Baking with Brain Boosting Wild Blueberries

As many of us self-quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19, people are looking for ways to pass the time at home, while also curbing anxiety. One of the big trends emerging is baking (and lots of it).  Why, you ask? Well, baking can be extremely calming because it requires focus. You’ve got to admit, forming a pie crust or digging your hands to knead bread can transport you away, almost like meditating. If you’re finding comfort in baking while at home, consider a recipe with brain-healthy Wild Blueberries. This special fruit – one of North America’s original fruits – has been studied by scientists for over 20 years and evidence suggests that consuming Wild Blues may lead to better mood in adolescents, improved memory for adults, and better focus for all ages. Turns out that it’s your brain’s lucky day…we have some wild baking recipes up our sleeves that we’d be happy to share.

Young family baking at home.

If you’re leaning toward the healthy side:

  • Standard Baking Company’s Wild Blueberry Oat Scones – If you’ve been to Portland, Maine, chances are you’ve heard that Standard Baking is a local favorite. Give these scones a try for a healthier breakfast baked good that kids are sure to love.
  • Wild Blueberry Bran Muffins – These muffins are healthy, easy to make, and good for noggins of all ages.
  • Healthy Wild Blueberry Crumble Bars – The ingredients and directions for these crumble bars are a perfect fit for getting the whole family baking by your side. Grab a mixing bowl and get the kids involved to pass the time at home.

If you’re feeling like you want a treat:

  • Wild Blueberry Baked Donuts – Plain and simple, you donut want to miss this recipe (see what we did there?) Because really, who doesn’t like donuts?
  • Wild Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwiches – With warmer days on the way, you’ll definitely want to check out this ice cream sandwich recipe topped with frozen Wild Blueberries. These little sandwiches are great to enjoy outside and are still relatively healthy!
  • Wild Blueberry Pie – We couldn’t pass up the chance to share a Maine classic. Did you know that Wild Blueberries are native to Maine? They grow on ankle-height bushes in the cold, harsh, rocky climate of Maine’s countryside. Surviving the environmental stressors of the harsh winter climate is what makes the berries so hardy and good for you! When making this pie recipe, here’s a hot tip from Maine natives: you won’t regret topping your slice with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Looking for more cooking inspiration beyond baking? Check out the dozens of recipes we have on our website.

We’re all making the most of our current situation and, lucky for many of us, that means eating well. In a time when mental health is so important, take care of your brain by including Wild Blueberries in your next baking escapade. You find them in the frozen fruit aisle of the supermarket and a good item to add to your freezer pantry so you have that taste of summer at the ready whenever you want to use them. Once you’re done, post a photo of your masterpiece and tag @wildblueberries on Instagram. We can’t wait to see what you come up with. Stay healthy and happy in your kitchen in the days ahead.

A Little Nostalgia for the Sweet, Tangy Taste of Wild Blueberries

Sally Vargas, a freelance writer, photographer, and author of four cookbooks, grew up spending summers on the New Jersey shore, but always heard nostalgic stories of her mom’s childhood vacations in Maine. Before long, these stories became Sally’s reality as her mom packed up the family car and headed North to spend some beautiful summer days in Vacationland. This first trip to Maine was Sally’s introduction to the delicious taste of Wild Blueberries.

Fast forward a few decades and Sally continues to share the natural wonders of Maine with her own family through her greatest love: baking. That’s why when she was approached by Down East Books to write a cookbook dedicated to blueberries, it was a no brainer. Sally set out to create a cookbook with year-round, farm-to-table dishes that incorporate fresh and frozen Wild Blueberries. From reading Blueberries for Sal, to picking Wild Blueberries with her own son when he was young, the love of Maine, her own nostalgia, and the great taste of this flavorful berry is palpable in each of Sally’s recipes.

“As I say in the opening letter to my cookbook, eating a bowl of Wild Blueberries is like eating a bowl of nostalgia,” said Sally. Although we were on the phone, you could almost see her memories come to life before you as she told a story of driving down an old dirt road on her way to Hiram Blake Camp in Brooksville, Maine, passing sun covered Wild Blueberry fields in late July.

Sally continued, “I tried to make a range of recipes that would appeal to serious bakers, but also those that wanted to learn. What I love about Wild Blueberries is that they have a little tartness to them that tastes great in baked goods, on ice cream, in pancakes, or as jam.”

In her cookbook, Sally details the tremendous health benefits of Wild Blueberries noting that they have the highest antioxidant capacity of any berry – even over ordinary, cultivated blueberries. She also suggests that families keep frozen Wild Blueberries as a “pantry” staple all year round. We might be biased, but we agree when she says that “Wild blueberries make mornings better.”

Although it was hard to pinpoint a favorite recipe, Sally shared one that stands out among the dozens – Wild Blueberry and Apple Pie on page 64:

“Wild blueberries remind me of Maine, sunny days, homemade dishes, and happy moments. I hope to share that with others who read my cookbook,” concluded Sally.

The Blueberry Cookbook is available for purchase at local retailers or online. Grab a copy to taste a little piece of Maine summer.

Wild Blueberry Breakfast Favorites to Match Your Family’s Morning Regimen

September is Better Breakfast Month, and with fall creeping up on us and kids heading back to school, there’s no time like the present to celebrate the most important meal of the day. Many studies have linked eating breakfast to good health – it can help boost metabolism so you burn calories throughout the day and it also provides energy to help improve memory and concentration so you can focus at work and school. In celebration, we have four family-friendly brain healthy Wild Blueberry breakfast recipes.

Did you know that Wild Blueberries are proven to improve brain function at every age? For children, Wild Blueberry consumption is linked to better focus at school, while for adults they’re linked to improving cognitive function and memory recall. So, no matter what age you are, go wild at breakfast, and support brain health. To make it easy, we’ve categorized the recipes for all types of households so you can match it up with the family’s morning regimen style.

The on the go family…

For family’s that are always on the go, the easiest way to get a healthy breakfast in is to use your blender. If this rings true for you, we recommend the Wild Blueberry Brain Boosting Morning Smoothie. This smoothie recipe only takes one-to-two minutes to prep and is something that every member of your family will enjoy as you head out the door. Just throw it in a travel mug to take it in the car with you!

The always prepared for anything family….

For parents who prefer to have the day planned out ahead of time, recipes you can make the night before are key. Wild Blueberry Mini Muffins are a kid-approved option that are easy to make while still packing in the health benefits. Grab a bag of frozen Wild Blueberries at the grocery store to have them at the ready for muffin making.

For the “let’s sit down and eat” family…

For families that make time to sit down together and enjoy a meal at the table, these Belgian Waffles with Wild Blueberry Cream are a delicious option. While the preparation takes a little longer, we promise that each delectable bite will be worth your kitchen labor of love.

The leave it to the last-minute family…

We’re all just trying to get through the day, and sometimes busy families don’t have the luxury of daily preparation time. Having something that you can just grab from the dry pantry and whip up is so important for the moments when you’re running around like crazy – that’s where Maine Wild Blueberry Granola comes in. The good news is that this granola stays good for up to 10 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

No matter what your morning style is, Wild Blueberries are a versatile favorite to incorporate into family breakfast. Check out the above recipes and more by visiting our website. Happy breakfast-ing this Better Breakfast Month!

Celebrating Wild Foods Day with Wild Blueberries

As we transition to Fall, many of us are celebrating the foliage, cooler temperatures, apple picking, and pumpkin carving. However, one day that commemorates one of Maine’s most illustrious industries but often gets overlooked, is Wild Foods Day on October 28. Wild Foods Day celebrates plants, fruits, and vegetables that grow wild – and yes, that means Wild Blueberries! So, to celebrate this iconic day, we’re sharing some information about what makes wild blueberries different than ordinary blueberries. After all, there’s a reason many restaurants and well-known brands are choosing to formulate with wild and why you’re putting them in your shopping carts.

Wild

  • More intense blueberry flavor: Thousands of naturally occurring diverse plants in every field combine to create a potent and complex flavor ranging from tangy tartness to succulent sweetness that ordinary blueberries can’t match.
  • More Antioxidant Power: 33% more brain-healthy anthocyanins and 2x the antioxidant capacity of ordinary blueberries makes wild blueberries the berry healthy bodies and brains crave.
  • Smaller (with more punch): Smaller wild blueberries offer a higher skin-to-pulp ratio; meaning less water and more antioxidant-rich pigments, more fiber, and more intense blueberry flavor per serving.
  • Grown Wild and Local: As 1 of 3 native North American fruits, wild blueberries are never planted. They grow wild in the thin glacial soils and harsh northern climate of Maine – the very same place where Mother Nature put them more than 10,000 years ago.
  • Frozen at Peak Freshness: Harvested at the peak of Maine summer, 99% of the wild blueberry crop is frozen fresh within 24 hours ensuring all the taste and health benefits are ready for you in the frozen fruit section of the grocery store.

Ordinary

  • Ordinary Taste: By propagating a select few genetically narrow varieties, growers produce a blueberry of consistent size, with a blander flavor than the naturally more complex wild flavor profile.
  • Less Antioxidant Power: Like the wild ones, ordinary blueberries contain phytochemicals called flavonoids, which deliver antioxidant protection to your cells. But if you want the biggest antioxidant bang for your blueberry, go wild!
  • Bigger (and blander): Larger uniform berries have more watery pulp, which means less antioxidant-rich pigments from the skin, less fiber and less intense flavor per serving.
  • Larger Carbon Footprint: Imported ordinary blueberries come from several high bush variety plants that are propagated and har- vested around the world landing on store shelves having incurred a much larger carbon footprint.
  • Picked Before Ripe and Shipped: Fresh ordinary blueberries are often picked before fully ripe and shipped thousands of miles after harvest, only to wait around for weeks before hitting store shelves.

So, what are you waiting for? Wild blues are good for you and taste better than ordinary blueberries! Next time you’re at the grocery store visit the frozen foods aisle and pick up a bag of frozen wild blueberries. The frozen ones are great to use in one of these cozy Fall-appropriate recipes that you can whip up to celebrate Wild Foods Day:

Happy baking!

American Heart Month: How Wild Blueberries May Improve Heart Health

With heart disease-causing 1 in 4 US deaths each year, it’s considered the leading cause of mortality for both men and women across our country. With this overwhelming statistic in mind, it’s incredibly important to take care of your cardiovascular health, and what better time to renew the vow to your heart than in February (a.k.a. American Heart Month)! There are many preventative measures you can take to care for your ticker, but one of the easiest ways is to incorporate heart-healthy Wild Blueberries into your diet. From morning smoothies to snacks and entrees, we have an incredible library of recipes to help you make Wild Blueberries a part of your daily routine. But before we share some kitchen inspiration, let’s cover the facts by reviewing three ways Wild Blueberries may improve heart health.

Up the “Anti”: Wild Blueberries are Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory

It’s proven that the wide range of natural antioxidants found in fruits and veggies help protect our bodies against life-threatening diseases, including heart disease. Wild Blueberries are chock full of nutrients, including anthocyanins, a flavonoid with potent antioxidant capacity. (If you want to learn more about anthocyanins, check out this blog post!) Antioxidants help prevent the body from oxidative stress, which is associated with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other health issues. Additionally, the anthocyanins found in Wild Blueberries are proven to have anti-inflammatory capacities – with inflammation found in a variety of chronic diseases and conditions, including heart disease, eating plenty of fruits and veggies is one of the hallmarks of an anti-inflammatory diet. With Wild Blueberries naturally low in fat and high in fiber, just a healthy scoop a day helps to arm your body with a nutrient-dense punch against heart disease.

Wildly Delicious Without Added Sugars

Wild Blueberries are a glycemic friendly food with no added sugars and delicious taste to boot. With a low glycemic index (GI) score of 53 on the 100-point scale, Wild Blueberries weigh in alongside other low GI foods such as non-starchy vegetables, fruits, beans, and most dairy products. Overall, Wild Blueberries make a good, glycemic friendly choice for your weekly menu and will ensure you’re choosing what’s best for your family’s hearts in every bite without sacrificing the taste factor.

Improved Cardiovascular Function from Your Brain to Your Heart

Just as anthocyanins help with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, they also work to help fight off age-related health issues like heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, and more. The anti-aging power of Wild Blueberries lies in their polyphenols (anthocyanins) and help to improve blood vessel function. It’s been shown that good cerebral blood flow can support a healthy brain, and in turn, a healthy heart. With 33% more anthocyanins than ordinary blueberries, choosing Wild is a no brainer – no pun intended.

Easy Recipes that Have Heart Health in Mind

Many people think that Wild Blueberries are only a natural fit for breakfast foods, but we believe they can fit into any part of your day. To prove it, we’ve curated a full day of Wild Blueberry recipes that are easy-to-make while still putting your health first. From breakfast to dinner, check out these five delicious, heart-healthy meal options for yourself and your family:

As you dive into a month dedicated to celebrating love and relationships, make sure to take time to appreciate the relationship with one of your biggest supporters: your heart. After all, making heart-healthy eating choices has never been easier with Wild Blueberries available all year round in the frozen food section. Happy Heart Health Month!

Jump Start Your Family’s Resolutions with Nutritious Wild Blueberries

For most, January 1st beckons a fresh start, but sometimes achieving those “big” resolutions can be a little bit challenging. Whether it’s setting a healthy eating goal for yourself or finding ways to get the whole family invested in putting nourishing foods on the table, consider adding Wild Blueberries into your morning routine as an easy way to treat the body and your brain better. Here are three reasons why Wild Blueberries are a great addition to your daily diet, along with some recipe suggestions to help make this change a reality.

Nourish the Noggin with Wild Each Morning

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests people can reduce cognitive decline by adopting key lifestyle changes. One of those is eating a balanced diet that is low in fat and high in vegetable and fruit consumption. There is ample research that suggests Wild Blueberries may improve cognitive function for both young and old. So, prioritize your brain health in 2020 and feed it the tastiest brain food – Wild Blueberries. All you have to do is add a healthy scoop of frozen Wild Blueberries to whatever’s for breakfast to give the whole family a better start to the day. It’s never too early to eat for brain health and it’s recommended you do so for your entire lifespan. Nourish their noggins with this easy-to-make Wild Blueberry Oat Muffin recipe that can be made ahead so you have on hand a nutritious, delicious and convenient breakfast.

Make it a Fiber Filled Day

It’s reported that in 2018, only 5% of Americans got enough fiber in their diets. Well if you’re looking for a way to up your fiber intake, Wild Blueberries are a tasty way to do just that. The Wild Blueberry skin is an excellent source of fiber – because the berries are smaller you’re getting more skin (which equals more fiber) in every serving. Plus, according to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans MyPlate, it’s important that half your plate consists of fruits and vegetables. Fill up on fiber and start your day off right with this Wild Blueberry Blast with Banana & Chia Seeds Smoothie.

Frozen for Your Convenience

Let’s face it, we’re all busy. And busy schedules mean that we’re constantly looking for options that make our lives easier. Enter: frozen Wild Blueberries. The great thing about frozen Wild Blueberries is that they are frozen with 24-hours of harvest, ensuring that taste and nutritional benefits locked in. The berry is picked locally in the U.S., frozen, and on its way to your table in less time that it takes ordinary berries to make the same journey from Chile, South America, and a variety of other places. When you pick wild it’s like eating a Wild Blueberry right out of the fields. Plus, frozen fruit is super convenient and accessible all year long, eliminating food waste. This weekend, treat yourself with these drool-worthy Wild Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes.

With 2020 right around the corner, help your family – and yourself – achieve realistic health goals. You can get a great start by adding Wild to your diet every day. Happy (almost) New Year!

New Twists on Thanksgiving Favorites Using Wild Blueberries

‘Tis the season for slowing down, spending time with loved ones, and honoring the tradition of giving thanks. Tradition is a commonly used word this time of year – whether your family gathers to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade or looks forward to your great grandmother’s recipe that’s been around for decades. No matter what the tradition, the fabric of annual familial rituals holds a great deal of meaning and love.

In the spirit of honoring tradition, but also adding a fresh spin on your Thanksgiving meal, consider adding delicious Wild Blueberries to your meal with five easy-to-make recipes that will pair flawlessly with each and every dish on your table.

Stuffing with a Twist

If you’re looking for a lighter fare but don’t want to sacrifice color and flavor, try this Butternut Squash and Wild Blueberry Stuffing. Combine Wild Blueberries with warm couscous, crunchy walnuts, and traditional butternut squash to create a healthy alternative that everyone is sure to crave more of.

Not Your Average Gravy

Finding a sauce that complements multiple foods can be daunting, but this Wild Blueberry and Strawberry Balsamic Sauce could be just the ticket. With just four ingredients and less than 10 minutes of prep time needed start to finish, this sauce will have you ditching your traditional gravy in favor of this one for your Thanksgiving turkey. The Wild Blueberries deliver a rich, bold flavor that can accompany any dish on your table.

Get Your Greens In

Adding a little greenery and a lot of nutrients to your Thanksgiving meal is always a good idea. This Roasted Vegetables & Pecans with Wild Blueberry Balsamic Sauce helps put vegetables on the table with presentation to boot. This easy-to-make, sweet and savory dish pairs nicely with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and more. Simply cut, bake, combine, and garnish for a healthy side that even brussels sprouts haters will be willing to give a try.

Walk on the Wild Side

When you think of Thanksgiving traditions, there is no doubt that homemade apple or pumpkin pie comes to mind. This year, put a “wild” spin on tradition by serving Mary Blenk’s Maine Wild-Blueberry Pie. With sweetness in every bite and a flaky crust, the end result is so mouthwatering that family members of all ages will look forward to seeing it in the lineup this year and for years to come.

Sip on Something

With the cold weather settling in, cozy drinks are the perfect addition to your holiday fare. If you’re looking for something to warm you up from the inside out, try the dietician approved Spiced Wild Blueberry Cider.

May your holiday season be filled with ample family time, slow days, and, of course, traditional dishes with a wild twist. Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Favorites: A Wild Twist on Traditional Comfort Foods

The leaves are changing, the pumpkin spice lattes are flowing, and sweater weather is finally here to stay. While it may not be the longest season, fall is for sure the coziest – and pairs perfectly with so many favorite comfort foods – from fluffy waffles to hearty soups to everyone’s favorite glazed donut. While you might be used to seeing pumpkins and apples as the stars of the fall food lineup, we believe the tiny Wild Blueberry, in all its antioxidant-rich glory, deserves a seat in the spotlight as well, bringing a unique, intense and perfectly sweet taste to so many seasonal favorites. The healthy brain-boosting benefits of anthocyanins (the plant compound responsible for giving them their pretty purply blue hue)  found in Wild Blueberries are a nice perk as well.

And just in case you thought you could only find Wild Blueberries in the summertime – think again. Wild Blueberries are available in the freezer section of your grocery store year-round. They’re harvested and frozen at the peak of freshness when they’re perfectly ripe and chock full of nutrients

Ready to get wild? Try one of these twists on your favorite fall staples.

Breakfast

Belgian Waffles with Wild Blueberry Cream

Homemade waffles are such a treat and this Belgian Waffle with Wild Blueberry Cream is seriously next level. Loaded with deliciousness, this dream breakfast includes a perfectly cooked Belgian waffle topped with creamy mascarpone Wild Blueberry spread and homemade no-bake granola. Even with the beautiful Belgian waffle and super-simple no-bake granola, the Wild Blueberries are really the star of this dish. Their intense color and flavor add the perfect amount of sweetness to the mascarpone cheese. You only need just a little bit of maple syrup to sweeten it just right. For best results, pair this dish with an oversized sweater, a good book, and a hot cup of coffee on the back deck. #dreamy

Lunch

Butternut Squash Soup with Wild Blueberry Relish

There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up with a big bowl of freshly made soup, and this butternut squash soup with Wild Blueberry relish literally tastes like fall in a bowl. The perfectly sweet and savory flavor combination makes for a healthy, hearty meal – and the Wild Blueberry relish adds the perfect amount of texture and pop of color to this blended fall favorite. You could also use this relish as a topping for bruschetta or even roasted turkey.

Wild Blueberry Baked Sweet Potato

Dinner 

Twice Baked Sweet Potato with Wild Blueberries

This twice-baked sweet potato recipe is sure to elicit “oohs” and “ahhs” from your friends and family. After scooping out the flesh of the baked sweet potato, it’s mixed with creamy ricotta cheese, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla, and a little bit of real maple syrup. The velvety mixture is then stuffed back into the cooked potato shell to be heated again, only to be smothered with warmed Wild Blueberries. In addition to its great sweet and savory flavor, this show-stopping side is also loaded with nutrients. Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidants and more fiber than regular blueberries, and the sweet potato boasts beta carotene, vitamin C, and fiber.

Dessert

Wild Blueberry Baked Doughnuts

Wild Blueberry Baked Doughnuts with Wild Blueberry Glaze

It wouldn’t be fall if you didn’t at least eat a couple of doughnuts. This fall, take it up a notch and make your own! The only special equipment you’ll need for this recipe is a pair of standard doughnut baking pans. (No need to go all out, the cheap ones work like a charm.) Once you’re done whipping them up, toss them in powdered sugar, brush with warm butter and dip them in cinnamon-sugar or take it to the next level and drizzle them with some of this homemade Wild Blueberry Glaze.

Do you love making (or eating) comfort foods? Which dishes do you look forward to most every fall?

4 Brain Boosting Recipes for Kids

The first day of school has come and gone, and now we’re all settling into early morning and after school activity routines. While getting through a busy day, deciding what to feed the kids can be a bit of a stressor, especially when you want to make sure its quick, nutritious and delicious. Well, we’re here to help and have four Wild Blueberry recipes that are easy to make, will put a smile on your child’s face and may even help improve their mood or concentration. According to recent research, Wild Blueberries, may have a significant positive effect on memory, concentration, and mood in children and teens.

Much of the focus regarding cognitive benefits is on the flavonoid content of the wild berries— particularly the health-promoting purple pigmented anthocyanins.  Not sure what anthocyanins are. Well, the word means blue flower in Greek, and they are part of the flavonoid group of plant compounds. Anthocyanins appear to protect the plants from the damage of ultraviolet light and other environmental impacts. A growing body of research is revealing that anthocyanins are beneficial to humans, too.

And on the plus side of things, Wild Blueberries have an amazingly delicious blueberry flavor and more brain health-promoting anthocyanin in their dark blue pigment than other commonly eaten berries in the U.S.—and a wider variety of them as well. The research indicates that it’s not just the amount of anthocyanins, but the variety that makes wild blues stand out among berries.

Now on to those recipes and eating a little bit smarter this school year….

Breakfast:

KID-FRIENDLY WILD BLUEBERRY & KEFIR BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE


Wild Blueberry Kefir Breakfast Smoothie

Some mornings are easier than others, and there are definitely days when everyone is running late. Don’t let the kids skip the most important meal of the day, even on the most hectic of mornings! Try our kid-friendly Wild Blueberry & Kefir Smoothie made with bananas, graham crackers, iron-rich baby spinach, and of course Wild Blueberries! Wild Blueberries are especially good for kids because they deliver more than a quarter of the fiber per serving, they need every day and are loaded with brain-building plant compounds. Plus, using kefir in this smoothie adds calcium and a special probiotic punch (kefir is a fermented milk drink usually stocked in the dairy section). Simply place all these healthy ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a travel cup and send your kids off to catch the bus!

Wild Blueberry Mini Muffins

If you like to make snacks ahead of time and store them in the freezer so you’re always prepared, you’re going to LOVE this one! Another WILD recipe creation by Lindsay Livingston, RD of The Lean Green Bean, these mini muffins are perfect for refueling after a workout or enjoying with the kids when they get home from school. One batch makes about two dozen so be sure to store them in an airtight container and pop them in the freezer.

Snack Time:

Mix-in-the-Pan Wild Blueberry Snack Cake

Did we have you at cake or mix-in-the-pan? That’s right, this delicious snack cake only requires the pan you bake it in, and something to mix it with, like a fork! Each ingredient was chosen with intention by Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD of Mom’s Kitchen Handbook to boost nutrition including fiber, protein, and healthy fats – and antioxidants from the frozen Wild Blueberries. This tasty and easy-to-make snack cake has us staring at the oven the entire time it’s baking with its beautiful purple marble coloring from the Wild Blueberries.

Wild Blueberry Yogurt Pops

Wild Blueberry Yogurt Pops

After a long day at school, kids typically run home from the bus stop and raid the pantry for their afterschool snack. Nothing will satisfy your kids’ hungry bellies more than our yummy Wild Blueberry Yogurt Pops! These pops are made with frozen Wild Blueberries, plain or vanilla yogurt, chia seeds, maple syrup, and lemon zest. To keep the kids full until dinnertime, add some protein powder. And as an extra special treat, drizzle the pop with melted chocolate before freezing. This healthy after-school snack will have your kids screaming for more and make you the after-school snack hero of the day.

Appetizers & Snacks

Wild Blueberry Yogurt Pops

Recipe by Lindsay Livingston, RD of The Lean Green Bean

View Recipe

5 Smoothies to Keep You Hydrated All Summer Long

Drinking fluids or staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy and maintaining the function of every system in the body. The recommendation is to consume 30 to 50 ounces of fluid per day. Good old water will always do the trick, but these five summer smoothie recipes can also quench your thirst.

Wild Blueberry Watermelon Smoothie

There are few things that are as satisfying as a ripe, cool watermelon on a hot summer day.  With just four-ingredients, this #WildYourSmoothie recipe by Frances Largeman-Roth, RD is sure to quench your thirst. Frozen Wild Blueberries add a pop of intense blueberry flavor that’s sweet, tart, and tangy. We suggest using chilled coconut water, plain or lime, to up your electrolytes for a complete refresh.

Wild Blueberry and Tart Cherry Recovery Smoothie

Fitness enthusiasts will love this Wild Blueberry ultimate recovery smoothie by Danielle Omar, MS, RDN of Food Confidence. She calls it her natural Gatorade – incredibly refreshing with no added sugars. This #WildYourSmoothie recipe is the perfect healthy reward after a long, sweaty workout!

Wild Blueberry Lemonade Smoothie

On hot summer days, we may not feel like eating much but know our bodies need nutrients. This#WildYourSmoothie takes the mouth-watering combo of frozen Wild Blueberries and lemon and makes it protein-rich by adding Greek yogurt and your favorite vanilla protein powder. Cool off and replenish with this smoothie ASAP.

Wild Blueberry Agua Fresca Smoothie

Two summers ago, Carlene Thomas, RDN, LD of Healthfully Ever After created this smoothie recipe for our Wild Blueberry Harvest Tour #WildYourSmoothie competition. While the competition was tough, we all agreed that this was the perfect choice for a day of intense heat and activity. We’ve even thrown this smoothie once it’s whipped up into the popsicle mold for a frozen, guilt-free treat perfect for a hot summer evening.

Wild Blueberry Creamsicle Smoothie

Who doesn’t long for the carefree days of childhood and sharing a treat with a friend? We may have the answer with this #WildYourSmoothie recipe by Alisa Fleming of GoDairyFree.org.  This smoothie is everything, except the added sugar, that we remember from one of our childhood summer treats – the orange creamsicle. Frozen Wild Blueberries give this smoothie its sweetness and will make you forget all about that treat on a wooden stick.