New Year, New Smoo!
Looking for a way to get calories AND tons of fruits & veggies in your baby’s belly? The answer is SMOOTHIES! I love them because they are delicious, nutritious, and unsuspicious to kiddos. They are great when you’re on the go, and can be beefed up calorically with some simple additives, according to your baby’s needs & tastes.
As you know by now, I love a good rainbow theme, so I’ll give you some color ideas below! You can make smoothie drinking fun by assigning a day of the week to each color, and spinning a color wheel or asking your child what color they want to drink that day. Here are some ideas for making smoothies in all colors:
Basic Recipe
- In a blender, blend the following very well:
- ½ cup almond milk
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 small banana
- ½ cup fresh or frozen fruit
- ½ cup vegetables
- 1 cup ice if using fresh fruit
Color Options
- Refreshing Red – strawberries, bell peppers, beets, watermelon – Red foods are known for being high in a nutrient called lycopene, Anthocyanin, and vitamins A and C. Red foods increase your memory and reduce your blood pressure!
- Awesome Orange – carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, cantaloupe, – Orange foods are known for being high in beta-carotene and bioflavonoids, fiber and vitamin A. Orange foods boost your immunity, and build strong bones and teeth
- Yummy Yellow – peach, nectarine, mango papaya, pineapple – Yellow foods are known for being high in vitamin c and carotenoids. Carotenoids include beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Yellow foods boost immunity and build strong hair and healthy skin!
- Glorious Green – grapes, spinach, kale, cucumber – Green foods are known for being high in fiber, potassium, folic acid and vitamins A, E C. Green foods help maintain good vision!
- Bountiful Blue – blueberries, blackberries – Blue foods are known for being high in Anthocyanin and phenolic. Blue foods help your brain develop!
- Wholesome White – banana – White foods are known for being high in potassium, fiber, and Alicen. White foods protect our cells from damage!
Pro Tips
- Blend it very well! Little ones don’t love unexpected lumps or bumps
- Pick one fruit and one veg to start, as adding too many ingredients can muddy the flavors. For example, your green smoothie could include spinach and apple and your orange could include carrots and peaches
- Get your little one involved by having them add their ingredients to the blender
- Avoid foods that children should not eat until 12 months including cow’s milk and honey
Add ins
- To increase nutritional value, add chia seeds, or hemp hearts protein powder.
- If worried about a nut allergy, use soy or pea milk (called Ripple).
Written by: Rachael Rose, Owner/Founder