7 Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Kids

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Glasses of various smoothies surrounded by fruit.

Cookies and Candy and Juice Boxes “oh My!” It seems that kids always migrate towards the pretty things that aren’t very healthy. The neat commercials, colorful packaging and enticing labels of pre-packaged food items can sometimes make it hard to convince kids that there are alternative snack options that taste amazingly delicious.

And because most kids would much rather eat pounds of sweets and willingly embrace a tummy ache if allowed, getting them to eat the daily requirements of fruits and vegetables for good health can sometimes be an issue. Additional concerns with adequate nutrition may also arise from being on the go often, having active children, having kids with food allergies and being a busy parent overall.

And then you have kids who refuse to eat at all (it’s more common than you might think!). Chitra Jha over at Kidskintha.com has written a detailed post on giving your children a healthy relationship with food – a great resource for parents of picky eaters. Needless to say, making sure your child gets their recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals can be a challenge in cases like these.

A fun and easy remedy for all of these issues can be found in smoothie recipes for kids. By combining various fruits, vegetables, herbs, supplements and a variety of other healthy ingredients, you can get your kids to indulge in more health conscious meal and snack options with ease.

Preparing healthy smoothies for kids is a wonderful way to get them excited about a clean-eating lifestyle. From beautiful bright colors to a fun creation process, kids are sure to find a recipe they deem a favorite. You can couple their preferred choice of fruit with different vegetables and greens to create an array of flavorful beverages and snack options.

Not only will they enjoy drinking their nutrients, but they’ll enjoy watching the process as well. Smaller kids will have fun comparing the colors and shapes of the fruits and vegetables to fun items like rainbows, cartoon characters and toys.

While the older children may also find joy in being able to prepare the ingredients and operate the blender. You can add to the fun by providing a selection of colorful cups and straws with fun patterns and prints for kids to choose from.

Healthy smoothies for kids are a great substitute for any meal or snack. They are filled with the necessary elements that kids need to support their growing bodies and they prove to be a smart way to pack a lot of nutrients into a small serving.

Here are 7 smoothie recipes for kids that are sure to be a hit in the flavor department and will help to increase their daily intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Peanut Butter Power

A glass of banana smoothie next to a peeled banana.

Filled with potassium, antioxidants and calcium, this delicious treat is perfect for an alternative to a traditional breakfast or mid-day snack.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. Peel and chop banana into medium sized pieces
  2. Add to blender
  3. Add other ingredients
  4. Blend until smooth
  5. Serve immediately

Wacky Watermelon

A glass of watermelon smoothie next to a slice of watermelon.

Watermelon is a great source of vitamin C, iron, calcium and potassium. Adding it to smoothies is also a wonderful way to keep your body hydrated as it is made up of 92% water. The juices of an orange and lime give this smoothie an addition of nutrients that aid in healthy digestion.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 cup watermelon
  • 2 nectarines

Preparation:

  1. Peel, seed and chop watermelon
  2. Peel, pit and chop nectarines
  3. Place fruit into blender
  4. Add orange juice and lime juice
  5. Blend until smooth
  6. Serve immediatel

Berry Good

A glass of blueberry smoothie next to a few pieces of blueberries.

With almonds being noted as a “brain food”, serving this smoothie up in the morning is a great way to start the day. Filled with antioxidants, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, the berry good smoothie is perfect for the growing brains of little ones.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. Peel and Pit avocado
  2. Place in blender
  3. Add other ingredients to blender
  4. Blend until smooth
  5. Serve immediately

Banana-Coco Craze

A banana-chocolate smoothie.

Skip the cookies and milk and whip up this healthy treat to reward good behavior. Adding bananas to smoothies is a great way to make any recipe sweet and creamy while incorporating a source of fiber, potassium, vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. Add ingredients to blender
  2. Blend until smooth
  3. Serve immediately

Super Hero Shake

A glass of green smoothie with a straw.

Popeye had it right all along! Give kids the power they need to boost brain function and development with this green smoothie. Spinach contains a massive amount of nutrients per calorie and is a tasty way to sneak in a large dose of daily vitamins.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups packed baby spinach
  • 2 cups frozen peaches
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1 cup vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 1 cup orange juice

Preparation:

  1. Place spinach, vanilla almond milk and orange juice in blender
  2. Blend until smooth
  3. Add frozen fruit
  4. Blend until smooth
  5. Serve immediately

Orange-Pineapple Twist

A glass of pineapple-orange smoothie decorated with a mint leaf.

Carrots provide beta-carotene and other necessary nutrients for heart and eye health. Getting kids to snack on this naturally sweet veggie may prove itself impossible but adding it into a smoothie filled with other nutrient-dense, delicious tasting fruits and juices will make this cool treat a hit.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup baby carrots
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Preparation:

  1. Add baby carrots and orange juice to blender
  2. Blend until smooth
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth
  4. Serve immediately

Banana-Berry Boost

A glass of banana strawberry smoothie next to some oranges and bananas.

This smoothie is a great for any time. It contains minimal ingredients, but provides a great source of fun filled nutrition for the entire family. Packed full of vitamin c, this recipe is a great way to give the immune system an extra boost to maintain overall health.

Ingredients:

  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Preparation:

  1. Peel and chop banana
  2. Add all ingredients to blender
  3. Blend until smooth
  4. Serve immediately

Have fun with any leftover smoothie buy pouring it into Popsicle molds and creating a creamy treat. You can also purchase fun shaped ice trays and create smoothie-cubes to add to juices that will create a delicious blend of whole food flavors kids will enjoy.

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