Making Nutritious Smoothies for Toddlers: Top 5 Tips

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Some days, my toddler eats more than my husband and I combined, while other days we are astonished to find that three bites of macaroni and half of a fruit pouch gives him the energy to rival the Energizer Bunny. As parents, our job is to provide him with nourishing options and to empower him to trust his body when it comes to eating. However, of course I worry on those mac and cheese days.

 

On those days, we rely on our super special, secretly super healthy smoothies! I love them, he loves them, they’re easy to make; it’s a win-win-win. 

 

It’s taken time to hone in on exactly how to make these smoothies both delicious and nutritious, so I’ve compiled my top 5 tips to ensure your smoothie-making is top tier.

 

1. Boost Fiber Content

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have experimented with lots of different fruit and flavor combinations to find out what Levi likes best, but we always include an extra fiber source. Not only does this boost his daily intake (which we can all use, amiright?) but it also keeps him fuller longer than just the fruit alone. We do this be sprinkling in old-fashioned oats and a blend of hemp, chia and flaxseeds. A little goes a pretty long way, and he never knows it is there. Some other great add ins to consider are organic tofu, nut butter, whole fat greek yogurt and spinach! These are great ways to get some extra nutrients.

 

2. Rescue Leftover Bananas

 

 

I think all the toddlers are conspiring against us. My toddler demands I open a banana for him every time he sees one. Do you want to know his personal record for how many bites he has taken out of a banana in one sitting? Three. At first, I took it as a sign I needed some more potassium and I would just finish all the bananas he started. But, as that isn’t very sustainable, I had to come up with a solution. Now whenever he has hit his three bite max, I don’t fret!

 

I slice up that banana and add it to the designated freezer container we call “the banana graveyard”. The banana slices are beyond convenient come smoothie time, and they help achieve a perfect, creamy consistency. They are also a great, wholesome source of sweetness. These are the containers we use, but you can also use a freezer plastic baggie! You just want to make sure whatever you use is nice and sealed so you don’t get any freezer burn on them.

 

3. Simplify with a Single-Button Blender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok listen, I know we just met, so let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am not interested in anything that involves more than a handful of dishes. A handful may even be too many. Having to break out my food processor that has a dozen different parts to make a smoothie for my pint-sized human is not my idea of a good time. Enter, my adorable little smoothie blender. There are three parts; the base, the jar and the lid. The blades don’t have to be removed to clean everything, and the jar and lid are dishwasher safe. It could not be more simple, and it works great for smoothies, salad dressings, etc. It has a single button to blend that is easy enough for my son to push (he is always thrilled to be included!)

 

4. Balance with Coconut Water

 

I have been known to take a “the more, the merrier” approach when adding frozen fruit to a smoothie. It’s all fine and good until there is no liquid to work with and you have a weird slush of fruit and an angry blender. I try to mix in some fresh fruits when I have them available to add in a little bit of moisture, but I have recently started adding coconut water as well. I love giving him extra electrolytes in these hot summer months, and I make sure to get coconut water without any added sugar or flavors. The amount I add varies based on my frozen to fresh fruit ratio, but I ultimately just keep adding and blending until I have hit the consistency I want.

 

5. Opt for Stainless Steel Cups

 

 

 

My son is a busy guy. He has balls to throw, childproofed cabinets to try to break into, and a bucket of toys to sprinkle in various parts of the house. I would be a fool to expect him to drink a smoothie in one sitting. Simply asinine. So we had to up our game, and these cups delivered. They are stainless steel and have a silicone sleeve on the outside. They are easy for him to grip, stay cold for so much longer (and sometimes I even throw them in the fridge for him to finish later), and they come in the cutest colors. 

 

I wish you luck on your future smoothie endeavors, and invite you to share your smoothie tips in the comments!