Smoothies are a great breakfast or anytime idea for kids. If you make healthy smoothie recipes for kids, their special nutritional needs are easily taken care of since smoothies are easy to make and even easier to drink! They can be colorful and flavorful and you can easily incorporate a host of ingredients in kid-friendly smoothies, including fruits and veggies they may not otherwise eat.

Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Kids

Smoothies contain yogurt, which is easy to digest and has many nutritional benefits. You can substitute yogurt with milk or soy milk or even tofu too. All these provide the protein that children need. When you serve smoothies in fancy glasses and garnish them, they look even more appealing and they taste great, too.

Berry Smoothie

• ½ cup strawberries
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 banana

Hull berries and put in blender along with yogurt and banana that has been peeled and sliced. Blitz till smooth, adding ice cubes or cold water for a thinner consistency.

Health Benefits:

Berries are full of antioxidants that boost brain power and bananas are high in complex carbohydrates and potassium, so offer high satiety value and increase energy levels.

Green Smoothie

• ¼ cup chopped broccoli
• ¼ cup baby spinach
• ¼ cup green grapes
• 1 green apple, chopped
• 1 cup vanilla or mixed fruit yogurt

Put broccoli, spinach, grapes, apple and yogurt in blender and blitz till smooth, adding ice cubes to thin and chill the smoothie.

Health Benefits:

The green vegetables have antioxidants that combat free radicals, iron to build the blood and fiber that helps with digestion. Grapes and apple are full of vitamins and minerals and yoghurt has the protein that growing children need.

Carrot and Apricot Smoothie

• 1 carrot, scraped and chopped
• 1 cup chopped apricot
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 cup yogurt or milk

Put carrot, apricot and orange juice along with yogurt in blender and blitz till smooth.

Health Benefits:

Carrots contain carotenoids that help with eyesight as well as fiber, apricots are full of antioxidants and vitamins and minerals, orange juice provides Vitamin C that boosts immunity and yogurt or milk provide calcium and protein.

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

• ½ cup chopped pineapple
• ½ cup chopped mango
• 1 cup vanilla or mixed fruit yogurt

Blend the fruit and yogurt together till smooth and serve.

Health Benefits:

Pineapple contains a lot of Vitamin C and other nutrients that improve immunity. Mango is rich in iron that helps increase hemoglobin and Vitamin A that helps with vision. These fruits also contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that provide needed nutrients.

Watermelon and Peach Smoothie

• 1 cup watermelon cubes
• ½ cup peach slices
• 1 cup yogurt or milk

Blend all together till smooth. The peach adds bulk to the smoothie otherwise watermelon yields a thinner yield.

Health Benefits:

Watermelon is cooling and refreshing, ideal for summer since it provides food hydration because of its electrolytes and natural sugars. It also boosts immunity and digestion. Peach is rich in carotenoids and flavonoids that help with eye health and also immunity.

The best thing about smoothie recipes for kids is that you can add different kinds of fruits and vegetables for taste and color. Smoothies can be had at breakfast time or anytime along with or instead of a snack.  When you experiment, you will know what your kids like and you can also sneak in fruits and veggies that they may not knowingly eat, improving their nutritional intake and their health.

This article is written by Jarin Mariea from Best Food Processor Guide