How to get your kids to eat veggies: Smoothies

My toddler recently went through a fussy food phase and did not want to eat his veggies. I found this frustrating because my son usually eats like a linebacker with a sophisticated palette. Hummus, tikka masala, broccoli and lentil soup – all favorites. Luckily, I found a new way to get my kid to eat veggies: smoothies.

The choosy eating began around the time he started preschool. He asserted his independence with his food choices and binged on bread, like any freshman would. I had to get creative.

My son loves to push buttons and watch the blender do its magic, so I started making smoothies. At first, I snuck the healthy food into the blender before getting him involved. Later I discovered that if I let him help put the ingredients in the blender, he will be really excited about them – even the greens.

“We have to go to the store to get more greens and blend them, Mommy” says the two-year old. My child wants to blend and drink greens. Proud mama over here!

We’ve worked our way through most of the rainbow, creating fun colored smoothies to keep it exciting. All the smoothies taste different, but delicious in their own way.

Making smoothies is easy. Put ingredients in the blender, blend and marvel as your child drinks their vegetables.

“Guac-E-mole” Smoothie

• 1c oatmilk
• 1c banana, frozen
• 1/2 zucchini, peeled
• handful kale
• 1/2 avocado
• handful mint leaves
• 1T hemp seed
• 1T flaxseed

Red Smoothie

• 1 beet, boiled, skin removed
• 3/4c oatmilk
• 2 bananas, frozen
• handful spinach
• 2 small apples, cored
• 1/2T lemon juice
• 1T hemp seed
• 1T flax seed

Maroon Smoothie:

• 1 beet, boiled, skin removed
• 3/4c oatmilk
• 1 large fuji apple, cored
• 1/2 small banana, frozen
• 1 banana, ripe
• handful dinosaur kale
• 1/2T lemon juice
• 1T hemp seed
• 1T flax seed

Green Smoothie

• 1c oatmilk
• 1c banana, frozen
• 1/2 green pear
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled
• 1c zucchini
• handful mint leaves
• 2 dates, pitted
• Large handful dinosaur kale
• 2T pepitas

Yellow Smoothie

• 1c oatmilk
• 1 large banana, frozen
• 1 medium carrot, peeled
• 2 dates, pitted
• handful spinach
• 1T flax seed
• 2T pepitas
• 3T hemp seed

Purple Smoothie

• 1 1/2c oatmilk
• 1/2c purple sweet potato, cooked
• 1/2c raspberries, frozen
• 1 banana, frozen
• handful purple kale
• 1T hemp seed
• 1T flax seed
• 2 dates, pitted

Smoothies are a choose your own adventure food. Use your favorite milk (or juice). Add whatever you like. Go nuts! Add nuts. It’s pretty hard to mess up a smoothie so just go for it. Maybe your kid will start begging to get more greens at the store, too.