While the fruit and vegetable kingdom has all the attractive colors on Earth, they still somehow fail to grab the attention of our kids. They come in all colors, shapes, and textures; packed with an n number of nutrients, they are a boon to our diet. Your little one may have gulped them down in the infant stage when they were given fruits and veggies in puree form. Now to make them have the same food, almost all of us struggle a lot. 

While some kids may have a natural liking towards fruits and/or vegetables, some kids do not eat them whatever trick we may try. Smoothies come to your rescue since the vegetables and fruits are hidden in them. You can pack the smoothies with as many nutrients as you can and since it is drinkable, kids tend to have it eagerly. Add in some healthy nuts/nut butter/dairy and seeds of your child’s liking. Here are a few recipes from us, which you can alter based on your tiny tot’s likes/dislikes, availability, or allergies.

1. Banana Almond Mango Smoothie:

Bananas are a staple in many households as they are available all year round. They can be used frozen or fresh, based on your liking. They add a creamy texture to smoothies. So do almonds. Almond skin adds a slight bitterness to the smoothie, but that would get balanced by the sweetness of the fruits.

Mangoes are so yummy, that everyone loves them. They are loaded with fibers and are a summer treat. When used for smoothies, they give a thick and pulpy texture. These together make a magical smoothie. The sweetness from the two fruits will suffice.

* Frozen or fresh banana pieces – 1 normal-sized Banana

* Mango cubes – 1/2 a Mango fruit

* Soaked and skinned Almonds – 3-4

* Yogurt or Milk of your choice

First, blend the banana pieces into a smooth paste. Then, add in the mango cubes and almonds. Grind well. Check the consistency and add the desired amount of yogurt or milk. Add some chopped nuts or seeds on top to garnish.

Main Nutrients:

Banana – Vitamin B6, Potassium, Magnesium, Fiber

Almond – Protein, Calcium, Vitamin E, Healthy Fats

Mango – Vitamin C, Copper, Folate, Fiber

2. Carrot Cashew Smoothie:

Carrots are a fun vegetable. I remember, in my childhood, I used to copy Bugs Bunny – eat a raw carrot and tell his famous punch line, “Heyyyy. What’s up, doc?”. Carrots have a naturally sweet taste and an attractive orange color. 

Cashews are mostly liked by kids. Salted, fried, plain – kids munch on them in all forms. When ground into a paste, they have a creamy texture with mild sweetness. This smoothie makes use of carrot sweetness and cashew creaminess. The sweetness from the carrots and cashews will suffice. If needed, add some honey to the smoothie. 

* Cleaned and boiled carrot pieces – 1 1/2 normal-sized Carrots

* Cashews – 4-6

* Yogurt or Milk of your choice

First, blend the carrot pieces into a smooth paste. Add in the cashews and grind well. Check the consistency and add the desired amount of yogurt or milk. Add some chopped nuts or seeds on top and if needed, honey.

Main Nutrients:

Carrot – Beta-carotene, Anti-oxidants, Potassium, Fiber

Cashew – Protein, Calcium, Phosphorous, Healthy Fats

3. Peanut Butter Oats Coconut Milk Smoothie:

Peanut Butter is a delight for kids. They would lick them off spoons if we allow them to. They are loaded with the goodness of peanuts. You can either make them at home or use a store-bought one(check for brands that are organic and do not add sugar, as many commercial brands load nut butter with lots of sugar).

Coconuts, being a solid staple in Indian homes, are consumed almost daily in the form of chutneys, kormas, etc. If your kid does not particularly eat these, you can give them the goodness of coconuts in smoothie form. You can make coconut milk at home by grinding coconut pieces and extracting the milk with a strainer. Oats have a good amount of dietary fiber and carbohydrates, they can be very filling. 

Kids will slurp up this dessert-like smoothie in a minute. The sweetness from the peanut butter and coconut is enough, but if necessary add a dollop of honey to it.

* Peanut Butter – 4 or 5 tablespoons

* Oats – 1/4 cup

* Coconut Milk – As required, as per desired consistency

Blend the peanut butter and oats. Check the consistency (it will be thick) and add in the amount of coconut milk required to make it smoothie consistency. Add some chopped nuts or seeds on top and if needed, honey. You can also sprinkle coconut flakes to keep with the flavor of the smoothie.

Main Nutrients:

Peanut Butter – Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Iron

Oats – Fiber, Protein, Sodium, Potassium

Coconut – Manganese, Selenium, Copper, Healthy fats

4. Apple Banana Beetroot Spinach Smoothie:

Spinach and other greens are the veggies that kids absolutely hate. So what better way to sneak in greens, other than in smoothies? Apples are sweet treats to all. While we bite into them, the juice just seeps out. So throw these nutrient-rich superfoods together in this smoothie.

Beetroots have a brilliant color and sweetness to them, although they do have a certain earthy flavor and a difficult texture. Due to this factor, kids do not usually prefer eating beets. So chop them up and boil them to use them in this smoothie. Bananas will add a sumptuous sweetness and creaminess to balance out the beetroot’s earthiness. The strong red color from the beets will combine with the green color of the spinach and the light color from the apple and banana to create a purple color. This will mask the terrible green color that kids dread even in smoothies. 

* Frozen or fresh banana pieces – 1 normal-sized Banana

* Apple – 1 small-sized

* Beetroot – 1/2 normal-sized beetroot

* Spinach – 1/2 cup of cleaned leaves

* Yogurt or Milk of choice

Blend the veggies and fruits together. Check the consistency and add in the amount of yogurt or milk to make the consistency drinkable. The sweetness from both the fruits and the beet will suffice. Add some chopped nuts or seeds on top.

Main Nutrients:

Apple – Vitamin C, Anti-oxidants, Fiber

Banana – Vitamin B6, Potassium, Magnesium, Fiber

Beetroot – Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorous

Spinach – Folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron 

Hope these yummy recipes make your kids plenty of nutrients in a fun form. Happy parenting…