6 Immune-Boosting Foods & Kid-Friendly Recipe Ideas

Our kids’ health and wellness is always top of mind—whether it’s peak sniffle season or the middle of summer. One of the best ways we can help support our kids year round is through the food they eat. In addition to making sure they eat enough nutrients for energy and strength (those growing bodies need a lot!), we can help support their immune systems with strategic meals and snacks. Below, find our favorite immune-boosting foods, plus fun recipes your kids will love.

1. Blueberries

Blueberries are the ultimate produce powerhouse, jam-packed with a flavonoid known as anthocyanin may provide a range of health benefits. And let’s not forget about vitamin C: one cup of blueberries provides 16% of the daily value for ages 4 and up!

Make it kid-friendly: Dip blueberries in yogurt and freeze for a naturally sweet, yummy treat or add to a smoothie along with banana, spinach and almond butter.

2. Broccoli 

A jack of all trades in the veggie department, broccoli is brimming with a variety of nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and potassium. Not only that, it has more protein than most other vegetables. And it helps support gut health.

Make it kid-friendly: Stir fry small pieces of broccoli with some of their favorite vegetables or add to pasta with your choice of sauce. 

3. Oranges

Did you know one medium-size orange has all the vitamin C you need in one day? Additionally, oranges (along with most citrus fruits, like grapefruits and lemons) are an amazing source of fiber, as well as B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and copper. Consider them an immune-boosting holy grail.

Make it kid-friendly: Slice oranges into segments for a quick fruit snack, or make a fresh-squeezed juice.

4. Garlic

Pungent and powerful, garlic’s traditional uses originated thousands of years ago, and for good reason. The herb is shown to help support overall wellness, due to allicin: its studied active component and antioxidant.

Make it kid-friendly: You can throw fresh garlic into nearly anything savory: pasta, chicken, potatoes, you name it.

5. Ginger

There’s a reason ginger has been used for more than 2,000 years for its incredible health benefits. Ginger is full of vitamins including iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. It’s also key in the absorption of nutrients in the body, and does so by stimulating the secretion of gastric and pancreatic enzymes.

Make it kid-friendly: Have a mommy-and-me tea party with fresh ginger tea (simmer freshly sliced ginger in a pot of water for ~30 mins), and add some honey* to sweeten things up.

*Note: Don't serve honey to kids under 12 months; check with your child's pediatrician if you have any concerns.

6. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are among the most versatile, nutritious root veggies out there, rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that protect your body from free radical damage and chronic disease. Sign us up. The beta carotene is what gives sweet potatoes their iconic orange hue, offering a great source of vitamin A, and because they’re lower on the glycemic index, sweet potatoes are less likely to cause a blood sugar spike than regular potatoes.

Make it kid-friendly: Mash or whip baked or boiled sweet potatoes with a touch of butter and cinnamon for a yummy side dish!