This blueberry smoothie is creamy, nutritious and delicious. With just 6 basic ingredients you can whip up a delicious smoothie in no time.
Smoothies are great for a midafternoon snack or even a quick morning breakfast. I find that kids are forever hungry. If given a chance, my two kids will binge on cheese crackers, cookies or chips all the time. Smoothies are a great way to include something nutritious and healthy in our kid’s diet.
Since they are cold, creamy and sweet kids tend to love smoothies. I try and different smoothies each time so the kids don’t get bored. And since we always have blueberries always in our refrigerator, berry smoothies or blueberry smoothie is always popular in our household.
I love how smoothies can be so versatile. You can make them light enough so they are perfect as a snack or you can load them up with nuts, oats and other filling ingredients so they can be had as meal by itself. We mostly have them in the mornings for breakfast especially when I am in a hurry to send my kids to school and daycare. It is fast, healthy and my kids finish them up without any complaints
Blueberries are such a healthy sweet treat for young children. Not only are they small and tasty like candy but they also have a ton of nutritional benefits. Blueberries are a great source of vitamin C. They also have a good amount of fiber which keeps them full longer. Did you know blueberries are a great source of antioxidants? They have more antioxidants than any other berry or fruit. Antioxidants have cancer fighting properties.
For more blueberry recipes check out
Toddler friendly blueberry pancakes
Lets see what goes into this healthy blueberry smoothie
Blueberries –
Frozen or fresh blueberries are the star of this smoothie. You can use whatever you have on hand. Using frozen berries gives you a thicker and creamier smoothie as compared to the fresh ones. I always like to buy organic berries whenever possible. Frozen berries are free from pesticides and since berries are one of the top produces in the dirty dozen list. But organic berries can be expensive and fragile. So, I like to freeze my berries whenever I have extra so they don’t go to waste. Comes in handy when I want to make a smoothie like this one.
Banana –
Banana is an excellent base for most smoothies and desserts. They give a natural sweetness to the smoothie, without having to add a lot of sweeteners. Kids love banana and it comes quite handy when you want to mask the flavor of a fruit or veggie that the kids don’t like. Banana is also a great source of energy which kids this age need a lot.
Greek yogurt –
If you are looking for more ways to increase protein intake in your kids, adding Greek yogurt in smoothies is a great way to do that. Whole milk Greek yogurt is an excellent source of protein, calcium, good probiotics and healthy fat. Sometimes kids might not like the taste of Greek yogurt when it is served by itself, so adding it in smoothies is a great way to serve it to them. Greek yogurt here can always be substituted by whole milk yogurt or low fat yogurt of your choice. You can also use vegan yogurt alternatives in its place.
Milk –
I have used almond milk here. I like to use different milks in my smoothies, so the kids are exposed to all sources whether plant based or otherwise. Almond milk here is a good source of protein, fiber, vitamin E and other nutrients. Cow’s milk, oat milk, soy milk and other nut milks are equally great substitutes here.
Oats –
I love adding oats to my smoothies. They make the smoothie more filling and gives it more body. Since they are filling, smoothies can be used as meal replacements especially during those busy weekday mornings where kids don’t have enough time to eat a proper breakfast. Oats also makes the drink fiber rich and healthy. I use old fashioned rolled oats or quick oats, which I have on hand. Steel cut oats might not work well for this purpose.
Maple syrup –
We love maple syrup in our home as my youngest one has a sweet tooth. He prefers maple syrup to white sugar and I have no complaints about that. You can easily omit the maple syrup in the recipe and rely on the sweetness from the bananas and berries to make them appetizing to the kids. If you are using very ripe bananas, they tend to be sweeter and you don’t need any other sweetener in the recipe. I had to use just a tiny amount of maple syrup as my banana was not very ripe. Again, maple syrup can also be substituted with any other sweetener of your choice like honey, agave, coconut sugar, unprocessed sugar etc.
How do I make this smoothie vegan?
To make this recipe vegan, use any plant based milk of your choice and substitute the Greek yogurt with plant based options like soy yogurt, almond yogurt or even coconut yogurt. You can also replace the yogurt with another fruit like an apple or pear.
Other adds ons to the recipe –
You can add other healthy and nutritious ingredients like –
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Nuts (Make sure you use a high-powered blender to blend so the smoothie remains creamy and smooth)
- Nut butters
- Greens like spinach
- Protein powder – if making for adults
- Hemp seeds
- Other fruits of your choice
- Vanilla extract for some vanilla flavor
- Spices like cinnamon, turmeric, pumpkin spice, all spice etc
- Silken tofu for extra protein
- Avocado for good fat and texture
There are so many things you can add to the smoothie to make it nutritious and tasty. You can choose different add ons each time to see how your kids and family likes it. I would suggest not to go over board with adding too many ingredients. You can choose one ingredient from the above list so that your toddler still gets a familiar taste but at the same time tries a new ingredient.
how to make this toddler blueberry smoothie
Prep time – 5 minutes
Cook time – 5 minutes
Serves – 1 large or 2 small smoothies
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 1/3 cup frozen blueberries or fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp oats
- ½ cup milk of your choice
- 2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Method:
Add all the ingredients to a smoothie blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Serve.
Note:
If you wish the smoothie to be a little runny, you can add more milk. For a thicker consistency, add more berries and reduce the milk.
If your kids loves smoothies here are some more recipes to try:
Simply Delicious Carrot Smoothie
