Meeting the daily recommendation for fruits and vegetables can be a real challenge, especially if your kids purse their lips at the mention of strawberries and spinach. But as a parent, you know how important it is to include fresh fruit and veggies in your family's diet. You may also realize how difficult it can be to sneak these nutrient-packed powerhouses into their meals.
The good news? It doesn't have to be a challenge. With the help of a few registered dietitians and some tasty smoothie recipes, we have the tips and tricks to get your kids hooked on fruits and vegetables.
Tips for Making and Serving Smoothies
Blending up and serving a smoothie to your kids is a great way to introduce them to eating healthier. However, if you want to inspire them to make this way of eating a habit, get them involved in the process.
"Asking your kids to help out is a fun activity that gets them involved in the kitchen," says Rachel Berman, RD, and General Manager of Verywell. "Kids can help pick out the ingredients and have fun watching them get blended together." You can even play a game with it: Can your kids guess what the main color of the smoothie will be? Berman says it can also be a good idea to repeatedly serve a little bit of the whole fruit/vegetable alongside the smoothie, like a few slices of strawberries, as a "garnish" that they will eventually want to eat on its own.
Lainey Younkin, MS, RD, LDN, dietitian at Lainey Younkin Nutrition and mom says getting your kids involved in making food means they are more likely to eat it, or in this case drink it. "Smoothies are fun for kids because they can choose their favorite fruits and vegetables or choose which colors they want to mix together–it's like a mini science experiment," she adds. For a nutritious smoothie, she recommends protein, fiber, healthy fat and a healthy liquid like milk or water.
When it comes to keeping the sugar content down, Joanna Foley, RDN, at Joanna Foley Nutrition says using a mix of both fruits and vegetables can help reduce the sugar content as well as avoiding juice as the liquid base. She also recommends experimenting with different nutrient-dense add-ins like flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp hearts and cacao powder.
Registered dietician Amelia Aitcheson of Nutrition with Amelia always likes to include some type of protein powder in the mix. Since there are so many different options on the market, she recommends talking to a registered dietitian to help you choose one without added sugar and to help you determine the appropriate serving size for you and your kids.
Finally, to keep your prep quick and easy, Erika Fox, RDN, and 310 Nutrition community manager, suggests adding each serving's ingredients (aside from the liquid) into individual freezer bags or containers. Then store in the freezer and pour the contents into the blender along with your liquid of choice when you're ready to make a quick smoothie.
8 Recipes to Sneak in the Fruits and Veggies
Rachel Berman's House Favorite
Berman likes to keep things simple in her house with this smoothie recipe that serves two.
Ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons PB
1 cup milk or yogurt (depends on your desired consistency)
1 handful of ice
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on a smoothie setting or medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you reach your desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Lainey Younkin's Nutritious Smoothie
Ingredients:
1/2 avocado
Handful of spinach
1 cup of frozen tropical fruit
1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1 cup low-sugar flavored milk like vanilla soy milk or almond coconut milk
Optional: Chia seeds or flaxseeds for more fiber, fat, and protein
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on a smoothie setting or medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you reach your desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Joanna Foley's Smoothie Recipes for the Family
Creamy Blueberry Smoothie (serves 2 generous portions or 4 smaller portions)
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen ripe banana
1 avocado, peel & seed removed
2-3 large handfuls of leafy greens such as spinach or kale
Approx. 1 cup of desired unsweetened vanilla plant-based milk (I used almond milk)
2-3 scoops desired vanilla protein powder
Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)
3-4 fresh or frozen cauliflower florets (optional)
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust milk amount to match desired consistency. Pour into a glass or bowl and enjoy!
Nutty Raspberry Smoothie (serves 2 generous portions or 4 smaller portions)
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 frozen ripe banana
2-4 tablespoons natural peanut butter (or other desired nut butter)
2-3 large handfuls of spinach or kale
Approx. 1 cup of desired unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
2-3 scoops vanilla protein powder
2-4 tablespoons ground flaxseeds (optional)
3-4 fresh or frozen cauliflower florets (optional)
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust milk amount to match desired consistency. Pour into a glass or bowl and enjoy!
Amelia Aitcheson's Protein Smoothies
Blueberry Blast Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder
1 cup almond milk
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 handful baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on a smoothie setting or medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you reach your desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Raspberry Chocolate Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder
1 cup almond milk
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 handful baby spinach
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on a smoothie setting or medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you reach your desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Erika Fox's Family-Friendly Smoothies
Green Monster
Ingredients:
1/2 banana
1/3 cup frozen pineapple
1/4 cup frozen mango
1 cup spinach
1/4 avocado
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Optional: ice
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on a smoothie setting or medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you reach your desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Peanut Butter Cup
Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup spinach
Optional: ice
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on a smoothie setting or medium speed for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you reach your desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
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