Your guide to the best kid’s plant-based, and vegan protein smoothies. It is no secret kids love smoothies! They are a staple in my home and enjoyed year-round. This simple protein smoothie is the perfect go-to for a quick nutrition-packed snack or meal addition.

Colorful kid's smoothies lined up in glass cups some with lids and straws. Nuts, seeds, and fruit scattered in background.

I will guide you through what makes for a great kid’s protein smoothie and how to add in additional nutrients and superfoods, as well as share with you my number one clean plant protein and omega-packed ingredient! I will also share tips for involving your kiddos, clean up, and our favorite fun smoothie cups and straws.

I love getting my kids involved in the process and letting them experiment with different fruits and veggies. We start our morning routine with a protein smoothie before breakfast. This allows me time to get my day started and get breakfast made, while they drink their smoothies.

Kid’s protein smoothies are my favorite go-to for picky eaters and give me peace of mind on days when my child has a poor appetite, as I know the protein smoothie I make will nourish and sustain them.

Equipment Needed

I make my protein smoothies with a high-powered Vitamix blender. Before purchasing my Vitamix I had a regular blender.

Picture of high-powered blender, partial fruit basket in background.

I made smoothies but it was difficult to make the amount I wanted and the smoothie wasn’t blended well. Upgrading to a higher-powered blender made a tremendous difference.

I encourage you to start with what you have and consider upgrading to a higher-powered blender as soon as you can.

Tips

If you are using a lower-power blender, use much less liquid, use ground flax seeds if you choose to add flax seeds, and use less frozen fruit.

Smoothie Prep

No prep is required for making this protein smoothie but here are a few tips to look over:

Process Shot of frozen fruit and dates laid out of tray.

Frozen bananas

Frozen bananas are nice to have on hand for smoothies. If you freeze them individually first they will not freeze together making it easier to add to your blender. I like to buy a few bunches at a time and place them on the counter until they become spotted.

How to make frozen Bananas

First line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Then peal ripe bananas and slice or halve per your preference.
Lay out the prepared banana on the tray, making sure the banana pieces are not touching.
Place in the freezer till frozen, then move frozen bananas to a gallon ziplock bag.

Other items that can be prepared ahead

You can make your plant milk and prepare it ahead of time then place it in a gallon mason jar in the fridge to add to your smoothies.
I like to have flax seeds and hemp hearts in quart jars inside the door of my fridge to keep them fresh and accessible for adding to smoothies.
If you have excess fruit or pick wild blackberries, freeze some for your smoothies! You can follow the same steps as freezing bananas then store them in ziplock bags.

Choosing a plant-based milk

To start your protein smoothie you will need a liquid. This recipe calls for dairy-free milk, you could substitute it with your milk of choice, water, or juice if you do not have dairy-free milk.

Look for plant-based milk with simple, healthy, organic ingredients, no added sugars, thickeners, or synthetic vitamins. A few of my favorites are almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, rice milk, and hemp milk.

Making your own plant-based is affordable and simple, and you know exactly what is in your plant milk. Check out my recipe for Creamy Almond Cashew milk.

Tips

Making your plant-based milk at home is so simple and I have found that I do not need to run it through a straining bag if I am using it for smoothies.
Are you out of plant-based milk? Use water as a substitute then add 2-3 tablespoons of nuts of your choice or a tablespoon of almond butter or peanut butter.

Supplements and superfoods for a nutritional boost

This is my favorite part of making healthy smoothies. Experiment and have fun adding nutritious supplements and superfoods.

My number one go-to’s are golden flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp hearts. I am so excited to share my use of hemp hearts with you as they are packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamin E, magnesium, iron, and more! Check out this article in Healthline to learn more about the amazing health benefits of hemp hearts.

Add in supplements based on your children’s needs such as powdered probiotics, or elderberry syrup for example. This is an excellent way to ensure your kids are getting the nutrition they need and a great way to sneak it in if you have a picky eater or child who will not take supplements.

You can add greens as well, a handful of spinach, or some super green powder are great ways to get some leafy greens into your child’s diet.

Tips

If you are using a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix you do not need to grind the flax seeds or hemp hearts in advance. Just add them in and the high-powered blender will grind them up. If using a lower-powered blender, add the flax and hemp seeds to a coffee grinder and grind until powder.
When adding chia seeds I suggest soaking the desired amount shortly before making your protein smoothie. I do this because I have found that unsoaked chia seeds thicken the smoothie.
Spinach is excellent to start with if you’re new to greens in smoothies due to its mild flavor. If you’re worried that the greens will turn your protein smoothie green and your child will not eat it, when you add in frozen berries the smoothie will change back to a purple color.

Choosing a high-quality protein powder

When choosing the best vegan protein powder, I like to look for raw sprouted grain proteins in the powder. I also prefer a variety of plant protein sources in my protein powder.

Many plant-based proteins on the market are mainly pea protein or contain animal proteins like whey protein, be sure to look through the nutrition facts.

I look for plant-based protein powders without added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or stevia. As I like to add my own natural sweetness and I look for stevia free because stevia can have a bitter aftertaste.

Another thing to consider is added flavors such as vanilla protein powder and chocolate protein powder as I prefer to add my organic vanilla extract or cocoa powder as desired.

Almond butter or natural peanut butter is another simple and delicious way to increase the protein content of your vegan protein drink.

Hemp hearts is one of my favorite protein supplements. They contain high amounts of protein, 10 grams of plant-based protein per tablespoon. They are also a complete source of protein and contain essential amino acids. You can add hemp hearts to your smoothie and adjust it based on your nutritional needs and individual protein requirements.

Sweetening your protein smoothie

Look for sweeteners that come from nature and have added health benefits to lightly sweeten your smoothie.

Here are some of my favorite natural sweeteners:

Dates are great for sweetening just remove the pit and add the date to the blender.
Another sweetener I like is maple syrup. It is easy to add to smoothies and can aid in thinning the smoothie if the blender is having a hard time blending the frozen fruit.
There are also several plant-sourced sugar-free sweeteners such as stevia and pure monk fruit.
Another good option is raw honey (please do not use honey for children under 2 years) (note, honey is not vegan but can be used in a plant-based diet).

Frozen Fruit

I saved the best for last! Frozen fruit shopping can be so fun. Go on a frozen fruit hunt. Experiment with different tropical fruits, and seasonal fruits, and choose a variety of flavors and colors.

Some of our favorite frozen fruits

strawberries
wild blueberries or regular blueberries
bananas
peaches
dragon fruit
passionfruit
raspberries
blackberries
cherries
pomegranate

I use berries as a staple in all of my smoothies and add other fruits as they are available. My kids love to watch how the fruit changes the color of the smoothie. Add fruit depending on your kid’s favorite colors and flavors.

Have fun choosing your protein smoothie ingredients and get creative!

Tips

Adding in fresh fruit to your smoothie works well too. I like to add peeled orange or mandarin for citrus flavor at times, as well as fresh cranberries and apples.
Add in veggies such as spinach, cucumber, and red cabbage, all have great health benefits and do not make your smoothie bitter.
Add ice to your smoothie if you do not have frozen fruit or want your smoothie to be icier.

Cups, straws, and storage

My kids love having special smoothie cups and straws. I like to choose cups that are glass or stainless steel and have a tight-fitting lid.

For young children, you can choose a stainless steel or glass cup with a silicone sleeve and straw. I like the silicone straws that have a lip on them so the child cannot pull it out and they come in so many fun colors.

For my older kids, I use stainless steel tumblers and lids with stainless steel straws and colorful rubber tops. Each of my children is assigned a cup. I have multiple straws with colorful tops to choose from and enough of each favorite color to avoid bickering.

Getting your kids involved

Kids love to help in the kitchen and making smoothies together is a fun way to involve them. Here are the ways I like to involve my kids in the smoothie-making process:

Kids can gather together smoothie ingredients.
They can measure ingredients and add them to the blender before blending.
After the lid is secure they can turn help turn on the blender.
They can add frozen fruit to the blender through the hole on the blender lid.
They can gather their favorite cup, lid, and straw to serve the smoothie.
They can bring their cups to the sink when they are done and rinse them out.

Be sure to leave your blender unplugged until you’re ready to start it when working with young children for safety and to avoid a mess as children enjoy pressing buttons.
Before plugging your blender in make sure the blender buttons are in the off position.

Easy Clean-up

Prompt clean-up of the blender and smoothie cups is key. After serving the smoothie rinse out the blender, and add a small amount of dish soap and clean the sides and bottom of the blender with a bristle bottle brush.

promptly rince smoothie cups, lids, and straws. This will make clean up much easier and ensure that no dirty smoothie cups get left to mold.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Start with your Liquid
add 1 ½ cups of Plant-based milk to your blender.
Next, add your protein powder, and seeds/supplements of choice
add 1 tablespoon of flax seeds and 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts, or 1 scoop of protein powder, blend well on medium to high speed until seeds are liquified.
Add fresh fruit or greens and a natural sweetener (optional step)
Here are some ideas on what you could add:
Greens: add a handful of spinach or two stalks of kale.
Fresh fruit: add a sliced apple or peeled orange.
Natural sweetener options: 2-4 dates, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons honey, or pure monk fruit (per packaging dosage).
Blend ingredients on medium to high speed until liquified.
Add in your frozen fruit
Finally, turn your blender up to high and add in your frozen fruit of choice about 1-2 cups, add fruit slowly, blenders vary in their ability to handle large amounts of frozen fruit. Add enough of the frozen fruit until you get a well-blended frosty smoothie. Blend well and serve.
Divide the smoothie up into your kid’s favorite cups to serve
Place leftovers in a glass mason jar or other air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer for later. Smoothies last in the fridge for up to 2 days, and up to three months if stored in the freezer.

Tips

Use this recipe as a basic guide and add in supplements, fruits, and veggies based on your families needs and preferences.
Make it fun and involve your kids, add in their favorite flavors and colorful fruit and veggies.

Add smoothie leftovers to a popsicle mold and place them in the freezer. Kids love these and they make great treats!

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below.
Get your kids involved and add their favorite fruits, let me know how your smoothies turned out in the comments below!
Happy smoothie making!

Best Plant-Based Smoothie for kids

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Your guide to the best kid’s plant-based smoothies. Make nutritious smoothies for your kids and get them involved in the process. Smoothies are my favorite go-to for picky eaters and give me peace of mind on days when my kid has a poor appetite and work wonderfully for sneaking in veggies or needed supplements.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plant-based milk
1 tablespoon golden flax seeds
3 tablespoons of hemp hearts or 1 scoop of protein powder
1/2 peeled banana (fresh or frozen)
1-2 cups frozen fruit of choice
Unrefined sweetener of choice

Instructions

Start with your Liquid, add 1 ½ cups of Plant-based milk to your blender.
Next, add your protein powder, and seeds/supplements of choice, add 1 tablespoon of flax seeds and 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts, or 1 scoop of protein powder, and blend well on medium to high speed until seeds are liquified.
Add fresh fruit or greens and a natural sweetener (opt.), here are some ideas on what you could add:

Greens: add a handful of spinach or a couple of kale stalks.
Fresh fruit: add a sliced apple or peeled orange.
Natural sweetener options: 2-4 dates, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons honey, or pure monk fruit (per packaging dosage). Blend ingredients at medium to high speed until liquified.

Add frozen fruit. Finally, add in your frozen fruit of choice about 1-2 cups, add fruit slowly, blenders vary in their ability to handle large amounts of frozen fruit. Add enough of the frozen fruit until you get a well-blended frosty smoothie.
Divide the smoothie up into your kid's favorite cups to serve. Place leftovers in a glass mason jar or other air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer for later. Smoothies last in the fridge for up to 2 days, and up to three months if stored in the freezer.

*I like to add leftover smoothies to a popsicle mold and place them in the freezer. For an on-hand nutrient-packed treat!

Notes

Tips:

Use this recipe as a basic guide and add in supplements, fruits, and veggies based on your family's needs and preferences.

Make it fun and involve your kids, add in their favorite flavors and colorful fruit and veggies.

2 Comments

akhil says:

September 27, 2024 at 11:52 am

The post was very good, I appreciate how you explain it, Keep the posts coming! Very good talent.”

1. Laura @Mama's Inspired Nest says:
  
  September 29, 2024 at 10:18 pm
  
  Thank you for your beautiful comment. I am glad you found the post helpful. More content to come! 😉

Best plant-based vegan protein smoothie for kids

Equipment Needed

Tips