babies under 1-year-old to consume juices?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), ideally, infants under 1 year of age should not consume juices, as this may cause a dietary imbalance. However, in some cases, a doctor may recommend juice consumption for infants older than 6 months.

Recommended daily juice intake for children over 1-year-old

AAP experts recommend the following daily juice intakes:

• For children 1 to 3 years: 4 ounces (120 ml) or less.
• For children 4 to 6 years: 4 to 6 ounces (120 ml to 18 0ml), maximum.
• Finally, for older children and adolescents 7 to 18 years: 8 ounces (240 ml) or less.

More information and general tips

Here’s more information and recommendations from the AAP to keep in mind:

• Fruit juices offer no nutritional benefits over whole fruit for infants and children. It’s worth pointing out that the whole fruit preserves all the available fiber of each food.
• If a child over 1 year of age consumes these drinks, they should be part of a well-balanced diet.
• Juice should be offered to toddlers in a cup (not in a bottle that’s easily transportable throughout the day).
• Young children shouldn’t drink juice at bedtime.
• To meet fluid needs, breast milk and / or infant formula is sufficient for infants. On the other hand, water and milk are sufficient for older children.
• Finally, it’s recommended to suppress fruit juice in children with abnormal weight gain (poor or excessive).

With this in mind, here’re 5 light, nutritious and delicious juice recipes for children.

Juices for children without added sugars – Recipes / Preparations

Before we begin, it’s worth noting a few points:

• Wash your hands, blender, fruits and vegetables before preparing each recipe.
• Juices should be drunk as soon as they’re prepared.
• Children shouldn’t drink more juice than recommended according to their age and diet (the recipes are designed to make drinks of about 200 ml). Also, it may be wise to vary the juices every day to incorporate nutrients from different foods.
• Finally, if you want cold juices, you can add 1 or 2 ice cubes before processing (optional).

Safety advice: Adults should handle knives and electrical appliances.

Now, let’s get to the recipes!

What type of milk is recommended for children over 1-year-old?

Experts advise that children between 1 and 2 years old consume whole milk (if there’s no intolerance).

On the other hand, for some children over 2 years of age, low-fat or skimmed milk may be recommended (in cases of overweight).

Are juices for children useful to boost defenses and prevent conditions such as anemia?

One of the key points for the youngest to stay healthy and prevent diseases is to maintain an optimal nutrient balance. For this reason, ideally, each child should follow an appropriate diet plan for his / her body, designed by a nutritionist, pediatrician or doctor.

Juices are just one possible part of a children’s diet.

Healthy habits for the little ones

Here’re some general tips, according to information from the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS), that may help improve children’s health.

• Eat an adequate and balanced / healthy diet.
• Engage in regular physical activity.
• Attend routine medical visits.
• Get enough sleep.

Final notes

If you experience symptoms of discomfort or allergy after consuming any of the drinks or foods in this article, you should stop doing so and visit a doctor immediately.

Our opinions don’t replace those of a qualified healthcare professional.

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