Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Real World Wednesday - Toddler Milkshakes

If you have a kid who refuses to eat fruits or vegetables, this is a must-have recipe. After I got this idea from my sister-in-law, I started making this every morning for Michaela. It makes me feel good that even if she refuses all other food that day, she is still getting a few servings of fruit, veggies, calcium and fiber.

Ingredients
1 Banana
1/2 cup fresh Spinach
3-4 Strawberries
2 tablespoons ground flax seed and/or wheat germ
1/2-1 cup yogurt, plain or vanilla
2-3 cups Milk
any other fruits or veggies

Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes
  • You can really put anything you want in this shake. I have a friend who uses carrots, something I've been wanting to try. I always use bananas and strawberries, then look for seasonal fruits that are on sale to add in.
  • It usually takes Michaela the entire day to finish this. I pull this out first along with any meal or snack, then return it immediately to the refrigerator when she's done.
  • You can't taste the spinach because of the overwhelming flavor of the banana, however, it does sometimes turn the shake green. Since this can be off-putting to some kids, I would recommend using a cup that you can't see through. I use The First Years Insulated sippy cups, with the rubber valve on top cut out.
  • Adjust the amounts to your own taste. Sometimes I make enough for me to have a glass also.

1 comment:

  1. We make a similar version at our house too and you are right - they are fantastic. I agree it is nice knowing that they got some quality food into their little belly's that day. We serve these at night for "dessert" which also helps keep them from getting hungry before breakfast.

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