Creamy Avocado Banana Smoothie

I turn to smoothies whenever I need a fast meal or snack for my kids. They are such a great way to pack in a lot of nutrition with minimal effort, especially when your child is sick or has little appetite. They also help reduce food waste because I can just throw in whatever I have in the fridge. The other day I went to Walmart to purchase some toiletries and hit the jackpot – 25-cent avocados!!!! Avocado is such a nutritious and versatile ingredient, and of course I had to add it to our smoothies. The texture is more similar to a banana milkshake (which my kids love) than a typical smoothie, but you can certainly thin it out if you wish. Not a fan of banana? here’s mango avocado smoothie! And if you are looking for another quick avocado-based snack idea, you MUST try this creamy chocolate avocado pudding!

Ingredients

Avocado – Be sure to use a ripe avocado that’s soft and green, not brown or stringy. Ripe banana – for natural sweetness. Be sure to use frozen ripe banana. Milk – I recommend using whole milk but you can also use 2% or any dairy-free milk, like almond milk or coconut milk. Hemp seeds – I love adding this to all of our smoothies. It’s such an easy way to add more healthy fats, protein, and fiber. You can leave it out if you wish or add other seeds like chia seeds or flax seeds. Pure vanilla extract

Related – 12 veggies that taste good in smoothies

Step-by-Step Instructions

Tips for Success

Be sure to use FROZEN bananas. It makes all the difference. You can use frozen ice cubes if you don’t have any in the freezer. And you definitely want to enjoy this ASAP. Start with 3/4 cup of milk. If you desire a thinner consistency, add more milk. If you want to use a whole avocado, simply double the recipe.

Add-ins

To this basic recipe, feel free to add any of these following:

A handful of spinach – here’s how to make ANY green smoothies for kids Peanut butter – can also add any nut butter, like almond butter, or seed butter if there is an allergy. Just a tablespoons is plenty. Cocoa powder – pairs so well with avocado! Yogurt – add instead of milk for a yogurt-based smoothie. You can use plain or Greek yogurt Fruits – mangoes, apples, berries, pineapple….all delish!

Serving Suggestions

For Babies

You can make this with breastmilk or formula if you wish. For added texture and nutrition, try mixing the smoothie into cooked grains like oatmeal or quinoa or lentils even!

For toddlers

You can serve the smoothie by itself in their favorite straw cup or as a part of a meal! May be interested in: Easy breakfast ideas, Lunch ideas (to enjoy at home or school), Dinner Ideas

Equipment

Most blenders are powerful enough that you should be able to make smoothies using frozen fruits and vegetables. However, I have found that high-powered blenders make smoother smoothies in a flash. I absolutely LOVE my blender and use it for everything as I don’t own a food processor. It is well worth the investment. I’ve had mine for 7+ years and it’s still going strong. I use it to make all my blender muffins, dips/sauces, smoothies, veggie nuggets, pancakes…it’s hands down my number one workhorse. And this straw cup that comes with a lid is the perfect straw drinking cup for toddlers. It also comes with a silicone cover for grip and to prevent breakage. You can see all of our favorite toddler mealtime essentials here!

Storage

This banana avocado smoothie tastes best right after it’s blended, but you can refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Note that the color will darken and separation will occur. Simply give it a good shake before enjoying. If you need to store for longer, then I recommend freezing into ice cube trays or popsicle molds. And when you are ready to enjoy, add however many smoothie cubes you wish and milk to a blender.