April 19, 2016

The Vitamin-Packed Afterschool Snack That Your Kids Will Love

Your kids are home from daycare and ready to own the rest of the day. They want to explore, laugh, play, and experiment. You love their enthusiasm and enjoy watching them grow and develop. But you also know that your kids need healthy bodies if they are going to learn quickly and get the most out of each day.

But how do you get your kids to eat fruits and veggies packed with healthy, energy-giving nutrients when they squirm and gag at the sight of anything that isn’t a hot dog?

Luckily, there’s a solution, and it’s great for every member of the family. Kids love it because it’s so tasty, and adults love all of the fruits and veggies packed into this yummy treat. The secret: afterschool kale smoothies.

Let’s Talk Facts

You may think your child won’t go near anything with kale in it. It just won’t happen. But you’d be surprised. Kids love slipping and slurping, and kale smoothies can be smooth, sweet, and tasty, just like their favorite McDonald’s milkshake. It’s always worth a shot, especially when you consider the health facts about kale smoothies:

  • Green smoothies are packed with pure, unadulterated nutrition. No additives, substitutes, or dangerous preservatives. All natural fruits and veggies go into this smoothie, and happy, strong kids are the result.
  • Green smoothies give your kids the fiber they need. Fruit and veggie juices are great, but they strip their ingredients of fiber. And without fiber, your kids miss an important part of their nutritional needs each day.
  • Green smoothies disguise the vegetable flavors that your kids can’t stand. They taste so good that your kids won’t realize how many vegetables they’re drinking.
  • If you serve a kale smoothie as an afterschool snack, you get the added benefit of keeping your kids hydrated and their energy up until it’s time for their evening meal. Your kids get an afterschool or a post-daycare pick-me-up, and you get the satisfaction of watching your children consume all of those vitamins and nutrients.

    How to Get Your Kids to Drink Green Smoothies

    You’re convinced about how great the occasional green smoothie can be for your kids, but the trouble still remains: how to get your child to drink it.

    The key, as with so many other things with children, lies in presentation. Get your kids excited about the new smoothie recipe you’ve discovered (you don’t have to mention that it is full of those veggies they can’t stand). Deliver it in a cup and straw that disguises the color of the smoothie, or explain that the color is part of the special recipe. If your kids are really horrified of anything green, try a little food coloring.

    There’s another tactic—let your kids help you make the smoothie. Part of the excitement may come in helping mom or dad pack the blender full of all kinds of yummy, exotic things and watch it whirl. Make it a family event. Everyone drinks a smoothie after school because everyone helps make it.

    Why Taste Matters

    Even if you put your all into presentation, your sneaky smoothie tactics won’t get you very far if the smoothie doesn’t taste very good. We’ll provide a kid-friendly green smoothie recipe in a bit, but for now, let’s focus on a few principles that can make any green smoothie delicious.

    The normal, “adult” green smoothie contains 60% fruits and 40% vegetables. Your kids will probably work into that with time, but don’t be afraid to pack that thing full of fruit at first. The sweet, tangy tastes of fresh fruit will help your kids feel like they’re drinking a dessert or yummy snack instead of their daily fruits and vegetables.

    You also need to get the beverage as smooth as possible. Use a good blender that eliminates lumps. Most people don’t like an unexpected lump in their food or beverage, and that fact is especially true for kids—especially if they don’t know that the lump is a piece of frozen fruit.

    Recipe

    This smoothie recipe is yummy, sweet, and packed with nutrients. In fact, it’s so good that you may have a hard time saving any for your kids!

    The Ultimate Kale Smoothie for Kids

    1 banana
    1 cup pineapple
    1 apple (green apples are preferred)
    2 – 4 large kale leaves, or a handful of baby kale
    6 ice cubes
    1 cup vanilla almond milk

    Combine everything in the blender, mix, and enjoy! A few tips to remember:

  • Wash all of your fruits and veggies, and make sure to remove the stems from the kale.
  • Use ripe fruit to give your smoothie an extra sweet taste.
  • Use a little more or less almond milk to create a consistency your kids enjoy.
  • Consider adding vitamin powder or protein powder. It won’t affect the taste or texture, but can give the smoothie even more nutritional value. Just use a supplement approved by your child’s pediatrician.
  • One thing is certain—your kids deserve a nutritional head start, and this smoothie can help. Enjoy this smoothie with your kids, and rest easy knowing that they’re getting the fruits and veggies they need to grow.