Almost every mom I know is making their kids smoothies nowadays. What a great way to get your kid to drink their vegetables or fruits. Most kids just don't know the difference between a smoothie and a milkshake if you make it right.
I love smoothies because they are quick, nutritious and I know my kid will not starve during the day. One smoothie can help prevent your kid from snacking on junk food. One reason my kids seem to like them is because they look so attractive. If you serve them in a frosted mug the kids think even more that they are being given a special dairy treat even if there is no milk in it! Even kids with allergies to dairy can drink a creamy cantaloupe shake or a vegetable smoothie.
The smoothie is a great way to sneak more fiber and vitamins into your kid's diet. Making a smoothie is also not very expensive. You don't need a fussy recipe and you can improvise with what you have on hand. Furthermore there is no reason at all why you can't put overripe fruit in a smoothie and help save even more money.
Over the years I have learned some tricks for making greet smoothies. For instance I up the antioxidant factor in each shake by adding frozen fruit instead of ice to the recipe. I have also found that if you freeze bananas they become a good substitute for ice cream. Don't mash up stuff until it is liquid.
You can also 'hide' protein in smoothie. Add yogurt, milk, flax seeds, silken tofu, wheat germ, or protein powder to the blender for an extra hit of nutrition.
If a smoothie recipe calls for sugar, try it first without the added sweetener. You really might not need it, depending upon the natural sweetness of the fruit. Adding a little honey or fruit syrup might be okay. Try to avoid sprinkling pure white syrup right into the shake. That is nothing but a recipe for diabetes!
Don't let the mess of making smoothies get you down. I have a Magic Bullet blender that works pretty well. Take a second to rinse out the blender right after you use it, even if you’re planning to wash it later; dried-on fruit on the blender glass or plastic makes for slow clean-up!
