Like most toddlers, my kids can be picky when it comes to eating vegetables. So to avoid the mealtime vegetable battle, I often find ways to sneak vegetables into their meals. My summer mission: find kale smoothies that the whole family (mainly the toddlers) will enjoy.
I’ve always enjoyed smoothies. And I thought they’d be a great way to get some veggies into the kids’ diets this summer while at the same time trying to keep cool.
A main goal was to find smoothies that actually taste good. Sometimes smoothies are made of mostly greens and vegetables, and can have a grassy taste.
Other times they are filled with mostly fruit which tastes good, but doesn’t provide enough of the nutrition I was looking for.
So I was seeking a good balance of greens & vegetables, besides along with the fruity and sweeter ingredients.
I chose to look for kale in the smoothie recipes because I wanted the kids to have a good amount of greens. And my brother who can be picky eater, swore to me that kale is harder to detect in smoothies than spinach, or other greens.
Besides, my kids think their uncle is the coolest, so if I told them he was drinking kale smoothies, too, that could only help my case.
I didn’t want to overload you with 80 kale smoothie recipes to try. Instead, I scoured the internet for the best kale smoothies out there, and I picked a select few for you to enjoy.
There’s a different kale smoothie for every day of the week!
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The kale smoothie recipes I selected, needed to meet this criteria:
- Easy to make
- Simple & nutritious ingredients
- Variety of flavors
- Actually tastes good
- Toddler approved
I made each of these kale smoothies listed below, using my Vitamix blender.
But I went a step further. . . .
I enlisted my two toddlers to be my “taste testers” to give me their feedback on each of the recipes.
And we all know how brutally honest kids are. This made a fun game for them and they really liked ‘helping’ mom work on her article.
I needed their two thumbs up (well, actually that makes four thumbs up. . .but you know what I’m saying) in order to include that recipe in this article.
Alright! Let’s get started. . . I’m so excited to introduce you to these 7 sensational kale smoothies!
7 Sensational Kale Smoothies You Need to Make this Summer
Photo & Recipe courtesy of Erin at Wellplated
Erin specializes in making healthy food taste amazing! So I knew I was in good hands with one of her recipes.
Her kale smoothie recipe was hands down one of the kids’ favorites–and mine too! The kids both asked for seconds and thirds! This recipe for sure will be a regular in our house from now on!
Photo & Recipe courtesy of Jenn at Peas and Crayons
Jenn’s smoothie recipe was tropical perfection! I love that she uses lots of kale in her recipe but you can’t even taste it! It had a great smoothie consistency and the kids said “It’s good, mom!”
I really like how Jenn goes the extra mile giving you cute garnish ideas & ways to substitute ingredients for those you either don’t have or don’t care for.
Photo & Recipe courtesy of Jane at Baking Ginger
I really liked how Jane’s recipe has a great balance of fruit and veggies. The frozen banana gave it a great consistency and chill. The kids ate it quickly and asked for seconds. They said “I like the taste of the bananas!”
Jane’s smoothie was no frills and easy to make. The kids were recently watching an episode of “Ninja Turtles.” Because of this, they’ve nick-named this smoothie as their “ninja turtle” smoothie because of its pretty green color.
Photo & Recipe courtesy of Kimberly at The Little Plantation
I chose this kale smoothie recipe from Kimberly because peaches are a great summer fruit. Furthermore, you don’t see them used as often in smoothies like other fruits, so I thought this was a nice change!
Kimberly’s smoothie was dee-licious! I love cinnamon and loved that I could taste the spice in the recipe. The kids also enjoyed it, stating “It’s good!” I like how Kimberly gives ideas for optional toppings. And the way she styles her food photographs—it’s a feast for your eyes!
Photo & Recipe courtesy of Stella at Beauty Bites
I had a feeling my kids were going to like Stella’s smoothie when I read the title. Bananas and strawberries are two of the kids’ favorite fruits. I thought this recipe also had a good balance of fruits and veggies/greens.
In addition, the fresh ginger taste in this smoothie was very refreshing.
This kale smoothie was another one of the kids’ favorites with them saying it was “Good!” and “Can I have more when I’m done?”
Photo & Recipe courtesy of Erin at Suburban Simplicity
Erin’s smoothie was an instant hit with the kids! It boasts a generous amount of strawberries that you could really taste in the smoothie. They also liked how the strawberries gave the smoothie a pretty pinkish hue.
The kids’ reaction?
- “I can taste strawberries mom!”
- “Something tastes really yum!”
- “Can I have more of this one mom?!”
Photo & Recipe courtesy of Rachel at Little Chef Big Appetite
Rachel’s smoothie’s name says it all–the ingredients used in her smoothie are definitely loaded with vitamins. This was another great-tasting kale smoothie with a balance of fruits and veggies.
The kids also approved of this smoothie saying it was “Good!” And the dates added a nice sweetness to the smoothie.
After finding and loving Rachel’s Vitamin packed Green smoothie, I noticed other smoothie recipes on her blog that I need to try asap! I was also eyeing up her acai bowl that will also be great for summer.
PIN IT FOR LATER
These smoothies are great for breakfast or for snacks, especially in these hot summer months. I even used any leftover smoothies and froze them in our popsicle molds (we use these) to make popsicles.
I hope these kale smoothie recipes inspired you to get in the kitchen to start blending up some delicious kale smoothies of your own!
Stay cool this summer!
Which smoothie are you going to try first?
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