Hide Vegetables in Child-Friendly Smoothies

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Kid won’t eat vegetables? The problem is very common, according to many parents. Most kids, however, love applesauce, chocolate, carrot cake and peanut butter cookies. A blender can help you combine both worlds: the sweetness of the typical kid-friendly dishes with the health value of vegetables.

While you are making these deceptively nutrient-rich smoothies, keep a few things in mind:

1. A little goes a long way. You don’t need to put your whole salad in a blender, then add some brown sugar and expect your kid to eat it. Put some sweet nutritious child-friendly ingredients in the blender: like grapes, apples, pears, bananas, peanut butter. Then add a few green leaves or half a cup of veggies.

2. Always have a one sip rule. They must sip it once to say they don’t like it.

3. If your child prefers very sweet flavors, put a lot of syrup in your first smoothie. Then gradually and diligently reduce the amount of sugar you put in.

4. Good time to introduce a smoothie is when your child asks for milk or juice. A sweet smoothie can be introduced instead of a dessert.

5. If smoothies are not well-received, ask your child to help you shop for ingredients and make the smoothies with you next time. Give them the freedom to put whatever they want in a smoothie. Then, it’s your turn to add what you want, so get the lettuce and the parsley out and ready!

Here are some healthy and delicious smoothie recipes to make the kids (and the parents) happy:

Applesauce Smoothie

3 apples

1 banana

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup spinach

1 small avocado

large handful of ice

Blend everything until smooth. If the smoothie is not sweet enough, add 1 tbsp. agave syrup.

Carrot cake Smoothie

1 cup carrot slices

2 bananas

1 avocado

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

large handful of ice

1 tbsp. agave syrup

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

Put the carrots into the blender first. Add all other ingredients. Blend everything until smooth.

Chocolate Mint Smoothie

10 mint leaves

4 kale leaves

3 previously sliced and frozen bananas

4 tbsp. cacao powder

1 cup of water

Blend everything until smooth and creamy

Peanut Butter Cookie Smoothie

Butternut squash gives this smoothie a deeper color, which most kids mistake for peanut butter.

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup non-dairy milk

2 tbsp. ground flax seeds

1/2 cup butternut squash cubed

2 bananas

3 tbsp. peanut butter

handful of ice

optional: dash of cinnamon.

Mix the oats with the milk and let stand for 2 hrs or more. Put in the blender with all other ingredients. Blend everything until smooth. Add agave syrup if the smoothie is not sweet enough.

You can also watch me make these smoothies on YouTube.