Bonnie Mulligan

When you run a family resort, a kid-friendly eatery, a hospital, or even a university cafeteria, you’re bound to run into your fair share of picky eaters. Whether these customers are kids or adults, you’ll want to provide ways for them to make healthy choices they’ll actually enjoy. Since around 70% of Americans don’t meet the daily recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable servings, getting creative with your juice bar recipes may be a great way for you to sneak in some nutrients for your customers — and keep them coming back for more. Here are some delicious concoctions you can easily make with the commercial juice machines at your establishment.

Orange, Carrots, and Pear Juice
You may already know that OJ has a ton of nutritional benefits, including vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, fiber, magnesium, protein, and more. But you can amp up those benefits by adding some other subtle flavors that pack a punch. Carrots, for example, may not immediately jump to mind as an ingredient you should put in your juice maker. But carrots are known to promote eye health, lower cholesterol, help with weight loss, and even reduce cancer risk. Combine carrots and oranges with pear juice (a great base for any juice drink) for a sweetly satisfying beverage both kids and parents will love.

Beets ‘n Berries Juice
Beets are definitely an acquired taste. They’re probably not a favorite snack for most kids (not to mention most adults!). But they’re extremely good for you, as they have very few calories but a ton of nutrients. They’re filled with vitamin C, fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron, and much more. You can make these veggies more appealing by combining them with strawberries and oranges. No one will ever know there are beets hidden within this juice bar recipeif you don’t tell them!

Watermelon-Cucumber Refresher
Hydration is essential at any time of year, but you’ll definitely want to market this drink in the summertime for its hydrating and refreshing qualities. It’s ridiculously simple but can be spiced up with some herbs or some other ingredients — just combine watermelon and cucumber. Watermelon contains a lot of water (as do cucumbers), plus fiber and antioxidants, making this a sweet and satisfying drink everyone will love without any guilt.

Tropical Lemon-Pineapple Punch
Lemonade is one of the most popular summertime juice drinks, but adding sugar the conventional way isn’t the healthiest option. That’s why you might want to try this juice bar recipe, which provides a tropical take on the traditional lemonade that makes it into more of a punch. Instead of going overboard with the citrus, you’ll combine pineapple spears, apples, and carrots with your lemons to create a drink that’s filled calcium, antioxidants, and a whole lot of flavor.

Even if your establishment is geared towards the most sophisticated of palates, having just one of these crowd-pleasing juice recipes on your menu can make a world of difference. Try them out this summer and see how much your customers will love them! We’re betting they’ll be a smashing success.