Convenience, flavor, and endless versatility—these are just a few of the reasons why we keep smoothies and shakes on regular rotation. And for those of us with kids, whipping something up in the blender can be an undeniably easy way to sneak some extra nutrients into their daily menu. You might, for example, up the ante with a colorful creation that they’re excited to help make and drink, or conceal a handful of veggies with some well-placed spices.

For more brilliant ideas like these, we defer to our friend and resident recipe guru, integrative chef Blaine Arin Tacker. Catch her fun and nutritious smoothie ideas below. Don't have kids? Not to worry—these tasty recipes are suitable for all ages.

Sunset Smoothie

Chef Blaine’s tip? Serve these showstopping smoothies with a chopstick or straw, and encourage your kiddos to swirl the colors—making their very own tasty sunset. With a nutritional profile that boasts vitamin C (which helps support normal immune function) and potassium (important for helping support normal cell function), it’s a mini-activity everyone can get behind.*

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Orange layer:

• ¾ cup orange juice
• ½ cup coconut yogurt (or any variety of plain yogurt)
• 1 frozen banana
• Small handful of ice cubes
• Option: ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

Strawberry layer:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 heaping cup frozen strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Small handful of ice cubes
• Option: 1 squeezed lime juice

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients for the orange layer to a high-speed blender.
2. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 10-15 seconds.
3. Fill two straight-sided glasses halfway up with the orange smoothie layer. Set aside in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to set while you blend the strawberry layer.
4. Give the blender a quick rinse.
5. Blend all ingredients for the strawberry layer until smooth. Add splashes of almond milk if it needs help blending.
6. Slowly pour the strawberry smoothie on top of the orange smoothie. You can either leave a sharp line between the smoothies or use a chopstick (or something similar) to swirl the layers together for a sunset effect. Enjoy right away!

PB&J Smoothie

A new spin on a lunchtime classic. Fun fact: Peanut butter is a good source of protein and vitamin E, as well as magnesium (which helps support bone health and normal protein synthesis). And this recipe subs sugary jelly for raspberries, blueberries, and dates—all of which contain antioxidants.* (1)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups almond milk
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• 4 Medjool dates, pitted
• 4 large ice cubes (about ½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch sea salt
• Option: vanilla protein powder

Steps:

1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender.
2. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 10-15 seconds.

Notes:

If you can’t find Medjool dates, you can sub the smaller Deglet Noor by doubling the amount.

Cinnamon Date Shake

The secret ingredient in this scrumptious shake? That would be riced cauliflower for a sneaky veggie boost. Cauliflower is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate—but they’ll never suspect a thing, thanks to a flavorful lineup of cinnamon, banana, and dates. Bonus: Add some creamy tahini for antioxidants and omega fatty acids. (2,3)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ frozen bananas
• 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower
• 3 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 ½ cups almond milk
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• Optional: 1 tablespoon flax meal

Steps:

1. Add almond milk to a high-speed blender, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
2. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 10-15 seconds.
3. Serve cold with a sprinkle of cinnamon!

Notes:

If you can’t find Medjool dates, you can sub the smaller Deglet Noor by doubling the amount. If you want to make this shake banana-free, leave out the banana and increase the frozen cauliflower to 2 ½ cups. Riced cauliflower makes it easier to blend, but the same volume of frozen cauliflower florets will also work.

References:

1. Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, Bøhn SK, Dragland S, Sampson L, Willey C, Senoo H, Umezono Y, Sanada C, Barikmo I, Berhe N, Willett WC, Phillips KM, Jacobs DR Jr, Blomhoff R. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J. 2010 Jan 22;9:3. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-9-3. PMID: 20096093; PMCID: PMC2841576.
2. Gouveia Lde A, Cardoso CA, de Oliveira GM, Rosa G, Moreira AS. Effects of the Intake of Sesame Seeds (Sesamum indicum L.) ...: A Systematic Review. J Med Food. 2016 Apr;19(4):337-45. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2015.0075. PMID: 27074618.
3. Tahini Nutrition. Retrieved from USDA.