Easy and Tasty Spinach With Fruit Smoothie Recipe

This spinach with fruit smoothie recipe is so simple. It’s perfect for fueling growing kids and tired parents on busy mornings!

This recipe calls for a high-powered blender and 3 simple ingredients;

• 1/2 a banana
• 1/4 cup orange juice mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup packed fresh raw spinach

There are also some great optional add-ins if you want an extra boost of nutrition and a thick smoothie.

The first time I made this green smoothie recipe for my 1-year-old, I was surprised by its great taste! My only goal was to get some greens into my toddler, so I wasn’t expecting much in the way of flavor.

To my surprise, my toddler loved this healthy spinach fruit smoothie! My 4-year-old loves it as well. Even I, who am usually averse to smoothies, love it.

My kids won’t eat spinach in any other form, but they can get a great dose of spinach in via this simple spinach smoothie. 

Smoothie Ingredients

Spinach

I like fresh baby spinach in this recipe because it is easier to blend and has a nice mild flavor (compared to regular spinach or frozen).

If I do not have any fresh spinach on hand though, frozen spinach is a perfectly good substitute. 

Drink Me Healthy explains that frozen spinach is lightly cooked before freezing, so has some nutrients (like iron) that are more easily digested than raw spinach. If you are eating your spinach raw though, important nutrients like folate and vitamin C are more available.

Related: 35 Iron Rich Foods For Growing Babies and Toddlers 

Spinach Nitrate Concerns: Solid Starts notes that while there is some evidence of negative effects from over-consumption of nitrates (spinach is high in nitrates), including spinach in a balanced diet is unlikely to lead to overconsumption. They simply advice that if you have made something like a spinach puree, you should serve it in a day or so to avoid increased nitrate levels that build over time.

I give my kids this green spinach smoothie once or twice a week and make it fresh, so am not worried about excessive nitrate consumption.

Bananas

You can use frozen banana in this recipe, but fresh fruit is better. 

Additionally, choose ripe bananas to add extra natural sweetness to this green smoothie.

Orange Juice

I always buy orange juice that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D for added nutritional value. Especially living in the cloudy PNW, we need all the extra vitamin D we can get!

Optional Add-Ins

• Mango
• Flaxseed
• Almond Butter

Mango: I sometimes add frozen mango to this spinach smoothie recipe for added tastiness. I’m sure fresh mango would taste even better, but frozen fruit is easier to keep on hand and is already peeled and diced. There’s something about tropical fruit like mango that takes a smoothie to a whole new level!

The American Heart Association cites mango as a great source of vitamin C and vitamin A. 

Flaxseed: WebMD explains that flaxseeds are a great source of healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids).
(Of note for pregnant or breastfeeding women though, WebMD also states that pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid regularly including flaxseed in their diet.) 

Almond Butter: Almond butter is naturally sweet and has monounsaturated fat (a healthy fat!). Healthline explains that these types of fats in almond butter are beneficial for heart health. Adding almond butter will also give your smoothie a more creamy texture.

High-Speed Blender

While a powerful blender like a Vitamix blender works best, you can use a regular blender as well. You will need to blend a little longer with a regular blender and may also need to be okay with little flecks of spinach pieces here and there in your smoothie. Still delicious and nutritious!