Through June 15, the Gelson’s store in Manhattan Beach, California, will donate a portion of sales of a seasonal smoothie to the Growing Great Junior Chefs program.
Gelson’s Staff Dietitian Jessica Siegel welcomed Grand View Elementary School fifth-graders in the Junior Chefs program, an initiative of Growing Great, a non-profit teaching children to make healthy food choices through gardening and nutrition education. Thirteen students visited the Manhattan Beach store, learned about seasonal produce and then helped develop a smoothie from two early-summer fruits, peaches and raspberries, a combination inspired by the classic dessert, peach melba.
When customers purchase the Grand View Peach Melba Smoothie from the Dunes Juice & Smoothie bar at Gelson’s Manhattan Beach, California, a portion of all sales will be donated to the Growing Great Junior Chefs program. This featured Seasonal Smoothie is available for $7.99 until July 15.
“I had all of the junior chefs taste peaches and raspberries on their own, then together,” said Siegel, who discussed the importance of measuring accurately and testing recipes multiple times. They tried different combinations for their smoothie, ultimately substituting vanilla coconut yogurt for the vanilla ice cream normally used in peach melba, and adding texture with shredded coconut and chia seeds. The result: a great-tasting vegan smoothie showcasing the summery flavor of Gelson’s ripe yellow peaches.
Siegel said it was a delicious learning experience. “The junior chefs were thrilled and proudly named their creation after their school—the Grand View Peach Melba Smoothie.”
Founded in 1951, Gelson’s operates 27 full-service specialty grocery stores in Southern California. Each Gelson’s Market features the full amenities of a traditional supermarket. The store is particularly known for hand-selected produce, fresh cuts of meat and seafood and chef-prepared signature recipes.
