5 Healthy Smoothie & Ice Kreme Recipes for Kids

Smoothie Recipes for Kids

We’ve had an incredibly high percentage of moms and dads post on our Young and Raw Facebook page asking for smoothie ideas that are family friendly. If you’re on of them, this post is special just for you
If you’ve been feeding your child un-processed, whole foods from the start, you might find it’s easy to get your kids to eat real food. However, if healthy eating is a fairly new concept in your home, your child might be resisting the idea of vegetables over pretzels, that’s totally understandable!
Here’s the challenge, our brains are wired based on associations we make to pleasure and pain. Processed, sugary and salty foods all trigger dopamine release and that is how we form positive associations to foods that are actually harmful for our health. If your child has already experienced the rush of pleasure chemicals that follow something deliciously processed, they are likely going to want that experience again. Please don’t place any guilt or shame on yourself for this, the best thing you can do now is just keep introducing fun and healthy options at meal time so that eventually your child can form new and positive associations to real, whole foods!
None the less, I believe in you and your family. I know that no matter what, your children and family members can learn to enjoy real food – again, or for the first time ever! All of these recipes are simple, using only a few ingredients from nature. If your child is under the age of 5, be careful with nuts and make sure they don’t have any nut allergies before introducing them into their diet.
1. Strawberry Banana Dream 

• 1/2 Frozen Banana
• 2-3 Strawberries
• 1/2 Cup Almond or Coconut Milk

2. Green Chia Smoothie

• 1 tsp. Chia Seeds
• 1/2 Cup frozen or fresh fruit
• 1/2 Cup of Greens (spinach, kale, lettuce)
• 1/2 Cup Almond or Coconut Milk

3. Carob Blueberry Ice Kreme

• 1 tsp. Carob Powder
• 1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
• 1/2 Cup Almond or Coconut Milk

4. Mint-A-Riffic Ice Kreme

• 1 Small Handful of mint
• 1 Small Handful of Spinach*optional (makes it more green!)
• 1 Frozen Banana
• 1/2 Cup Almond or Coconut Milk

5. Sunshine Smoothie

• 1 Orange
• 1/2 Frozen Banana
• 1 Cup of Water

Instructions: All of these smoothies and “ice kremes’ can be made in a blender. If you have a Vitamix or Blendtec then you’ll find it quite easy to make the recipes, however if you’re using a lower quality blender – you can still pull these off! Try peeling and freezing your bananas in tiny chunks instead of freezing them whole, this will help a lot. You might also need a bit of extra liquid if you’re not using a Vitamix or Blendtec.
Moms & Dads: What are your secrets for getting more fresh fruits & greens into your families diet? Please post your ideas and favorite recipes below!