One of my favorite morning rituals is making mason jar smoothies with my boys (Odette is still purely on a diet of breastmilk). Tom and Shep love to pick fruits and vegetables from our garden and create healthy, feel-good drinks that taste great (with a little help, of course).
As a mom, I love promoting their creativity and watching their curiosity spike as they pick out ingredients that I NEVER would have chosen for myself. Who would have thought a bell pepper could go well in a smoothie?!
As you know, the base of any great smoothie is, of course, the fruits and veggies. While I try to use ingredients from our garden (we’re currently growing mint, cantaloupes, jalapeños, basil, bell peppers, and tomatoes) as much possible, sometimes we need a little extra help from local farmers markets and organic supermarkets to fill in the blanks.
Whether at the store or in your own garden, try to encourage your kiddos pick out their own fruits and veggies. Not only is it a fun adventure, but over time I’ve found that this simple step helps to empower Tom and Shep to want to reach for the “healthy stuff”, thereby associating fruits and veggies with pleasure and fun. (Gotta love those sneaky mom tricks!)
When you get home, have your kids put their desired pickings into their own personalized mason jars. You can buy mason jars on Amazon for a few dollars a piece, and I like to buy sticky “chalkboard” labels with adhesive to stick right on the jars (you can buy these here from Target). Give your kid a piece of chalk, and let them write their name to make the experience personal.
I don’t know our morning can be pretty hectic (that may be an understatement), so to get one step ahead of the game, we make our smoothies the night before. This cuts down on prep time and makes for gold in the morning! No matter the time of day, the last step is always to toss your berries and leafy greens into the blender and let it do the rest!
Not only are these super easy mason jar smoothies a great way to get kiddos to eat healthy food, but by letting them be in control of their own smoothie it helps them to feel special and involved. Not to mention, it also begins to gives them a sense of where their food comes from!
Here is one of my favorite “red” smoothie recipes from Julie Morris for the Chalkboard Mag. It features tomatoes and basil– two things I grow in the garden and are easy to harvest.
STRAWBERRY BASIL SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE
makes two 16-oz. servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 1⁄2 cups cherry tomatoes
1⁄4 cup dried goji berries
2 large Medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons mashed avocado
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon (packed) minced fresh basil
1 cup coconut water
DIRECTIONS:
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
Taste, and sweeten if desired.
40 Comments
Natalie Anne
NICE!! Smoothies only come out at summer time for us (in the UK). I’ll give this recipe a try because unlike my super healthy sister who love the green kind too much I struggle finding a smoothie that tastes nice and has a texture I like. (Never thought about having the kids help making them [i don’t want them to make a mess!!] but if it’ll get them drinking it– I’ll compromise! ;).
I’ve just done some fairy light DIY mason jars for my (in construction) reading nook. And we’re having a princess kids party this Saturday so I’ve hot glued a fake rose to the lid of a mason jar and turned it upside down and tada! A homemade beauty and the beast prop lol. So many ideas for mason jars!! (Thanks Pinterest)
Shawn Temple
Gen, I wanted to let you know that while I no longer have little ones of my own I do have the pleasure of having a 3 yr old grandson. I have found this to be a really fun activity for us to share, he loves it. Thank you for sharing.
Erika
Gen, your amazing! I love how you get your children involved with the making of the food. It makes them feel like they created something special. My daughter couldn’t chew until she was 5 years old and no Doctor would help.only a miracle at dinner, my then 10 year old playing lady and the tramp did my youngest first chew! We were blessed that day! Love Erika, Lia and Brianna.
Kris Saavedra
That’s great! I hope she continues to thrive everyday!
Federica
I am really proud of you. Your positivity is a model everyone should look up to. Keep it up!!
Mikayla Oelschlegel-Gonzalez
I definitely would have never thought about putting leafy greens in my smoothie so that is a whole new world for me! But I do have to agree with your kids, bell peppers go good with everything. But I am definitely all for a simple, all-time favorite of bananas and strawberry smoothie. Add in a little honey and milk, and I am good to go!
Also, the mason jar idea is my favorite. I love mason jars and drinking out of them so this makes me especially happy! I so wish I could try that red smoothie but unfortunately I am allergic to coconut, so would you recommend just regular water?
Jay
Amazing! I will try to do this one ay home with my friends
Tirza Olah
Hi Gen! This is amazing. If you read this then i think you should make a youtube channel. You should vlog about how is a life with 3 little kids and an awesome husband.;) That would be really cool. I’m sure u work hard everyday but i would like to see a Padalecki youtube channel. 14/Girl/Hungary ILYSM
Carlota
Genevieve this is so amazing! I’m so proud of you for this, you’re such an amazing and wonderful woman. You’re an incredibly outstanding person and mother. These are such wonderful post, I can’t wait to try the smoothies and these skin products. Thank you so much for showing us a part of your life, you’re incredible. Thank you again!
Holly Fitzpatrick
I love this! I think it’s so brilliant to get kids involved in food and food prep! I also very much enjoyed your style of writing, and the layout of this post. It flowed well and the images helped illustrate specific points! Well done, I can’t wait to read more!
Adrienne Reible
Sounds delicious! I have most of the ingredients on hand but I might need to swing by sprouts for the rest and make this sometime soon.
Marijke
I know this isn’t what the article is about, but I just read your bio, and that’s so awesome that you grew up in Idaho!! I live in Idaho and most people don’t even know what Idaho is, so that’s awesome that one of the people I look up too grew up here too!
Destiny
Gonna have to try it ?
Also you guys are family goals ☺️
Courtney
I want that mixing bowl! Where did you get it?
Kim
I am visiting my sister in Montana this week and I have never been a fan of smoothies but she showed me her way of making them and how her KIDS LOVE them. I loved her smoothie though and when I get back to my house I am going to try making them too.
Maddie
I’m not a mom myself, as I’m still wayyyy too young, but I know that I definitely would’ve enjoyed it if my mom had done this with me when I was little. As a matter of fact, I would’ve enjoyed a lot of things when I was little that you now do with the boys. I’ll definitely keep all of these tips in the back of my mind for when I am old enough to have kids of my own! You and Jared are amazing parents and I can’t wait to see your little ones grow up into amazing people! Much Love, Gen ♥️
Rebecca
It’s really nice to see that You’re teaching your children how to eat healthy early. I wish I would have been taught that as a kid! Congrats on your amazing blog so far!! It’s looks awesome.
Paige
Those mason jar smoothies sound delicious Gen! Y’all should also try mason jar salads, they are great for school lunches, or just lunches in general; they are also a very healthy choice! Hope you and your family have a blessed summer!
Hannah
These look so good! It’s also super great to drink these in the Winter time – when you really need as many natural vitamins as you can possibly get!!
Sandra
Nice recipe! I will try it 🙂 I’m also a great fan of smoothie and always looking for some new good recipes ^^
phoebe
i love this so much! can’t wait to see all your wonderful food posts (and how to get the kids to eat healthy!) so i can give them all a try! would also love to see your wonderful garden and all the incredible fruits and veggies you’re growing!
Anita
My family and I must be some of the only people whose mom didn’t need to hide veggies in their food. My sisters and I used to fight over whose favorite veggie our mom or dad would make to go with dinner and my son will eat salad for breakfast every day if I let him, lol. This is a great way to add extra fruit and veggies to our diet and an even better reason for using the great blender I just got at a yard sale. ?
Jaqueline Wojnarovicz
Nunca tomei um smoothie mas gostei dessa receita e vou experimestar.
Kathleen
Gen, this is the best idea to make with my Neices and nephews! Looking forward to making this! I love spending time with them when I can so this would be perfect to do! Have u thought about writing a book?
Kat
Bailey
This sounds like an amazing smoothie, definitely going to try it. Thanks for sharing this with everyone, and hopefully we get to see more soon.
Drew
I’m really interested to know what you do to stay fit and healthy because you’re always looking amazing x
Erika Vernaet
I have a daughter that hates to eat, so for dinner I included pineapples in our meal. Her favorite fruit. I cut up tiny pieces of boneless skinless Chicken and cook in a slow cooker for tenderness. Then after 2 hours add Pineapple pieces. Stir it in with Montreal Chicken seasoning. Then a half hour later add BBQ sauce. After, a long day of school, she eats it up!
Colleen
But wasn’t one of her very first instagram posts talking about how she has to hide fruits and veggies in “Mylkshakes” to trick the kids into eating them???
Tasha
To say I’m struggling with getting my 22 month old to eat is an understatement. It’s so frustrating! I want to/am going to try this, but I feel like she will just shove it away.
Mahsa
Hey Gen, it was great.
Besides, i love you and your children ???
Raquel
I never ever thought experiment this but I will try for sure!
Lydia
I love that bowl too. Please let me know where to look for it. I looked on Amazon and didn’t see it.
CAROL
Do you blend them the night before, or just throw your choices into your jar to blend in the morning. If yo blend the night before, is the flavor still as fresh and tasty in the morning?
Brittany Voorhees
I love the personalized mason jars! What a fun way to get the kids involved, and being healthy. I will try this with my kiddos for sure.
Antoinette
This is a great way to start the day, an exelent idea to start the night before with the prepping together
MaryAnn
I love this idea! I stared making myself breakfast smoothes because I normally forget to eat breakfast because I’m running around getting my 5 kids and 4 nieces and nephews off to school in the mornings, so I stared making smoothes with my sixth child my youngest who still gets to stay home with Mommy so we both end up sharing. My 9 year old son who is on the autism spectrum is a VERY picky eater so I just might give this a go and see if I could get him to eat different fruits and veggies in a new fun way.
Stacy
I absolutely love these smoothies! I wasn’t sure I’d like tomatoes & basil in a “fruity” drink, but wow, it tastes delicious & I know it’s good for me & my daughter 🙂 Keep these recipes coming, Gen, they’re wonderful!
Kim Keown
I LOOOOOOVE this! It so very important to teach our chidren to love eating healthy foods! Aloowing them to be hands on with thier food gives them a sense of respect for what they are putting into thier little bodies!! Bravo to you! My little Livi loves fruit and veggies! going to have to try this!
Kara
This is such a good idea, Gen! I love the idea of you letting your children pick out their own fruits and veggies to allow their creative side to flourish. Not only does it teach them that eating healthy is yummy, but it’s fun too! Way to go momma!
– Kara
Mandy Callen
Love the idea of putting the ingredients in mason jars the night before, to make for an easy morning smoothie! Julie Morris’ recipes are great. I love all of her recipes books. Sipping her chocolate pear juice recipe as I type this!