My boys do not eat veggies. It drives me nuts but honestly, I can’t blame them. I wanted nothing to do with anything green when I was growing up. So I’ve had to get creative in how I get them to eat their veggies. I’ll be sharing all the recipes that work for me, but the staple for us is the green smoothie every morning. It’s loaded with leafy greens, antioxidant berries and vitamin rich fruits. This recipe is a drink my kids scream with excitement over. I hope you have as much success as I have, subtly incorporating nutrition into your kids diets. 🙂
Bonus: During the summer months, I use these silicone popsicle molds and freeze the smoothie. I let them eat “popsicles” for breakfast and they are thrilled. They haven’t caught on that the popsicle they are eating (also their favorite ice cream truck treat) is actually just a smoothie in disguise!
Here are a few of the tools that I use to prepare and serve the smoothies with.
Magic Bullet: I also own a Ninja and I always reach for the magic bullet. It’s light, compact and easy to clean. I use this to puree almost everything. The only time I pull out the Ninja is if I’m making smoothies for more than 4 people or pureeing for soup.
Stainless Steel Serving Cups: I have tried to eliminate plastic over the years. It has been a process, but plastic cups, containers, plates, silverware, etc really aren’t good for human health. They leach toxins over years of use and there is a substantial plastic waste problem polluting our oceans and land. While these cups are more expensive than plastic, they are a better, safer option for serving drinks to your kids.
Lyteshow : This is an electrolyte and mineral supplement that is especially beneficial in the winter, when we typically don’t drink enough water. Add a few drops in your smoothie but also add to your water that you drink throughout the day for added hydration and better looking skin. This product also contains added minerals that your body typically lacks during the winter months. It’s an added insurance to you and your children’s health!
Probonix Probiotics for Toddlers and Kids
Kid-Approved Superfood Smoothie
This drink is loaded with Vitamin C. I use the Magic Bullet to puree all of my fruits and veggies so you’ll notice my measurements are adjusted for the size of the larger cup that comes with the Magic Bullet. If you don’t own a Magic Bullet, I highly recommend investing in one. It is the easiest and most efficient tool that I’ve found works for a busy morning routine. There is very little to clean and it’s small so it doesn’t take up a lot of space. I’ve included links to the probiotic drops that I add on occasion (about once a week) to help prevent my kids from getting sick. I’ve also included LYTE rehydration drops. I add a couple drops for added minerals, but that is up to each individual person. I swear it helped with my kids not getting sick over the winter. We had constant runny noses, but that’s it!
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Berry Mix (Keep a bag of frozen mixed berries in your freezer )
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Spinach (I keep a bag in my freezer year round so I always have on hand)
- 1/2 Cup Apple Cider (I use cider from the store that doesn’t have any added sugar)
- 1 TBSP Fresh Mint (You can skip this if you don’t have. I keep a fresh plant in my kitchen)
- 1 Whole Banana
- Mix banana, berry mix, spinach, apple cider and mint together. Fill the remaining space in the cup with water. (Don’t fill too high or the water will overflow when you twist the lid on. Squirt 4 drops of LYTE into the mixture (optional – gives added minerals to the drink) Squirt 3-5 drops of Bliss Probiotics into the cup (optional – good for constipated baby and for preventative measures for your childs health). Twist cap on and blend the mixture with the Magic Bullet until smooth. Ready to serve!
The great thing about this recipe is that you can experiment with different healthy ingredients. Some other items I like to experiment with are Chia and Flax seeds, greek yogurt, peanut butter or nuts.
