Emerson and I have been loving all the fresh summer fruits and whipping up some smoothies in the mornings and afternoons. Smoothies are a great way to hide veggies and pack some protein and fiber into a toddler diet. If your toddler is anything like mine she lives on carbs these days! So, this is a good way for me to sneak in some much needed vitamins and minerals in her diet.
I have to be careful though, Emerson can sniff out if there are too many greens in a smoothie or if it is too thick she won't take it. So be sure to experiment and find the right consistency for your choosy toddler. Here are a few easy recipes Emerson and I both enjoy. Just toss all ingredients into the blender and enjoy!
Green
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/2 frozen banana, sliced
2 tablespoons of applesauce
1/4 cup plain whole-greek yogurt
Orange
1/2 cup peeled and chopped peach (Emerson doesn't like the skin). You can also swap peaches for mangos
1/2 frozen banana, sliced
1/4 cup plain whole-greek yogurt
For an added kick squeeze in some lemon or lime
Purple
1/2 cup blueberries
4 fresh cherries pitted. Strawberries or blackberries are also a good substitute
1/2 frozen banana, sliced
1/4 cup plain whole-greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
Easy peasy right!? You can always throw a bunch of greens into any smoothie. I often add chia seeds or organic hemp seed hearts for an added protein kick. The great thing about these smoothies is as your toddler gets older they learn the names. Now, I can ask Emerson what kind of smoothie she wants and she can respond or say yes to the color of her choice. Helps eliminate the guessing name and going through the trouble of making something they don't want, I know we've all been there. The other perk of smoothies is you can get your toddler involved. I have Emerson sit on the counter with me and throw the ingredients into the blender so she helps and gets a sense for cooking.
Happy blending!