I love a good tonic for when the weather turns and you feel the sniffles coming on. But the last thing I’m going to do is get my babies to drink boiling water with lemon and ginger in it when they’re sick – so the last time I spied baby Smalls with a runny nose, I mushed her up this little baby cold and flu tonic concoction.
It has similar ingredients to my tonic, but in a baby-friendly package. There’s nothing like a bit vitamin c boost when your immune system is down, and the sweetness of apples helped to balance out the ginger and apple cider vinegar. Although my first batch was a bit mouth-puckering and Pepper didn’t care one whit. Tough kid.
Baby Cold and Flu Tonic
To 6 medium peeled and chopped apples, I added a grating of ginger, a squirt of lemon juice, a big teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, two peeled and chopped kiwi fruit (a vitamin c powerhouse) and simmered over low heat for about 20-30 minutes until soft enough to blend. I added a little water when I could see it was getting dry but the apples hadn’t totally softened yet.
If your kiddo is a little older, you can also pop in a dollop of raw honey for its antibacterial properties.
Biggie isn’t into eating anything that’s not a sandwich, so turned her nose up at this. I made her a green smoothie instead, using pretty much the same ingredients, but with banana in place of the apple and some Loving Earth Rainbow Superfood Blend. She will drink anything in smoothie form! She loved it.
I also mixed this with a little coconut yogurt to change it up a bit for Smalls and she loved that too. So did I, just quietly!
xx
Granted Toddler C is a bit older but when he is under the weather I serve him up the same tonic that I make for myself…a tea of lemon, ginger and honey. I add plenty of raw honey to his, put it in a sippy cup with some ice cubes and he is a happy chappy…or at least a happier chappy.
And since I am usually sick when he is sick…the joys of being a mother…it is easy since I am usually making a batch for me too!
I hope this recipe doesn’t mean that your little ones are sick!
Wah, why won’t abby drink anything like this! Pepper is just entering sippy cup stage… cannot believe how grown up she is 🙁
This sounds amazing! Totally bookmarking for next time my toddler is struck down with a case of snotty yuckiness (and for me as well!)
Yep I totally ate a whole bunch!
That is a great idea Stacey,it is amazing what you can hide in food and drink when the little peeps don’t know it is good for them,You are a clever Mum.
haha those smoothies have been our saving grace x
Love the power of a smoothie! My 3yo is similar… not very experimental but lately her smoothies have includede spinach, chia and avocado and she LOVES them! 🙂
same! we’ve just started putting avocado in ours too, and abby thinks they’re the best thing ever x
Smoothie Operator! I make rosehip tea & blend it with apple juice then offer it in a sippy cup. It’s yum.
Thank you for the earworm…
This has come at a perfect time! My little Buddha has rivers of snot and a hacking cough so I will get onto this tomorrow and see how we go. Thankyou!
Oh sad! poor baby Buddha x
Is this safe for a 5 month old? She’s had a few fruits and veggies but not ginger or acv yet.
Oh yes! Ginger isn’t a problem, and I only put a little bit of acv in. If they’re already eating fruit, they should be fine x
Great thanks! I believe she’ll be cutting teeth soon and a runny nose always goes along with that! 😉
I assume Bragg’s acv is suitable?
That’s the one I use!
Peps has a runny nose and I thought it was teeth too.. until it turned green. Wah! Sick babies are sad x
You are a true star! I think it is a brilliant way to provide kids with Vitamin C and other nutrients while they are sick and have had enough their runny noses along with sour medicines. I love your smoothie idea as well!
Oh thank you! Yes, it’s a pretty delicious “medicine” haha!
I saved this recipe when you posted it… a mere 9 days after Hunter was born, thinking ‘yes, this will come in handy’. Well i have been lucky and waited almost 14 months before i cracked it out and it’s a winner!
Mine won’t eat it now!
I was searching for home remedies for colds for toddlers on Pinterest and found you which is so ironic because my daughter’s name is Pepper also. So funny! Just thought I’d share 🙂
I’m bookmarking this because we’ve had our first colds for the season and I’m hoping it will be our last! x
Do you keep leftovers in the fridge/freezer? Thank you!! 🙂