A Smoothie Bowl Recipe That's Healthy for the Kids and Their School!

It's back to school time! Although we had our first day of co-op on Monday, we are waiting until next week to officially kick off a full week of school. That's the beauty of homeschool--getting to choose your own schedule. Next week we dive into another year though!

As we end the summer and prepare for our 2016-2017 homeschool year, we've been stocking up on back to school essentials including art supplies, curriculum, notebooks, pencils, and even food items for meals and snacks. I've gotten most of our grocery essentials from Walmart--including cereal and easy meal options that have Box Tops. The Box Tops for Education program makes it easy to give back to our homeschool co-op while shopping for the things we need for school. Many General Mills products have five Box Tops on them which is $0.50 back to our co-op.

During my years teaching public school, I remember how beneficial the Box Tops for Education Program was to our school. We were able to purchase supplies that would not have otherwise been available. As a homeschool parent, collecting Box Tops is even more crucial for our co-op.

We attend a weekly co-op during the school year that offers classes, activities, and field trips for the kids just like a public school would offer. I'm even teaching at our co-op again this year. Since we don't receive money from outside sources, fundraisers like Box Tops for Education help our co-op afford things like science materials, microscopes, supplies for the classrooms, and other materials for the students. One of the board members said it best when she mentioned, "Box Tops may not seem like a big contribution, but they do add up and are very important to help with the needs of our co-op." Does your family collect Box Tops for your school or co-op?

The kids and I recently discovered the BIG breakfast trend--smoothie bowls. They're a breakfast option that is easy to prepare, delicious, and packed with nutrition. We used some of the General Mills products with Box Tops to make a smoothie bowl recipe loaded with fresh berries, filled with protein, and covered in tasty toppings. Have you made or tried any smoothie bowl recipes? How did you like them?

Keep reading to see how to prepare this quick and delicious breakfast for your kids. You'll be supporting your child's school while giving them a nutritional start to their day! We moms are THE BEST at multitasking, aren't we?!

Very Berry Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh berries (We used blueberries and strawberries.)
• 1/2 cup yogurt (Yoplait TM Orignial -- Strawberry and Mixed Berry Multipack)
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 banana
• 1 tbsp. honey (optional)

*Variation: To prepare a non-dairy version, substitute the yogurt with one made with coconut milk and the the milk with almond milk. You'll find a homemade version of almond milk here.

Toppings

• Granola (Nature Valley TM Bagged Granola Crunch -- Oats 'n Honey)
• Cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios TM)
• Fresh fruit
• Chia seeds

Directions

1. Wash, cut, and prepare the berries. Measure out two cups of berries and place them in a blender. Reserve the remaining fruit as a topping.
2. Add the yogurt, peanut butter, milk, banana, and honey (optional) to the blend. Puree all of the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.
3. Pour the smoothie mixture into bowls.
4. Top with your favorite add-ins like fruit, granola, cereal, chia seeds, or other healthy smoothie bowl toppings.

The kids will have a blast helping to prepare these smoothie bowls and adding on their own toppings. My kids wanted to make different designs with the various toppings. How fun is that?! This delicious breakfast is a great way to support your child's school or co-op while providing them with a protein-packed, healthy start to their day.

Oh, and don't forget to pin this recipe for later! The kids will love you for it!

PIN IT!

Want to learn more about the Box Tops for Education program? Be sure to visit here! Do you collect Box Tops for your child's school? What are some of your family's favorite products with Box Tops? Tell me about it in the comment section below or chat with me through social media.

Happy "back to school" shopping!