Healthy {Drinkable} Teacher Gifts

Need a teacher gift that's fast, simple, easy AND healthy??? Uhhh, me too. I love giving them something, but I didn't have time to bake because I was so busy baking for the Awana teachers this year. I couldn't give the homeschool co-op teachers the shaft, so I had to think of SOMETHING.

While grocery shopping at Kroger, it all came together. First I picked up these cute insulated tumblers in pretty colors. Then I picked up the ingredients for some drinks they could enjoy in their new tumblers.

I love it when a plan [or lack thereof] comes together.

The entire gift came from the same store.

Done.

The day before we took these in to the teachers, I put it all together. Notice the "wrapping"?? Yep, it's a citrus bag. I've started saving those and apple mesh bags. They make cute wrapping for all kinds of things - even a fresh loaf of bread. Frugality with some cute thrown in.

Drinkable Teacher Gifts

reusable drink cups
limes (or lemons), in mesh bag
kiwis
bananas
mint sprigs
kale, bunch
plastic baggies
ribbon, see you can get this at the grocery store too :)
paper and printer, optional

Print the recipe for kiwi kale smoothies onto cardstock or paper. Or just handwrite it out, especially if you are one of those who has super cute handwriting and can make anything look adorable (me, not so much). Put the recipe in the cup if you can see through it. You child can make a card and put it in there too if you like.

Dump all of your citrus out of their bags. Trim off any tags that are sewn on, but be careful not to cut the stitching. Put a couple of limes and/or lemons, kiwi, bananas in the bags.

Trim stalks from kale, see recipe. Put a wad of kale in a plastic baggie. Stuff that into the mesh bag. (Wait to do this step the day you are giving the gift. Put the baggies in the fridge until then if you are doing it ahead of time and give yourself a pat on the back for being so on the ball.)

Wash the mint if it has been ripped out of the ground by a precious four year old, who has tracked the dirt into the house along with the mint. Wrap the bottom of the mint stems in a wet paper towel to keep it fresh during the school day. Put that in the top of the mesh bag, sticking out of the top if you like.

Tie it all up with a pretty ribbon (I would have used all the same color ribbon if I wasn't being so frugal and using up my ribbon remnants) and include another recipe on the bag. I made up a recipe for Refreshing Mint Limeade, which I actually put in the tumblers and the Kale Kiwi Smoothie recipe on the mesh bags. You customize it up. Change it to Lemonade if you like and lemons are what you purchase. Change it to Citrus-ade if you buy both.

The teachers will love you because it's healthy and delicious AND useful. Seriously you cannot go wrong with this one!

        Refreshing Mint Limeade

·       Bunch of limes, sliced

·       Mint leaves, stripped of stems

Put lime slices and mint leaves in large pitcher. Mash them with a large spoon. Add water, seltzer water, pineapple juice, or other beverage. Mix and serve. Keeps in fridge for a couple of days.