Brashear Teens: Healthy Ice Cream?!

Hey guys! Danyelle here from the Hilltop. Healthy eating is so important to overall health, but it doesn't have to taste bad! One of the things we strive for in all our Brashear programs is nutrition education and empowerment and our teen program is no exception! It's been dreary the last few weeks so what better time to make our version of ice cream to cheer us up! And all it took was ONE ingredient: frozen bananas! Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too!

I had peeled the bananas, cut them into thirds, and froze them overnight for Wednesday's activities. Students took three or four frozen pieces and put them in a food processor. In less than a minute, they had created their own healthy (banana) ice cream. 

Some students chose to add some vanilla flavoring to make the banana flavor more subtle. The students then made sandwiches with graham crackers and chocolate syrup for just a little treat. Remember, everything in moderation! We also had 100% juice to balance out our fruit-y snack.

Everyone had a smile on his/her face by the end of the activity. Who doesn't love ice cream? And with the added benefits of vitamins and nutrients in the bananas, this 'treat' could be enjoyed as a sneaky way to get more fruits into your diet. You could also use other fruits and even some vegetables if you're feeling adventurous!

Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, March 9 as Brittany joins us from Alcosan's scholastic outreach office as we explore energy and STEM programming by building our own race cars with rubber band power. See you at 4 PM at the Hilltop YMCA, 500 Brownsville Rd. Don't forget to bring a friend!

Danyelle