Start the day (or snack time!) with a simple Green Smoothie that’s designed to taste good and be easy to make—so it’s not too thick, includes accessible ingredients, and is sweet enough to help kids enjoy every sip.
Simple Green Smoothie
We make a lot of smoothies in our house since they are such an easy way to serve up a powerful dose of nutrients in an easy to drink format. I love how easy they are to vary based on what we have on hand and that they are an easy way to serve veggies to kids.
In my opinion, the key to a good green smoothie for kids is balancing the flavors and texture—so in addition to greens, you need some fruit for sweetness and creaminess.
We like to use banana since it adds a nice creamy texture and it usually makes the smoothie sweet enough that you don’t need to add any other additional sweetener. And really, you don’t need to add 27 hard to find ingredients to make a healthy smoothie for kids!
You can also use mango instead of banana if needed.
Ingredients You Need
To make this smoothie for kids, you’ll need the following ingredients, which are super easy to keep on hand in the pantry, fridge, and freezer.
- Milk: You can use any type of milk you prefer in this smoothie recipe, though my preference is to use plant milk, such as flax or a mixed nut milk with added protein.
- Banana: You’ll want to slice and freeze your banana ahead of time so it’s ready to go. Frozen banana makes the smoothie super creamy and delicious.
- Frozen pineapple, strawberries, or mango: Add one other fruit—any of these work well—to the mixture for extra flavor and nutrients.
- Spinach: You can use fresh or frozen spinach (or kale) in this recipe to add the greens. It works about the same with both of them, though freezing fresh greens can help cut down on the “green” flavor so I try to do that when I can.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making this simple smoothie. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information.
- Gather your ingredients and place them all into a blender.
- Start the blender on low, then gradually turn the speed up and blend on high for about 30 seconds or until it’s completely blended and you see no chunks of green.
- Serve!
TIP: Add 1 tablespoon hemp seeds or nut or seed butter for extra healthy fats and protein.
What’s the best way to serve a smoothie to kids?
Try it using a straw cup, a little open cup, or a reusable pouch. Depending on the age and mood of your child, they may find one more suitable than others…which is to say they may play less with one or another. For my kids, we like the reusable pouch or a half full open cup with a straw best.
This green smoothie doesn’t have any added sweeteners, so it’s also a great one to give to babies if you use unsweetened nondairy milk.
What kind of milk is best in smoothies for kids?
Green smoothies are easy to make dairy-free and actually, I find that nondairy milks blend up better than dairy milk, which can separate if it sits for any amount of time after blending. Look for a milk without added sweeteners—it will say “unsweetened” on the label— and let the fruit do the work to minimize added sugars.
I like the newer plant based milks, like the Nut Protein Milk from Silk or Good Karma’s Flax Milk with Protein, which have protein amounts more similar to dairy milk.
How to Store
When made with nut butter and some hemp seeds, which helps hold the ingredients together for a longer period of time, I’ve stored this smoothie in the fridge in an airtight container for 6 hours. My toddler then drank it and was happy. I wouldn’t advice storing it any longer than that and when possible, serve it after storing.
Should you have leftovers, you can aways freeze them into a freezer pop mold and serve as a smoothie popsicle on another day.
Best Tips for Success
- Use any milk you like, though I find that plant-milks lend the best consistency to smoothies.
- Use spinach or kale and consider freezing the fresh leaves to cut down on the “green” flavor.
- Add 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, 1 tablespoon nut or seed butter, or ¼ cup Greek yogurt for extra healthy fats and protein.
- Blend really, really well.
- Serve in a small open cup, a straw cup, or a reusable pouch.
- Find all of my favorite Smoothie Cups to help serve this up easily.
Related Recipes
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Favorite Yogurt Drinks
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please rate and review it below!
Simple Green Smoothie
Frozen bananas give the smoothie a creamy, naturally sweet base, though you can make this with a fresh banana as long as the other fruit is frozen. It’s easy to add whatever berries or fruit you have on hand, so customize it for your kiddo.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.91 from 21 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes minutes
Total Time 5 minutes minutes
Author Amy Palanjian
Cuisine American
Course Smoothies
Calories 150kcal
Servings 1
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened nondairy milk (or other favorite milk)
- 1/2 cup frozen banana slices
- ½ cup frozen pineapple, strawberries, or mango
- 1 cup loosely packed baby spinach
Instructions
Placeall ingredients into blender and blend on high for 1 minute or until all the ingredients are combined and smooth.
Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use frozen mango cubes instead of banana if needed for an allergy.
- Use any milk you like, though I find that nondairy plant milks lend the best consistency to smoothies.
- Use spinach or kale and consider freezing the spinach to cut down on the “green” flavor.
- Add 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, 1 tablespoon nut or seed butter, or ¼ cup Greek yogurt for extra healthy fats and protein.
- Blend really, really well.
- Serve in a small open cup, a straw cup, or a reusable pouch.
- Freeze into popsicle molds if you have leftovers or want a fun option.
Nutrition
Calories: 150kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 350mg, Potassium: 526mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 2909IU, Vitamin C: 54mg, Calcium: 344mg, Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!
