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Having your child help you make a smoothie is like a trifecta of sensory activities:
- They can help you wash the fruit or veggies
- They can help you cut the fruit
- They can get a little sticky helping you pour the smoothie into cups
- And as a bonus, they get to drink a delicious nutritious treat they made themselves!
A few kid-friendly smoothie ideas:
- Ripe banana + ½ cup fresh or frozen fruit+ ½ cup milk (any kind, dairy or non-dairy)
- The "fresh or frozen fruit" can be: strawberries, peaches, mango, blueberries, cherries, kiwi, pineapple, etc.
- Try stirring in a small handful of fresh or frozen baby spinach and calling it a GREEN MONSTER SMOOTHIE (or skip this for now if you have a picky kid and aren't sure how this is going to go in the first place)
- Ask your child what THEY want to put in their smoothie!
- If you're looking to add more nutrition or calories to your child's smoothies, you can add a tablespoon of nut butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, pea protein powder, or a quarter cup of steamed veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, butternut squash, or pumpkin. (I have a whole post on making nutritious baby food, which is essentially a baby-friendly smoothie, and I still follow the same recipe (more or less) for my son who is now 2.5 years old and not a baby. Check it out if you're interested)
I always recommend using a high-strength blender, such as a Vitamix or a Blendtec so that the smoothies come out super smooth and creamy. It's essential for a picky eater. I got this Blendtec blender after many weeks of research, and it is far superior to ANY other blender I've ever used.
Don't forget to use the hashtag #52weeksofsensory and tag @highchairchronicles if you post any pictures on social media!
Psst, if you happened to come across this page and are wondering what the heck this is all about: We are doing the 52 Weeks of Sensory challenge. Come join us!