4 Healthy Smoothies for Kids + Smoothie Bowls
Easy Smoothie Recipes for Kids + Smoothie Bowl Ideas
How to Make Healthy Smoothies for Kids, Toddlers & Picky Eaters
Give your little one something sweet and nutritious to sip on with these 4 easy smoothie recipes for kids and toddlers! Truthfully, these fruit smoothies are delicious for people of all ages. They’re just made with simple ingredients and tasty flavors that kids or picky eaters will enjoy. I’ll share tips for how to make healthy smoothies for kids – plus fun smoothie bowl ideas to take each recipe to the next level!
Whether you’re looking for snack ideas or healthy meal inspiration for kids, smoothies can be a fantastic and versatile option. Serve one of these smoothies for kids as an anytime snack, like a juice box + nourishment all in one. Or, serve it in a bowl with tasty toppings, and you’ve got a nutritious, spoonable breakfast bowl or lunch ready in minutes!
No complicated ingredients, no attempts to sneak in tons of veggies. Just deliciously easy fruit smoothies that little ones will genuinely want to drink. And, since each kids smoothie recipe yields two servings, you can feed two little ones with each batch. Or, consider enjoying the other half of the smoothie yourself. Or prep a smoothie bowl for the two of you to share! As always, each recipe is totally customizable and easy to adjust to your or your child’s preferences.
For some simple, sugar free, AND banana free smoothie ideas, check out my 5 high fiber smoothie recipes made with prune juice!
How to Make Healthy Smoothies for Kids & Toddlers
Making smoothies for kids or toddlers is pretty easy and you don’t need tons of ingredients. But, it does help to have a sense of which foods and flavors your child enjoys eating. Generally, you can make your own tasty, customizable smoothies using some combination of these basic components:
- Fruits: Fresh fruits are great, or use frozen fruits for a thicker texture and easy long-term storage in the freezer. Bananas, mangos, peaches, and pineapple can add delicious thickness and sweetness. Add berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or even acai can add fun flavor and antioxidants.
- Veggies: You absolutely don’t have to add any veggies into your smoothies, but you’re welcome to! I like to fit leafy greens like spinach into my smoothies, which have a neutral flavor your little one won’t even taste. Or, try more flavorful additions like carrots, red bell pepper, pumpkin puree, cooked sweet potato or even cauliflower!
- Fat and/or Fiber: To make your smoothies more nourishing and filling, consider adding sources of nourishing fats and fiber. Whole nuts or seeds, nut butter or seed butter, oats, or even cooked quinoa are all great ideas!
- Liquid: Use any liquid you like! I recommend using milk or an unsweetened nondairy milk option for creaminess, nutrients, and flavor.
- Probiotics: Consider adding plain probiotic yogurt (or even probiotic coconut yogurt) into your kids smoothies for a microbiome boost! Just be sure to use a yogurt with “live active cultures” on the packaging so you know it contains probiotics.
Can you save a homemade smoothie after blending?
After they’ve been blended, yes—you can save any of these healthy smoothies for kids by storing in the fridge! I recommend pouring the smoothie into a mason jar or any container with an airtight lid. Store in the fridge for 1-2 days. (Any longer than this and the taste/texture will suffer.)
To meal prep smoothies ahead of time, check out my tropical green make ahead smoothies to see how to make smoothie freezer packs! Or, try my peanut butter banana meal prep breakfast smoothies that you can blend and then freeze.
For loads of meal prep ideas and a stress-free prep strategy, check out my Mind Over Meal Prep course! Or, enroll in my Kitchen Confidence course to gain the skills to craft delicious, healthy meals without relying on recipes.
4 Easy Smoothies for Kids or Toddlers
Below, I’ve shared 4 easy smoothie recipes for kids, each made with 6-7 ingredients or less. Start with whichever flavor you think your little ones will enjoy most. Then, try branching out into smoothies with less-familiar foods and flavors! As always, each of these kids smoothies is totally adjustable, so change up the ingredients however you like.
To see how all of these recipes are made, watch my Smoothies + Smoothie Bowls for Kids video!
Nut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
This classic salty-sweet flavor combination is bound to be a favorite: PB&J in a sippable smoothie form! Of course, you can use any nut butter (or sunflower seed butter) that suits your needs. Frozen strawberries act as the ‘jelly,’ while frozen banana adds natural sweetness so there’s no need for any added sugar.
Lusciously creamy, satisfyingly sweet, and with a vibrant pink color that makes it all the more fun to drink. A super simple 4-ingredient smoothie for kids that you can have ready in minutes! Or, serve it as a smoothie bowl topped with fresh berries, nuts, and chia seeds for a more substantial meal.
Nut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
Ingredients
Nut Butter & Jelly Smoothie
- 1 frozen banana
- ⅔ cup milk of choice
- 2 Tbsp nut butter of choice, (or seed butter)
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas
- fresh strawberries
- nuts of choice
- drizzle of nut butter
- chia seeds
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve in a cup or glass and enjoy!
- For a smoothie bowl, pour blended smoothie into a bowl, add desired toppings, and serve with a spoon.
Notes
Tropical Green Smoothie for Kids
If you’re excited for a chance to fit some leafy greens into your little one’s day, try this tropical green smoothie for kids or toddlers! Seriously, you won’t even taste the spinach in this sweet and creamy smoothie. It’s almost like a green piña colada: bursting with yummy pineapple flavor, and a lusciously thick texture thanks to that frozen avocado.
Personally, I like to add some healthy fats by using a combination of full-fat coconut milk and almond milk. But of course, you can use whichever milk you prefer. Coconut milk adds extra creaminess, and those nourishing fats make for a more filling, satisfying smoothie! It also makes for a thicker texture—perfect for a smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruit, coconut shreds, and slivered almonds.
For more kids green smoothie ideas, try my kiwi spinach banana smoothie or my pineapple kale smoothie recipe!
Tropical Green Smoothie for Kids
Ingredients
Tropical Green Smoothie
- 2 cups spinach
- ½ avocado, frozen
- 1 cup milk of choice
- ½ cup frozen pineapple
Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas
- coconut shreds
- fresh pineapple
- slivered almonds
- fresh berries
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve in a cup or glass and enjoy!
- For a smoothie bowl, pour blended smoothie into a bowl, add desired toppings, and serve with a spoon.
Notes
Peaches & Cream Smoothie with Oats
Sipping on this nutritious smoothie is like enjoying a cool, creamy frozen treat! Personally, this was my favorite kids smoothie recipe of them all. The subtle, floral sweetness of the peaches is so satisfying, especially paired with a dash of honey and fragrant cinnamon. With oats for added thickness and some creamy yogurt in the mix, this is almost like drinking a milkshake!
Of course, if your child isn’t a fan of peaches, feel free to substitute with banana, pear, or even mango. And, if you want to add some probiotics, opt for a probiotic-rich yogurt made with live active cultures! (Look for this on the label!) So fun for sipping, but its deliciously thick texture is also perfect for a smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruit, granola, and chopped nuts.
Peaches & Cream Smoothie with Oats
Ingredients
Peaches & Cream Smoothie
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1½ cups frozen peaches
- 1 cup plain yogurt of choice, (Greek, regular, non-dairy)
- ⅓–½ cup milk of choice
- 1 Tbsp honey, (to taste)
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas
- fresh peach slices
- granola
- fresh raspberries
- chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve in a cup or glass and enjoy!
- For a smoothie bowl, pour blended smoothie into a bowl, add desired toppings, and serve with a spoon.
Notes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie for Kids
Last but not least: a lusciously sweet and satisfying chocolate peanut butter smoothie! It’s got the irresistible salty-sweet trio of cocoa, peanut butter, and bananas, all blended up into a delightfully creamy drink with some yogurt and milk. Plus, a sneaky dose of superfood spinach that you won’t even notice is there! The chocolaty flavor is the perfect disguise for greens, or any veggies you like. (Like in my chocolate zucchini smoothie recipe.)
You’ve got the option to add a bit of honey, which I think makes this an extra special and treat-like smoothie for kids. But of course, do what feels right for you! Whether you decide to serve it as a drink or as a smoothie bowl, I highly recommend tossing some chocolate chips into the mix for added indulgence. After all, when we enjoy the healthy foods we eat, we’re encouraged to keep eating and enjoying those foods!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Ingredients
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter, (or nut butter of choice)
- ½ cup milk of choice
- ½ cup plain yogurt of choice, (Greek, regular, non-dairy)
- 1-2 Tbsp honey, (to taste)
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas
- fresh banana slices
- peanut butter or nut butter
- mini chocolate chips, (or cacao nibs)
- hemp seeds
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve in a cup or glass and enjoy!
- For a smoothie bowl, pour blended smoothie into a bowl, add desired toppings, and serve with a spoon.
2 Comments on “4 Healthy Smoothies for Kids + Smoothie Bowls”
Delicious. DELICIOUS.
So glad you enjoy these kids smoothie recipes, Joseph! 🙂