Kid-friendly smoothies in 5 minutes (or less!)

As a kid, my sister didn’t eat anything except macaroni and cheese. This presented a challenge for our mom, especially during breakfast when mac and cheese wasn’t on the menu. Then Mom started making smoothies for breakfast. For some reason, the fresh fruit in a bowl that my sister refused to eat was suddenly “so yummy” after being blended with yogurt, milk or even tofu—something my sister wouldn’t have otherwise touched with a 10-foot pole. And the best part for Mom, was that smoothies take 5 minutes or less to make.

Here are some kids’ breakfast-smoothie recipes all ready in 5 minutes or less:

Wake-Up Smoothie (see recipe below) – You can jump-start your day in just minutes with this nutritious, tasty smoothie, which uses frozen berries. It provides vitamin C, fiber, potassium and soy protein.

Apricot Smoothie – Canned apricot halves blend with yogurt in this tangy and refreshing smoothie.

Banana-Berry Smoothie – This bright and easy breakfast packs two servings of fruit plus soy protein and fiber.

Strawberry Smoothie – Reminiscent of an old-fashioned strawberry milkshake, this smoothie delivers the flavor of cold, creamy luxury with the healthful benefits of fresh fruit and low-fat buttermilk.

Thermos-Ready Smoothie – A protein and fiber-rich drink to-go.

Wake-Up Smoothie
Active time: 5 minutes | Total: 5 minutes

1 1/4 cups orange juice, preferably calcium-fortified
1 banana
1 1/4 cups frozen berries, such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and/or strawberries
1/2 cup low-fat silken tofu or low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar or Splenda Granular (optional)

Combine orange juice, banana, berries, tofu (or yogurt) and sugar (or Splenda), if using, in a blender; cover and blend until creamy. Serve immediately.

Makes 3 servings, 1 cup each.

Per serving: 139 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 19 mg sodium; 421 mg potassium.

By Hilary Meyer

EatingWell assistant editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.

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