Cool Off with These Fun Summer Drinks!

Summer can be an awesome time of the year! Vacations are being planned and taken, the children are out of school, and families are grilling outdoors. However, quite often the summer heat can put a damper on outside fun. Keeping your children and your loved ones cool this summer should be on your priority list. In addition to sunscreen and protective eyewear, be certain to add hydration to your family's list of summer heat safety items.

No matter if it is the family pet that needs a special cool-off treat or the family dieter, there is something out there for you!

While many suggest that water can work wonders, the kids often find water boring. Try adding some fruity drinks that everyone will love to your family's beverage list. Your children will enjoy making these drinks as much as drinking them! Fun drinks can range from anywhere to milkshakes and smoothies to juices.

Try some of these fun and cooling recipes for beating the summer heat!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Shakes

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of vanilla ice cream (Weight Watchers makes ice cream too!)

¼ cup of milk (use skim for the dieting members)

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

6 peanut butter sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped

¼ strawberry preserves (or the jelly flavor of your liking)

First, place ice cream, milk, and peanut butter mixture in a blender. Blend the mixture on medium speed for a couple of minutes or until smooth and well blended. Add the cookie pieces and blend for 10 more seconds on low speed. Pour the shake into two serving glasses.

Place the preserves or jelly and one to two teaspoons of water into a small bowl. Stir the preserves and water until smooth. Stir two tablespoons of the preserve and water mixture into each glass.

Serve immediately and enjoy.

Can be eaten with a spoon or straw!

Sparkling Apple Punch

Ingredients:

2 bottles of sparkling apple cider, chilled

1 ½ quarts papaya or apricot nectar, chilled

Ice

1 or 2 papayas, peeled and chopped

Orange slices, quartered

Combine the apple cider, papaya nectar, and ice in a punch bowl. Add the papaya and orange slices.

This punch is great for summer parties and cookouts!

Bobbing Head Punch

Ingredients:

Assorted candies

Assorted fruit slices and pieces

Water

6 cups of white grape juice

2 cups of apple juice or 2 additional cups ginger ale

4 cups of ginger ale

Green food coloring

Arrange the candies and fruit pieces in the bottom of a 9 inch glass pie plate to create a face. The bottom of the face is what will show in the punch bowl so create the face appearance from the bottom. Life saver gummies and worms work great. The worms can be used for hair.

Add water to cover the face and carefully place in freezer. Freeze the water and face overnight.

When ready to serve, add the juices and ginger ale to a 4 or 5 quart punch bowl. Tint the mixture green with the food coloring. Invert the pie plate and place one hand underneath. Place the plate under cold running water to release the frozen face. Put the mold upside down on top of the juice mixture and serve.

Children will get a kick out of this fun punch!

Monkey Shake

Ingredients:

2 cups of cold milk

1 ripe banana

1 four serving package of JELL-o chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling

2 cups of crushed ice

Pour the milk into a blender and add the banana, pudding mix, and ice. Blend on high speed for 15 seconds or until the mixture is smooth. Serve immediately.