June 16, 2017

My go-to, feel-better food is a milkshake. When I was a child, we’d make these with instant, out-of-the-box powder. I loved the sickly pinkness of it then, although now I can’t stand the artificial colour and taste. Instead, I whizz up berries from the freezer with ice-cold milk – it might be cow’s milk, almond or oat, depending on the flavour I fancy. If I’m in the mood for chocolate, I’ll blend the milk with melted cacao nibs or good-quality chocolate. Chilled chocolate milk is incredibly soothing.
I recommend homemade milkshakes to my patients, too, especially if they have lost their appetite. This simple hug-in-a-glass is thinner than a smoothie, helping it to slip down easily. Sipping a small glass can ‘wake up’ their desire to eat, preventing a vicious cycle of eating less, so wanting less, leading to a lack of nourishment. A simple milkshake will provide plenty of protein and carbohydrates, plus vitamins and fibre from the fruit.
So, indulge your inner child with a milkshake next time you’re feeling low and out of sorts. If it’s good enough for Peppa…

Milkshake menu
Peanut butter & banana
Raspberry ripple
Strawberry & vanilla
Almond & tahini
Black Forest
Mango & yoghurt
