This Green Grinch Smoothie is a healthy holiday treat your kids will love! Easy to make and fun to drink, this smoothie is wildly kid-approved!
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I don’t know if its because they taste really stinking good or because they are based around every child’s favorite Christmas villain, but kids love these Green Grinch Smoothies. Like, really love them. Trust me on this one, guys. I tested this smoothie recipe out on a whole bunch of them.
How many, you ask? 25 preschool kiddos sucked this tasty green smoothie down before I even thought about bringing it to you guys. And out of the 25 test subjects, 22 of them liked it….17 drank the whole cup…. and 7 seven asked for seconds. So yeah, I feel confident when I tell you guys that this recipe is kid tested and approved.
So, to be honest, I wasn’t really planning on making a Christmas themed green smoothie recipe for you guys. I figured there are enough green smoothie recipe floating out there in Pinterestland and that no one was really interested in a green smoothie when there were oodles off holiday cookies and candies to enjoy. But, when I shared on my Instagram stories that I had created these Green Grinch Smoothies with my preschool class, a bunch of you lovely people messaged me asking for the recipe. I love you guys for keeping the green in your lives even during the holidays.
I originally made these with my 5 year-old daughter’s pre-K class. She had been begging me for weeks to come in and volunteer in her classroom.
“Let’s make something with them like we do at home,” she said one morning on the drive into school. As I looked back at her in the rear view mirror, she flipped through her beloved copy of How The Grinch Stole Christmas. A light bulb went off in my head.
“What about Green Grinch Smoothies? We could put whipped cream Santa hats on them just like the Grinch wears in the book,” I suggested. Alice looked back at me over her book, one little eyebrow raised.
“But Santa hats need red…..not just white,” she said, sounding more like a teenager than a preschooler.
“True, true. How about we add a raspberry for the red? With the whipped cream and raspberries on top, the smoothies will also feel a bit like a treat. Like a green milk shake!”
I had her at whipped cream, that I know. But the raspberry was what sealed the deal.
The following week I headed into my daughter’s class to read How The Grinch Stole Christmas (truly a total must before enjoy this holiday treat) and make these smoothies with the kids. I made it in small groups, letting each kiddo help put the ingredients into the blender and showing them what went into it.
“Ummmmm you’re putting spinach in that? But I really really don’t like spinach,” one boy told me when his group was up.
“Oh I get that. Spinach does taste a little different. But, I’ll tell you a secret. When you mix it with the frozen mango and pineapple and espeically the bananas….you can’t even taste the spinach. It just helps make this smoothie a really pretty shade of green like the Grinch and extra healthy. Maybe you can be brave and try it…and let me know what you think,” I replied.
He nodded and sure enough drank the whole spinach-riddled smoothie down. I love when that happens.
The smoothie was such a hit with the 5-year-old class that I decided to try it on my crew of 2-year-olds next. And again, more smoothie cups were empty at the end of the activity than not. A sure sign of a winning kid recipe!
Plus, with all the cookies, candies and Santa-themed sugar floating around, its so nice to have a healthy festive treat in your back pocket that you can make and that your kiddos will actually drink.
Other fun veggie-loaded recipes you will love….
Green Grinch Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1-2 very ripe bananas (the riper the better), peeled (start with one banana and add more if you need it to be sweeter)
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 1-2 big handfuls of baby spinach
- 2 cups water or or milk of choice
- whipped cream or whipped coconut cream (for dairy free option)
- fresh raspberries
Instructions
- In a blender, combine water/milk, bananas, and spinach. Blend until everything is well chopped.
- Next, add frozen mango, and frozen pineapple. Blend again until everything is smooth. Add more water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Portion out smoothie into glasses and top with whipped cream/coconut cream and raspberry.
- Enjoy immediately.
Yum definitely going to make💕
Please do! So easy and yum!
Love the Santa hats and those sound amazing!
The games we mamas play to get our kids to eat veggies during the sugar-filled holiday season!
I Made these this morning for my kids and they loved them! I loved that they loaded up on fruit and veggies before school. Even snuck in some avacado!
OOOHHHHH! Good call adding the avo! I add flax seed and a zucchini to mine sometimes! It’s a great base recipe that you can really make your own.
These are so pretty! Great way to get kids to down a green smoothie!!
I love the color too! And I agree! It wonderful when health and fun food can meet in a tasty recipe!
I loved your story on how these smoothies came to be, and what a creative way to get wary kids to try something green!
Aw thank you! Its so interesting where inspiration comes from!
These are so fun and festive! My youngest would love this! I would too 🙂
Enjoy! Happy holidays!
These smoothies look so good and delicious ! Perfect for everyday or the upcoming holiday !!
Yay for healthy and festive treats!
Could you use almond milk instead of water in this recipe? If not, why?
Yes! Absolutely! You can use whatever liquid your family prefers. I’ve made this for my crew with almond milk, coconut water and coconut milk. I made the recipe with just water here because of nut allergies in my school.
Feel free to get creative!
I am allergic to mango what would be a good substitute? My daughter always wants me to drink with her
These are so cute! My kids will absolutely love these. They love green smoothies to begin with, but to make them into a Grinch? Genius!
Ohh so festive! And you know if the kiddos sucked them down, they must be good!
They are always the most honest of food critics.
OMG! These are seriously next level awesome! I am so making these from my kids. Thanks for sharing!
This smoothie looks so good and what a cute name! I love the stats in the kids and how many liked it 🙂 Way to win them over!
Ok, can I just say how much I LOVE this idea and the fact that you so thoroughly kid-tested it? Double ^5! I think one of the powerful moments we can have as parents are when we can teach a kid and show them how awesome something can be. You ROCK, Merry Christmas!
How lovely!!! This recipe just made my heart grow 10 times! 🙂
This is the happiest version of the Grinch I’ve ever seen! LOVE everything about this recipe. Such a fun and clever way to get the kids to go green!
These have been a Christmas tradition with my kids since you originally posted them. We read the book together, make the smoothie and watch the movie while we sip on them. Thanks for keeping the holidays fun but adding a dose of healthy veggies!