Delicious (& Healthy!) 4th of July Drinks & Desserts for Seniors

By Anna Hazard

Introduction

The 4th of July is a grand occasion for friends & family to gather and often bask in the sun & warm temperatures before the full heat of summer hits. Chilled drinks & foods (especially desserts) are a must when it comes to keeping cool during this summer time celebration.
 
Here are a selection of various recipes for 4th of July inspired beverages and desserts that are healthy and take full advantage of the plentiful & fresh summer time produce. These drinks & foods are soft bodied and particularly beneficial to those who may have trouble chewing or swallowing harder foods. Despite its holiday popularity, leave out the booze in recipes meant for seniors who may have potential medication conflicts with alcohol.

Healthy Drink Recipes

Patriotic Slushies

• These fruit based slushies are a fun & thematically relevant way to remain hydrated during the upcoming 4th of July festivities. Crushed ice and fresh summer fruits are their main ingredients with with additional options such as lemonade, coconut milk, honey, agave nectar, and even a bit of liquor if that is one's taste. Remember to properly grind down all ice cubes for those seniors who may have more trouble with chewing or swallowing.
• Red White and Blue Berry Coconut Slushies | Red, White, & Blue Slushie | Patriotic Frozen Drink | Kid Friendly 4th of July Slushie

4th of July Smoothies

• Another fast, fun, and healthy beverage that can be given a patriotic flair for the holidays, these red, white, and blue drinks freshly blended or pureed fruit for both their coloring and their bases. They can be further thinned with liquid components such as f plain water, ice, orange juice, another strained variety of fresh juice, almond or coconut milk, Greek Yogurt, or plain milk depending upon one's taste or dietary restrictions.
• Red, White and Blueberry Smoothie | 4th of July Smoothie |  Red, White, & Blue Smoothie | 4th of July Fruit Smoothie

Holiday Themed Fruit Infused Water

• For those seeking a less thick bodied beverage, here are a sampling of fruit infused water recipes both plain and sparkling. Fresh summer fruits in a suitable array of red, white, and blue as well as plain or sparkling carbonated water make up the brunt of their ingredients with star shaped cookie cutters providing a bit of extra flair. For those that pose a particular choking hazard, the bits of fresh fruit can be strained from the flavored water before serving.
• Star Spangled Fruit Infused Water | 4th of July Sparkler | 4th of July Fruity Ice Drinks | Red, White & Blue Berry Water

Red, White, & Blue Mocktails

• Here are a sampling of red, white, and blue themed virgin cocktails & mocktails for those seniors & others seeking a more adult themed drink without the potential conflicts with medication or health that alcohol can sometimes bring. Like with all other initiated beverages, these drinks have mainly fresh summer fruits & herbs as their bases with natural sweeteners such as honey. Sparkling mineral water is also a common ingredient with suggestions where alcohol can be added for those interested in making the mocktail into a true cocktail.
• Fourth of July Cocktail | Watermelon Margarita Mocktail | Honey Blackberry Mint Mocktail | Paleo Red, White, and Blue Mocktails

Delicious Desserts

Patriotic Parfaits

• Here are a sampling of  festive & chilled parfaits made from fresh summer fruits and an assortment of healthy dairy products such as low fat milk, coconut milk, or Greek yogurt. No refined sugars are used with the sweetness coming from the fruits & yogurt or from optional maple syrup. For seniors that have particular trouble swallowing, leave out the chia seeds and make certain to further puree fruit products.
• Red, White, and Blue 4th of July Chia Pudding Parfait | Healthy 4th of July Berry Chia Seed and Coconut Cream Parfait | Red, White, and Blue Parfait | Healthy 4th of July Parfait for Cancer Patients

Red, White, & Blue Popsicles

• Popsicles are a great way to cool down on a hot summer day, especially for those who may have trouble chewing or swallowing more chunkier or thicker sweets. These patriotically colored treats are particularly healthy using fresh summer fruits, healthy Greek yogurt, or coconut water as their main bases. Solid fruit bits can be pureed or removed from the recipes entirely for those seniors who may have more severe problems with chewing or swallowing.
• 4th of July Pops | Fourth of July Patriotic Popsicles | Red, White, & Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles | Coconut Water and Fresh Berry Popsicles

4th of July Frozen Yogurt & Dairy Free Ice Cream

• Ice cream & frozen yogurt are a staple of summer when it comes to desserts and these red, white, and blue variations are a healthy way to beat the 4th of July heat. All recipes use natural ingredients such as fruits, coconut milk, maple syrup, honey, and Greek yogurt as their bases. Vegan & dairy-free varieties are also available whose sole ingredients include only fruit. Chunks of fruit should be well blended or pureed for those seniors who may have trouble chewing or swallowing more solid foods.
• Vegan & Dairy-free Strawberry, Pineapple, and Blueberry Ice Cream | Vegan 4th of July Ice Cream | Red, White, & Blueberry Ice Cream | Red, White, & Blue Swirl Frozen Yogurt

Holiday Themed  Sorbet

• These patriotically styled sorbets are a good choice for those who want a chilly dessert dairy-free dessert that can be chewed & swallowed easily. Coconut or almond milk takes the place of dairy, but for those without dairy dietary restrictions, ingredients such as Greek yogurt can be added to make creamier sherbets. Extra natural sweeteners such as honey can be added if the sweetness provided by the fresh blended fruit is not enough for one's taste.
• Red, White and Blue Healthy Sorbets | Red, White, & Blue Sorbet Sundaes | 4-Ingredient Strawberry and Blueberry Sorbets | Paleo Fourth of July Sorbet