Incorporating Orange Juice into your child's diet, and a recipe for Breakfast Muffins

With having teenagers I know that it can be particularly tricky to make sure they get enough fruit & veg in their diet. On the whole, mine are pretty good with vegetables, but teenagers are naturally lazy and it takes too much effort to peel an orange or bite into an apple. If I cut the fruit up & make a bowlful of fruit salad they will help themselves and eat the lot in no time, but I don't always have the time (or inclination) for all that faff.

By having a carton of orange juice in the fridge I know that all three kids can easily get themselves at least one of their 5 (or is it now 10?) a day with their breakfast, without too much effort. Just one 150ml glass or 100% pure orange juice can provide children with one of their 5 a day, as well as being a good source of vitamin C (100% RDA), potassium and folates. Vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system, and potassium & folates help with cell and muscle tissue repair. Consuming orange juice with a meal can also help to increase the absorption of iron rich foods such as fortified cereals, which makes breakfast an ideal time to have it.

If you have teens like my daughter though, more time in the mornings will be spent doing hair and makeup than thinking about breakfast, so these Breakfast Muffins make an ideal grab and go solution. Teamed up with a small bottle or carton of the recommended 150ml serving of orange juice, it makes a perfect breakfast. The muffins can be made the night before and packed up in a lunchbox ready to grab before running for the school bus.

Ingredients in the muffins can be tailored to suit. These have veggie sausages, pepper, onion & tomato in, which can be replaced with bacon, mushrooms and spinach, for example.

Breakfast Muffins Recipe by Helen Jessup on Scribd

I'm working in a paid relationship with the British Fruit Juice Association on their #FruitJuiceBoost campaign. Discover the benefits of 100% fruit juice in your children's diet :http://bfja.org