A smoothie is a finely blended juice made of raw vegetables, fruits, and dairy products like milk or yogurt. Smoothies can also be 100% fruit, and free of dairy products. What makes a smoothie appealing to children is the creamy texture it gets due to its ingredients. Smoothies for kids are healthy and easy to make and can be had any time of the day. You can serve them during breakfast or as evening snacks.
Homemade Or Packaged Smoothies?The popularity of smoothies has encouraged businesses to come up with ready-to-go smoothies in different flavors. Dr. Smoothie, Tio Gazpacho, Suja, Happy Planet, Happy Monkey, and Innocent Smoothie For Kids are among the most popular smoothie brands in the market today. While it is okay to pick one of these packs, homemade smoothies from fresh fruits and vegetables are always better.
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When buying a ready-to-go smoothie, make sure that you read the labels thoroughly to know what is in them. Pick smoothies made from low-fat dairy products and ones that have no added sugar content, to reduce the risk of obesity in kids.
Green Smoothies For KidsMade from dark green vegetables and leafy vegetables, these smoothies are packed with essential nutrients.

1. Kale Banana SmoothieCombine the goodness of banana and spinach with this smoothie recipe for your kids.
Image: iStock
You Will Need:

• 2 cups chopped kale
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • ½ cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 1 teaspoon flax seeds
  • 1 banana

How To Make:

• Ground the flax seeds in a blender.
  • Serve fresh.
  • Add the banana, chopped kale, maple syrup, and soy milk to the blender and blend for two minutes.

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Servings: 1
Nutritional Value: calories – 311, carbohydrates – 56.6g, protein – 12.2g, fat – 7.3g, cholesterol – 0mg


2. Spinach Apple SmoothieIf your kids hate spinach, disguise its flavor with apple and banana with this recipe.
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need:

• 1 cup chopped spinach leaves
  • 1 tub vanilla yogurt
  • 1 cup grapes, preferably seedless
  • 1/2 apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 ripe banana

How To:

• Slice the banana (without peel) and remove the seeds from the grapes, if any.
  • Serve fresh.
  • Put the banana, chopped spinach leaves, grapes, yogurt, and apple in a blender and blend for two minutes, or until you achieve a smooth mixture.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 2
Nutritional Value: calories – 205, carbohydrates – 45g, protein – 6.1mg, fat – 1.9g, cholesterol -4mg


3. Honeydew Melon Cucumber SmoothieOur personal favorite, a lean green smoothie your teenager will love.
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need:

• 1 honeydew melon
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves
  • 1 cucumber peeled and diced
  • 1 cup green grapes, preferably seedless

How To:

• Peel the honeydew melon, remove the seeds and dice it.
  • Serve fresh.
  • Add the melon cubes, green grapes, cucumber pieces and mint leaves to a blender and blend for a minute.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 4
Nutritional Value: calories – 86, carbohydrates – 21.2g, protein – 1.6g, fat – 0.5g, cholesterol – 0mg


4. Spinach And Kale SmoothieWhen your children refuse to eat dark green or leafy vegetables, get them to drink it! Here’s a recipe for a healthy, yet tasty, green smoothie for kids.
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need

• 2 cups chopped spinach leaves
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • I sliced banana, frozen or fresh
  • 1 kale leaf
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter

How To:

• Wash the spinach and kale leaves and chop them.
  • Serve fresh.
  • Add the banana and blend for another 30 seconds, or until you get the desired consistency.
  • Add the spinach and kale leaves, almond milk, and peanut butter to a blender and puree them for a minute, or until you have a smooth mixture.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 1
Nutritional Value: calories – 325, carbohydrates – 46.1g, protein – 10mg, fat – 13.9g, cholesterol -0mg
Breakfast Smoothies For KidsA smoothie is an excellent choice of breakfast because it is easy to prepare and is packed with nutrients that your child needs.


5. Papaya SmoothiePapaya is rich in Vitamins A and C, and minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. The fruit also has a lot of fiber and antioxidants that can help your kids stay healthy.
Image: iStock
You Will Need:

• 1 papaya, peeled and diced
  • Crushed ice
  • 1 teaspoon flax seed
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1 cup low-fat yogurt

How To:

• Peel the papaya and dice it.
  • Serve fresh.
  • You can add water for consistency and blend again for a few seconds.
  • Add the papaya pieces, pineapple chunks, yogurt, coconut extract, flax seed, and ice to a blender and blend them for a minute, or until you have a smooth mixture.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 1
Nutritional Value: calories – 299, carbohydrates – 64g, protein – 13g, fat – 1.5g, cholesterol – 0mg


6. Creamy Date SmoothieDates are sweet, low in sodium and rich in dietary fiber. They are filled with minerals like potassium, magnesium, and zinc, along with Vitamins A, K, riboflavin, folate, thiamin and niacin.
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need

• 1/3 cup halved or pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup crushed ice
  • 3/4 cup milk

How To:

• Blend the dates and milk for a minute.
  • Serve fresh.
  • Add crushed ice and blend for another 30 seconds.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 1
Nutritional Value: calories – 270, carbohydrates – 51g, protein – 7g, fat – 6g, cholesterol – 18mg

Some kids can be fussy eaters. Why not try some simple yet interesting fingers foods for them instead. 

Full of much needed proteins and can also be packed with veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, your kids would not even realize they are eating something healthy. Try this recipe. You can always adjust to your kids taste and habits, example adding a nice sauce and spaghetti. 
Preparations:

• 1 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (or Crix)
• 1 medium onion
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• ½ cup finely chopped chive and  Shadon Beni leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 carrot, or 1/2 cup broccoli or 1/4 cauliflower finely chopped. 

How To Make:

1. In a large bowl,Mix together all ingredients properly and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Roll the cold meatball into sizes kids can eat.
4. Spray the cooking pan with cooking spray of brush with oil  and line the meat ball in it.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. Can be served as a stand alone meal or with spaghetti and a dip. 

Enjoy

​You can try this activity by using a color paper or cloth. It needs a little bit of preparation though.
You will need:

• 2 drawing or craft sheets
• Scissors
• Pencil or sketch to draw shapes
• Glue

What to do:

1. Cut different shapes out of the chart paper. These could be shapes of vegetables, fruits, vehicles, geometric shapes for kids to learn and other objects he or she sees every day.
2. Draw the same shapes or patterns on the other chart paper.
3. Give the shapes to the child and ask him to place the right shape at the right place.

This activity is a great way to reinforce what the child has learned at school.

What kids learn: Identifying and memorizing shapes
This activity is ideal for small todlers or kids who have just been introduced to the concepts of geometry. To reduce the preparation time, you can also buy ready-to-use wooden cutouts of different shapes for the activity.

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