In Monday’s weekly meal plan I mentioned how Big A is finally drinking smoothies — we’ve been having them all summer long. So I wanted to step it up and add something green to the smoothie.
A good way to introduce new foods to a kid, is to include it as part of a food they already accept (at least that’s what the research says).
To keep the trust in feeding, something that’s very important to me, I don’t like sneaking in food hoping that my kids won’t notice. I also think this sends the message that healthy foods taste so bad tasting you have to sneak them.
So I stay up front about anything new I add to a familiar food. Here’s how it went with the smoothies:
Me: Let’s make smoothies for snack
Big A: Yeah! Smoothies!!
ME: I was thinking of adding some spinach to the smoothie
Big A: Will it taste the same?
Me: I’m not sure. Maybe. We’ll have to try it and see.
Big pause
Big A: Okay
Recipe:
1 cup frozen strawberries (if you use fresh add some ice)
1 banana
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (or any yogurt of choice)
1 cup tightly fit spinach
1 cup orange juice
I blended all the ingredients in the blender and the color was not really green, more like brown but as we kept drinking them they turned almost green. This makes about 3 cups. I gave the smoothie to Big A and after a sip she said: “It tastes the same!” and continued to drink it.
Of course I had to use this as a teachable moment and told her that “even if it didn’t taste the same, that would be okay. It’s good to eat (or try) food that tastes different” (we talked a lot about this on our vacation where Big A kept asking if the food we were eating would “taste the same” as it does at home).
What green smoothies do you make at home?
Nutrition per serving:172 calories, 4g protein, 3g fiber and 26 g sugar (most naturally occurring expect from the vanilla yogurt). 126% DV for vitamin C, 22% vitamin A, 63% vitamin K, 15% potassium, 10% calcium and 5% iron.
So glad you posted this. I have been experimenting with smoothies with my son in attempts to add in more veggies. Your recipe looks great! He Is only 15 months so I am able to really add in any veggies at this point. He has been receptive except the day I added in blackberries, he did not like the seeds! I had thought before it would be a good way to sneak in veggies but after reading your posts I know that is not the way to go about it. Thanks!
Thansk Shannon — your child is still pretty young so it may not apply yet — but it never hurts to be up front about what you are making!
Love it! I just started drinking green {kale} smoothies myself and love them, but I’ve been apprehensive to offer them to my kids. They love all fruit smoothies of course, so maybe I’ll just have to give it a go. Love that your daughter liked it!
Kale smoothies sound good. I’ll try that next!
How about a pumpkin smoothie recipe? Pumpkin’s not green, but it is a vegetable. Let me know if you want it.
Would love to try it — very seasonal ; )
I make a Green Drink in the blender that consists of kale, celery, carrots, cucumber, apple, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, apple juice (or some variation) and pineapple juice. My daughter (22 months) drinks it, texture and all, and my son (4 years) loves the flavor but will only drink it if I strain it. I think it tastes great!
Amber — do you use the vitamix (or something like it) or a regular blender?
Forgot to mention, I freeze the berries and grapes and then I don’t bother with ice.
I have toyed around with green smoothies. The kids don’t mind kale or spinach added to your basic strawberry/banana smoothie. I couldn’t have hidden even if I wanted to because they are so used to helping make smoothies. We are all a little burnt out on smoothies so we are taking a break. When we start them up again that would be a good time to try some new stuff as it will be exciting again.
I really would LOVE a Vitamix someday.
I know…I just want to make sure I’d use it before buying it. I plan on going to a friend’s and trying some recipes with her vitamix.
In blender, combine 1 cup each: fat-free milk + pumpkin puree, 1 T brown sugar (or sweetener of your choice), 1 tsp vanilla extract, pinch ground cinnamon, 2 ice cubes. This delicious drink serves up dairy and vegetables. Great for breakfast, snack or dessert! You can see a picture of it at https://www.facebook.com/pages/MyPlate-for-Moms-How-to-Feed-Yourself-Your-Family-Better/196841697040535
I’ve tried a few different “green monster” recipe. My basic recipe is a banana, 3/4 c yogurt (usually vanilla), and 1 c spinach, but I have tried strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and mango. I don’t really like blueberries in smoothie form, but have liked all the other combos so far!
We have been making green smoothies daily for about 6 months now. I wouldn’t say my kids adore them, but they do, for the most part, drink them without too much hassle. They are more willing to drink them if they are a pinkish color and not green – even if they contain just about the same ingredients!
In the Viatmix in this order: crangrape juice, probiotic vanilla yogurt, a big handful of spinach, one carrot sliced, frozen purple grapes, one frozen banana, 1/2 an apple. My kiddos drink some variation of this smoothie every day and they help me make it, so they know what’s in it. They love their smoothies, and I love that they are drinking their veggies every day.
My hubby and I are drinking a smoothie with spinach, bok choy, carrots and various fruit every day as well. Love mine with raspberries. I feel so much more energetic all day since we started drinking our smoothies every morning. Yea!
Thanks Shawna. Sounds great!!
Amazing video how kids are enjoing their green smothees http://vimeo.com/30882389
one kid at a time. I think more adults have to see it to belive it is really very tasty.
Thank you,
Natalie Scarberry
Love your site maryann! We definitely see eye to eye on feeding issues. We have been enjoying green smoothies for about a year now. Got more and more green as the year progressed, now we love: a head of romaine/or some spinach or kale+ cucumber, celery, green apple, filtered water, sometimes ice. add in: fresh lemon juice, coconut oil, ginger, basil or mint (choose one).
My mom just made me toasted whole wheat bread with cut up strawberries on top and it was delicious!You should realy try it .You get good bread and good tasting fruit at the same time!You can also use fruit mixtures or just plain fruit.You can use vegitables and mixed vegitables and even mitures of both fruits and vegitables!I thought it would be disgusting but now I know I can have it again!I’m only in 3rd almost 4th grade and I never new I would ever like anything to do with vegitables!I’m realy pleased that I had tried that.The 2 best things about this is that 1. It is realy easy to make and 2. It tasts realy good!
My two year old twin boys use to LOVE veggies. I was so impressed that in their less than two year old lives had had a larger variety of vegetables than either my husband and I in our (cough) 40’s.
However, the time has come and the boycott has begun. With their budding independence I thought of a plan to get the greens in. During their nap I work like a madman and peel, core and chop up, carrots, beets, celery, apples, cucumber, Swiss chard, spinach, an orange and a wee bit of broccoli. When they awake, I let them help putting them through the juicer! They love it. They each get a glass and one twin drinks his and then asks for more! The other twin politely sips his to copy his brother. The remaining we make into popsicles and the twin who sips the juice gobbles up the veggie popsicle. 🙂 whew!
I actually use only spinach, banana, frozen fruit (usually mixed berries) and water in smoothies. I like this a lot, and it tastes much more fresh than with dairy in it. Using only water also allows the tartness of the berries to come through, and I find that I’ve become used to a less-sweet version and now like it much better. I did a demo of this version (but with kale) at the local farmers’ market last week, and everyone LOVED it. I find this version also helps me consume more plain water, which is something that we all need!