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Are you ready to WIN your kids over at breakfast time? If you are tired of the same old same old every morning and are looking for a fun breakfast idea for your picky eaters; you have come to the right place. A kid friendly smoothie bowl bar is the perfect idea to incorporate into your ho-hum mornings and get your children EXCITED about breakfast time. Did I also mention you can sneak veggies into your kids food? Ok, more on that later, but first let’s talk about the basics of a toddler breakfast smoothie bowl bar.

What is a Smoothie bowl?

What is a smoothie bowl and why do you think kids may be into this? A smoothie bowl is just a smoothie, poured into a bowl, with your child’s favorite toppings placed on top and it’s eaten with a spoon. Think of it as a fun way to eat cereal but the smoothie is the milk. 

You can get really creative and come up with different variations of smoothies that your child will eat, and also come up with endless toppings to put on.

Toddler Smoothie Bowl Base

Frozen Bananas

Don’t ever let a banana go to waste in your house ever again! Spotted bananas or overly ripe bananas should be peeled, then thrown in a freezer bag, so they can be pulled out as needed for delicious kid friendly smoothies later on. The frozen-ness of the banana allows the smoothie to be much thicker. The thickness helps keep the toppings, well…on top. If you don’t have a frozen banana laying around, but want to try a smoothie bowl, fear not, a regular banana can work just fine, keep in mind that the toppings may sink quicker.

Frozen Berries

The next ingredient in this delicious smoothie, is either frozen raspberries or frozen strawberries. The berries give the smoothie the sweetness it needs, and masks the hidden veggies. Strawberries are loaded with fiber, vitamin C and potassium; on top of being absolutely delish.  They will also give the smoothie the colorful pops of pink and red.

Dairy Free Add Ins

Our family is mostly dairy-free, so we have always used dairy-free ingredients in our toddler smoothies. Unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt adds the perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess but doesn’t have heaps of added sugar like many other milk based yogurts on the market.

Even if you aren’t dairy free this is a delicious treat your toddler will be sure to love. If you can’t find unsweetened vanilla coconut yogurt, see if you can find almond yogurt. If all else fails, and you are not in need of a dairy-free smoothie, regular milk based yogurt will also work. Be sure to pay attention to sugar though. Yogurts are notorious for hiding heaps of sugar in them.

Next, part of our toddler breakfast smoothie is the unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Again, it adds tons of flavor and sweetness to the smoothie without actually adding additional sugars. Coconut milk, cashew milk, or even regular dairy milk will work as well. 

Sneak Veggies Into The Smoothie

Lastly, it’s time to hide the veggies. Add a handful of kale or spinach to the this delicious toddler breakfast smoothie, and I promise that your child will never ever know. If you blend the smoothie enough, you should have just houdinied them into this delicious breakfast treat. If you are feeling brave, I also add in 1-2 pieces of frozen cauliflower. Cauliflower in a smoothie is like a chameleon and will go unrecognized, while still adding some extra nutrients. Cauliflower is packed with potassium and vitamin B. It you aren’t feeling brave, no problem at all, skip the cauliflower all together. 

Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas

There is no right or wrong way in topping your smoothie bowl, this is where you should let your child’s creativeness and eagerness to try the smoothie shine. You want to add some texture, while the smoothie below it is the main nutritional star of the show.

Make sure to be conscious of how much added sugar you are adding to the bowl with your toppings. Also, as you place out the individual cups of different topping ideas, it’s a good idea to only throw a few spoonfuls into the cups so your children aren’t just dumping in huge heaps of chocolate chips. 

Talk about textures and flavor profiles and what you think may go good together, but let your child ultimately make the final decisions. Sure coconut flakes and fruit loops may not go good together in your head, but maybe it becomes their new favorite flavor profile. Getting them excited to make their own bowl and at least try the smoothie bowl is our end goal here.

I got my daughter to start calling hemp seeds and chia seeds sprinkles, because of these exact toddler breakfast smoothie bowls! I one time asked her to add the sprinkles on top, and ever since then she gets really excited when we get to add sprinkles to dishes. Don’t be afraid to add things they have never had before, like hemp seeds or chia seeds.

Hemp seeds are packed with nutrients, they are full of protein, omega-6 and omega-3 acids. They have a slightly nutty taste, and it’s really great to add to a blank canvas! So call those little guys sprinkles, and encourage your kiddo to add them to the bowl. You could also add a tablespoon to the base of the smoothie itself for some added nutrients. 

Smoothie Bowl Toppings 

Nuts & Seeds

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Peanuts
• Hemp seeds
• Chia Seeds
• Flax seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds

Fruit

• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Pomegranate

Cereal

• O type cereal
• Rice cereal
• Chocolate cereal
• Peanut butter cereal

Syrups and Nut Butters

• Chocolate Syrup
• Peanut Butter
• Cashew butter
• Sunflower butter

Other Fun Adds

• Marshmellows
• Sprinkles
• Raisins
• Chocolate Chips
• Granola
• Shredded Coconut

Yield: 1 Bowl

Toddler Friendly Smoothie Bowl

Print

Toddler Friendly breakfast smoothie bowl is a nutritious and fun way to start your morning.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup frozen Raspberries or Strawberries
• ½ a frozen Frozen banana
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Yogurt
• ½ cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• Handful of Kale or Spinach
• 1-2 small pieces of frozen cauliflower
• *Optional Toppings: nuts, cereal, fruit, etc.

Instructions

1. In a high speed blender combine all ingredients.
2. Pour smoothie into a large cereal bowl
3. Place desried ingredients on top

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