Toddler Approved Veggie Smoothies

Getting your toddler to eat their daily dose of veggies can sometimes feel akin to pulling teeth. Find comfort in knowing that a toddler size serving of veggies is pretty small (think 1-2 tablespoons). However, if they refuse to eat any veggies day after day you are likely getting frustrated. That is why one of my tried and true ways for getting my toddler to eat veggies is to blend them into veggie smoothies.

I let my son help me pick the ingredients, turn the blender on, and then pour the smoothie into cups. He loves how involved he gets to be and asks to make smoothies daily. I love it too because it’s a fun activity for us together and I love knowing he’s getting the benefits of eating his veggies.

There is a basic smoothie building formula that I always follow to make sure that my smoothie turns out good.

Smoothie Building Blocks

1. Veggies. If you haven’t added veggies to your smoothies this may seem weird. Seriously though, try it. I usually steam up whatever veggies that I have leftover at the end of the week. Then freeze them on a plate with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. Once frozen you can transfer them into a tupperware to keep them fresh. My favorites are any type of squash, cauliflower, and I like to add raw greens like spinach or kale as well.
2. Fruit. Try to keep from going overboard when adding fruit. It’s a great way to give your smoothie added sweetness and make it tasty, but too much fruit is going to be more sugar than you really need. In turn your smoothie won’t end up being as healthy of an option. That being said, if you aren’t a smoothie lover, start with more fruit. You can always slowly increase the veggies as you get used to drinking them. Bananas and avocado both help make your smoothie creamier too.
3. Protein. I like to aim for around 6-8g of protein per serving in my toddlers smoothie. There are plenty of options for easy protein sources to choose from including protein powder, chickpeas, nut butter, chia seeds, and whole fat greek yogurt.
4. Healthy fats. Not only do healthy fats keep you satiated longer, but brain development is so dependent on healthy fats. Some really great options are avocado, a spoonful of coconut oil, nut butter or whole fat greek yogurt.

Below are five veggie loaded smoothies that are always gobbled up quickly in my house. Each recipe makes enough for two. I like to add in fun extras like chia seeds or hemp seeds too for extra fiber and protein. Play around with the ingredients and see what your toddler likes best! The fruit offsets the taste of the veggies so all of these smoothies are sweet and yummy.

If you’re in the market for a new blender, my Vitamix is one of my favorite kitchen products. It took me a while to commit due to the price, but it really is worth it. I also get a lot of questions on the straw cups I use to serve my toddler and baby their smoothies. I like these ones because they are easy to clean and the smoothies don’t leak if they are flipped upside down like my baby likes to do.

You may need to add more or less liquid to your veggie smoothies, depending on how thick or runny your toddler prefers their smoothie.

Let me know which recipe is your family’s favorite!

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