Cold and Flu Fighting Gummy Snacks
I have the sniffles.
And my little girl has a runny nose.
We haven’t had any sickness around here all winter, so I got to thinking about what might have changed in our habits in the past few weeks. Then it hit me- we were out of gummies!
It may seem trivial, but these gummies really make a difference for us. They are part of our daily routine during cold and flu season. Each morning, we all take:
- a few Cold/Flu gummies
- a few Vitamin C gummies
- a spoonful of Fermented Cod Liver Oil (We use the Cinnamon Tingle gel, refrigerated. The kids chase theirs with fresh juice and a chocolate chip, without complaint.)
- a small glass of my Apple Cider Vinegar concoction- a mix of raw ACV, fresh juice, filtered water, cinnamon and honey/stevia (This is optional, and we usually add this in when someone is showing symptoms)
We also use essential oils at bath time (usually lavender, citrus or eucalyptus) and for evening foot rubs (we use Thieves in a carrier oil). Might be silly, but it’s part of our routine now and it’s been working!
The powerhouse ingredient in the gummies is the Elderberry Syrup, known for strengthening the immune system. You can buy it pre-made or make it yourself. I inherited some homemade syrup from my sister-in-law, so I haven’t had to make it myself yet (thanks, Steph!). The tart cherry juice helps with sleep and the gelatin strengthens the gut lining. If you don’t like the tart cherry flavor or you can’t find it, you can substitute pomegranate juice, which is full of antioxidants. The raw honey and vanilla extract are optional, but I think they enhance the flavor and make the gummies more appealing for the little ones.
One batch poured into a loaf pan makes about 70-80 gummies for me, which lasts us quite a while, especially when we have other gummies to go along with them. I’d love to pick up some of those super cute silicon molds that I keep seeing on the internet, but I haven’t pulled the trigger.. I love these robot and dinosaur ones!
I know these gummies aren’t the key to health or a 100% guarantee to not getting sick this season, but every little step toward health can help. They’re yummy and my kids take them gladly, so I think we’ll be keeping them in the rotation for a while.
What about you? How do you prevent cold and flu from coming into your home? I’d love to hear your tips!
- 1¼ cups pure tart cherry juice and/or pure pomegranate juice
- 4 tablespoons grass-fed gelatin
- ¼ cup Elderberry Syrup
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Heat ½ cup juice until bubbling.
- Sprinkle gelatin over the remaining juice and let it bloom.
- Combine the hot juice with the gelatin/juice mixture, then add the Elderberry Syrup, honey and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour into molds or a loaf pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours or until set.
- Remove from molds or cut into small squares.
- Makes 70-80 gummy snacks, depending on your molds or how large you cut them.
this is just amaze balls. sorry. Can I ask where you buy your gelatin and elderberry syrup? Do you think this would work with a cranberry juice or blueberry juice? Thank you!
btw so how do you keep these- jar in fridge? how long do they last?
Patiently waiting the vitamin c gummy recipe!
working on it, Rose! 🙂 they keep getting gobbled up!
So far we haven’t been sick this winter. We are actually going on 2 years sick free!!! One thing I have always done is have my kids wash their hand with soap(not anti bacterial) and warm water every time they walk in the door. U also keep a essential oil diffuser on all winter with on guard running through it… I need to make vitamins hough this would be fun!!
HI! I would love to try these along with the other vitamin recipes as well particularly as we head into the start of the school year and high exposure to germs.
Quick question, do you take these DAILY or only when the kids start showing signs of the sniffles??
you can do either. i usually give them double when symptoms show up!
Hi just want to know my daughter is allergic to gelatin. Is there anything else i could use beside gelatin?
You can get the same benefits from lots of homemade broth and soup season is upon us.
And you can just use the elderberry juice by itself….
mix into yogurt, add to other juices, drink a spoonful (never tried this)
Please don’t refer to bedtime/bathtime essential oils as “silly” – its fantastic that at you’re using them! a few years ago, I stopped giving my child benadryl to sleep, and starting using lavender oil on his feet at bedtime instead, and WOW… what a difference! He sleeps well, no longer wakes up in the night, and no “medicine hangover” in the morning. I am going to try this gummy recipe for flu season – thank you for creating it! I also saw another one on Pinterest that uses kombucha. Love your blog!
I’m curious about the pre-made elderberry syrup you recommended. I just purchased it, but what arrived is actually a blend, not pure elderberry. I’ve addressed the problem with the company, but I’d be curious to know what you think about a blend versus pure syrup.
I think that would work just fine- the syrup I use isn’t pure elderberry either- there’s some honey in it as well.
Is the tart cherry juice just from the cherries? Or did you buy it?
It’s a specific juice you can buy at the store- tart cherry juice. Look for it in the natural aisle.
Hi , I tried making these twice now, and they don’t set, what am I doing wrong??? Does the type of gelatin matter? I’ve been trying it with Great Lakes Gelatin.
For kids under 2 that are not supposed to have honey yet, would taking out the honey alter the recipe enough that it wouldnt set properly or is there a substitute that should be used?
you could try maple syrup instead, but I haven’t tried it myself.
I I will try and make these. How long do they last please? do you store them in the fridge?
The last for a few weeks in the fridge.