This Mango Banana Coconut Smoothie is delicious, nutritious, balanced, kid-friendly, easy summer breakfast, lunch or snack option!
This smoothie is like a tropical escape to a beautiful beach – it is creamy and refreshing and sweet and tangy (the perfect combo in my mind!). We love frozen mango over here – we add it to oatmeal, ice cream, yogurt parfaits and smoothies like this! Heck, sometimes my kids just eat frozen mango on its own as a snack!
Smoothies are perfect for hot days because they cool the body down, nourish and hydrate. I talk about the importance of hydration a lot (in this blog post on 3 tips to keep kiddos hydrated), especially with kids, because they often don’t recognize the signs of dehydration before it’s too late.
The importance of hydration for kids:
Kids don’t often recognize thirst, especially when they’re busy having fun, which makes them particularly vulnerable to dehydration, especially during times that can drive up their body fluid losses, like on a hot summer day. Proper fluid intake is essential for kids, not only to stay hydrated, but also to:
- Help with digestion
- Move nutrients and waste through their bodies
- Maintain healthy blood volume
- Help lubricate joints and body tissues (like the mouth, eyes and nose)
- Protect and cushion their joints and organs
- Control their body temperature.
Toddlers, and kids should be getting anywhere from 3.5-7 cups of fluid per day depending on age, gender and activity level, and even more if it’s hot outside!
Base fluid guidelines for kids are:
- 1-3 year-olds: 3.5 cups per day
- 4-8 year-olds: 5 cups per day
- 9-13 year-old girls: 6.5 cups per day
- 9-13 year-old boys: 7 cups per day
Some signs of dehydration to watch out for are:
- Thirst
- Dry or cracked lips/mouth
- Flushed skin
- Headache
- Dizziness and fainting
- Decreased urine output
- Dark, concentrated and strong smelling urine
- Low blood pressure and increased heart rate
- Mood changes (tired, irritable, drowsy)
Fluids, fruits and veggies are the best way to keep kiddos hydrated during the summer. Fruits and veggies (both fresh and frozen) are made up mostly of water, so it’s important to include them in all meals and snacks (smoothies being a great option for this!), and water should be offered all day long. I find that making sure that each child has their own special water bottle really helps with this!
The importance of serving enough fruits and veggies:
Fruits and veggies also offer essential nutrients that are important for your child’s growth, development and immune system. This smoothie contains both mangoes and bananas, both of which are high in a mineral called Potassium, which is important for our muscles, heart and lungs to function properly.
Mangoes are also chalk full of nutrition, including Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin A and an antioxidant called Zeaxanthin. Zeaxanthin plays a protective role in eye health (it’s anti-inflammatory) and might prevent future damage from macular degeneration, which is an eye condition that gets worse with age. I always tell my kids that mangoes have super laser eyesight power!
My kids love the creamy bright yellow colour of this smoothie, and I love how easy it is to make!
If you want to make this mango banana coconut smoothie into a smoothie bowl, I would add a little less liquid to make it thicker, pour into a bowl and then top with your favourite toppings!
Mango Banana Coconut Smoothie
This Mango Banana Coconut Smoothie is delicious, nutritious, balanced, kid-friendly, easy summer breakfast, lunch or snack option!
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen Mango (or combo of mango and pineapple)
- 1 frozen banana (easiest to pre-freeze without the peel, and cut into chunks)
- 1 tbsp shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 3/4 cup coconut-flavoured Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup milk of choice (coconut beverage is our fave)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a good quality blender and blend until smooth before serving.
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Looking for more refreshing smoothie recipes? You’ll love these.
- Healthy DIY Mocha Frappuccino
- Thick and Creamy Triple Berry Smoothie
- Kid-Approve Tropical Green Smoothie (& Smoothie Bowl)
- Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
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