Dairy Free Smoothies (Also Kid-Friendly with “Hidden” Greens)

Hiding Healthy Foods

Do you think it’s good, bad or indifferent to use the “sneaky chef” approach to getting kids to eat healthier?

As you may know, we have battled picky eater challenges for some time. I shared about a recent breakthrough with our youngest daughter on our Facebook page last night. I was so excited that she actually requested some Brussels sprouts, I could hardly stand it. And while eating ice cream, no less!! I had warmed up some to eat myself and was shocked to hear:

I want some Brussels sprouts. I don’t want any more (ice cream).

Um, who are you and what have you done with my daughter? The ice cream was a treat she and her brother were having. I had not really finished lunch so was doing that while they ate the ice cream.

I had begun having some self-doubts recently regarding why in the world have we published a recipe eBook about feeding picky eaters when we don’t seem to be making any headway with Picky Eater #2?

But as we believed in the tactics and tips we had used with our son that we share in our book, we stayed consistent with those and she is finally “coming around” and possibly through the worst of the picky eater phases!

The Approach Did Not Even Work for My Daughter Anyway!

She was not so much a fan of this dairy free smoothies recipe I’m sharing today, but she is definitely one who has to warm up to new things. The Well-Fed Son, however, loved this.

While I personally am not a big advocate for disguising healthy foods, I believe finding a good balance with most anything is the best approach, so basically, never say never. When I first saw this recipe for a smoothie with hidden greens, I knew it was one of those exceptions to my “rule”.

I think smoothies can make a great breakfast or snack and if I can get a serving of greens into my children at the same time? Win-win I say. So as promised:

So why not take this approach all the time with other foods they don’t eat well? Here are my thoughts:

• As an adult, I have come to really appreciate the natural flavors of foods. I think this happened even more when we went on an elimination diet to determine if we had food sensitivities. We began eating fruits (when we at them canned or from jars) stored in their own juice or in water, rather than those in heavy syrup. We also ate cashews that had been roasted with salt and no oils. These foods tasted so much better this way and their natural flavors were more pronounced. If I make it a habit to disguise foods to get my children to eat them better, they will never learn this, or at least not unless they decide when they are older to try them.
• Both of my children have come around to some foods they previously rejected, but this would also not happen if those foods were always disguised. There are several approaches we use when introducing new foods or less familiar foods and tips from our experiences that have proven effective for helping our children learn to eat a variety of foods… please check out our eBook on Amazon if you would like that information and see what our satisfied customers are saying about the book. When we eat out or even with family, we are often told by others how they cannot believe how well our children eat or the types of foods they will eat. This is by no means a pat on our backs but just evidence that our approaches have worked, at least with our children!

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? We would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Find more great ideas:Â Works for Me Wednesday, The Mommy Club, Foodie Friday

About the Author

Adopted at age 2, grew up in the Charlotte, NC area. Obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Appalachian State University. Loves being a Mom of two and taste-testing Chef John's culinary creations and sharing them with readers.

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