The Best Smoothie Recipes for Kids

Smoothies are an easy way to get nutritious foods into breakfast or anytime of day. Making smoothies is also a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen and get fruits and veggies in their little bodies (and ours too!). However, if you aren’t sure where to start or how to help your little ones enjoy smoothies, I’ve got all the info for you. Here is a guide to making the Best Smoothie Recipes for Kids.

Also, be sure to check out my FREE resource, Smoothie Lab, and get kids excited to create and taste their own smoothie recipes.

Why make smoothies for kids?

• Not just Breakfast: Smoothies don’t have to only be for breakfast. They can be an easy way to add fruit and veggies to snack time, lunch, or dinner. I also don’t find them all that filling sometimes. So, don’t be afraid to serve smoothies alongside other foods, like eggs/waffles/pancakes at breakfast time or a sandwich at lunch.
• Convenient and Cost effective:  The freezer is our friend when it comes to making smoothies. Frozen fruit and veggies are more affordable than fresh. They are easy to always have on hand. Plus, they make smoothies thick and creamy when blended.
• Picky or apprehensive eaters?: I don’t recommend hiding foods from kids. It can break their trust in what you’re feeding them and doesn’t give them a chance to learn to like new foods. However, blending certain foods (like spinach) into smoothies can be a great way to find a new way to enjoy a food they may not have eaten on its own. Have kids help add the ingredients/veggie to the blender. “We are doing a magic trick to make the spinach disappear. I bet we will be so good at it that we won’t even taste it in the end. What do you think?”

Tips for making the Best Smoothie Recipes for Kids:

•  Start Simple: Nutritious doesn’t have to mean a list of 1,000 ingredients. A healthy smoothie can simply be fruit, yogurt, and milk. Especially when kids are hesitant about trying smoothies or haven’t liked them much in the past.
• Texture Preference: I love thick, icy smoothies. However, some people like them more like a yogurt drink. Test out different types of smoothies to see what your child likes best. 
• Use my Free Guide: My Build a Better Smoothie template allows you to easily put all the building blocks in place and make a delicious, nutritious smoothie. It’s also a great way to get kids involved in several levels. Toddlers can pick the fruit from the list of pictures and older kids can use the Smoothie Experiment page to make and test their own creations. Getting kids involved is truly the key to helping them enjoy them more (and be more independent!).

Essential Supplies for the Best Smoothie Recipes for Kids:

• Blenders: I have had a Vitamix for over 20 years and it’s been indispensable. They are an investment. However, you can often find refurbished ones on Amazon for a good price. Also, I know many people like the smaller, personal-sized blenders for making smoothies, such as The Beast blender or The Magic Bullet. Whatever blender you choose, I very much recommend getting a high speed blender. Those blenders really pulverize the smoothie ingredients, making them thick and creamy.
• Cups: For toddlers, these Elk and Friends Stainless Steel Cups (with lids and straws) are sturdy, dishwasher safe, and opaque (so kids can’t see what’s inside if they are picky about the color of smoothies). They also have a glass versions HERE if that is more appealing to you. I love that both versions have colorful covers and straws. Need a larger cup? They have a 12oz options HERE. For my older kids, I usually just use a regular drinking glass with a straw or these mason jar cups look great too.

• Straws: I started using glass straws a few years ago and love them. They are very sturdy and I’ve never had one break. I like they work great for older kids and adults. However, we also often use a silicone topped stainless steel straw. They are easy for kids to use.
• Leftovers? Freezing leftover smoothies into popsicles is a game changer! Check out my post, Healthy Homemade Popsicles for Kids, for my popsicle mold recommendations. You can also simple freezer leftovers in an ice cube tray then blend them again later.

The Best Smoothie Recipes for Kids: Simple Favorites

These simple recipes are great place to start when learning to make and enjoy smoothies. For a FREE printout of these recipes and well as a smoothie making template, download my resource, Smoothie Lab HERE!

Makes 1 serving 

Cherry Vanilla: ¼ cup Greek yogurt, ½ frozen banana, ½ cup frozen cherries, ½ cup baby spinach, 1 tsp honey (optional), 1 cup milk (any kind), ½ tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Shake: ¼ cup tofu, 1 Tbsp peanut butter,  ½ frozen banana, ¼ cup zucchini (optional), 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 cup milk, 1 soft date (or 1 tsp honey)

Tropical Creamsicle: ¼ cup cottage cheese or yogurt, ½ cup frozen mango, ½ orange or 1 clementine, ¼ cup grated carrot, 1 cup milk, ½ tsp vanilla 

Berry Cheesecake: ¼ cup cottage cheese, ¼ cup frozen wild blueberries, ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries, ¼ cup frozen cauliflower (optional), 1 cup milk, 1 tsp maple syrup

5 Smoothie Recipes for Kids:

Below are more smoothie recipes to try! Many of them are recipes I’ve created for other blogs or for my own cooking classes for kids.

Tropical Carrot Smoothie

Did you know you can add raw carrots into a smoothie? You bet! This refreshing drink is filled with delicious tropical flavors from pineapple, coconut, and sweet mandarin oranges. It is naturally sweetened and a balanced snack thanks to some protein rich Greek yogurt. Full recipe on the Veggie Buds Club blog here. Tropical Carrot Smoothie Recipe.

Green Apple Pie Smoothie

The perfect way to expose those little green skeptics to some spinach! The sweet flavors of apples and cinnamon make this smoothie irresistible. Have your little one add the ingredients into the blender with you, especially when adding the greens. That way she can know that even if she may not like spinach plain, she might like it combined with other flavors.

Recipe:

1/2 frozen banana
1 small apple, cored and chopped
2 big handfuls baby spinach or kale
1/4 cup organic rolled oats or 2 tablespoons almond butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Handful of ice

1. Add everything to a blender and blend until very smooth.
2. Add extra ice or milk as needed.

Sweet Potato and Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls

Often times my kids prefer to eat their smoothies with a spoon. You can make any smoothie recipe into a smoothie bowl by adding less milk or other liquid in the recipe. Just add a little liquid add a time until you get your desired thickness. You can also add a handful of ice to make a smoothie more frosty and thick. This recipe is a really unique combo of flavors and ingredients. If you have any leftover cooked sweet potato, this is a great smoothie to whip up. Dragon fruit gives this smoothie that beautiful bright pink color. You can find frozen dragon fruit in many grocery stores these days, but you can substitute frozen berries if you’d prefer.

1 cup cooked sweet potato
2 packets dragon fruit or 1 cup frozen mixed berries
2 cups frozen mango (or a frozen banana)
1/4 cup almond butter
1 pitted date, optional
Pinch of vanilla powder, optional
Splash of water

1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add more water as needed to get desired consistency. Spoon into bowls and add any additional toppings.

Heathy Chocolate “Milkshake” (with Cauliflower!)

We call it a milkshake because it’s so creamy and delicious but the recipe is really a veggie-filled chocolate smoothie. Frozen cauliflower gives the smoothie lots of creaminess and body but you can’t taste it at all! Add a few mini chocolate chips or sprinkles on top for a little extra fun. Get the recipe on the Veggie Buds Club blog here Heathy Chocolate Milkshake Recipe

Eat-the-Rainbow Smoothie

All the colors of the rainbow in one cup! We even add in some riced frozen cauliflower as the “Clouds!” This is my son Jack’s favorite smoothie and one the the most requested recipes in my preschool cooking classes. It is filled with veggies, fruit, and protein from Greek yogurt (you could use a coconut or other dairy-free yogurt as well), and a great way to expose kids to lots of different vegetables. Get kids involved by having them help cut the fruit with a child-safe knife and placing all the ingredients into the blender. This one is super sweet and refreshing!

Recipe:
3 to 4 strawberries
½ banana
1 clementine mandarin or 1/2 small orange
Large handful baby spinach and/or kale leaves
½ cup frozen blueberries
¼ cup yogurt or dairy-free alternative
½ cup frozen riced cauliflower
¼ to ½ cup milk or water

1.    Cut stems off of strawberries, peel and slice banana, and peel clementine. Place fruit in a blender.
2.    Add remaining ingredients to blender including a ¼ cup of milk. Purée on high until smooth.
3.    Add more milk if necessary to make thinner or add some ice and blend again to thicken smoothie. Serve.

Don’t forget to download my FREE resource, Smoothie Lab, that includes the Build a Better Smoothie template and the Smoothie Experiment worksheet for kids. Print it out and stick it to the fridge or have on the counter to inspire your smoothie making and get kids involved!